Genetics

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Susan Love, MD

Dr. Susan Love, medical director and founder of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, joins host Dr. Lauren Streicher to talk about the Love/Avon Army of Women initiative, which seeks to recruit one million women of all ages and backgrounds to participate in breast cancer research. Dr. Love explains how doctors can apply to be involved in the research process and how your patients can become part of the army of women.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD

Guest: Eamonn R. Maher, MD

Guest: John Solly, PhD

Skin lesions, pneumothorax and kidney tumors? Is it Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome? Described in the late 1970s, Birt-Hogg-Dubé was very difficult to recognize until recent molecular genetic testing made the diagnosis of this orphan disease more accurate. What is this disease? What systems does it affect? How do we treat it and what is the hope for the future? Join host Dr. Bruce Bloom and his guests Dr. Eamonn Maher, professor of medical genetics and department head of medical and molecular genetics at the University of Birmingham in the UK, and John Solly, director of the Myrovlytis Trust, a UK charity dedicated to the promotion of research into rare genetic disorders.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD

Guest: John Solly, PhD

The worldwide effort to find cures for rare disease is often the work of small organizations such as the the Myrovlytis Trust, a not-for-profit organization in Great Britain dedicated to finding treatments and cures for rare diseases. John Solly, charity manager for the Myrovlytis Trust, talks with host Dr. Bruce Bloom, the rationale for focusing large dollars on diseases affecting a small population and how the Trust is approaching the search for a cure to their first target disease, Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome.

Host: Roy Levit, MD

Guest: Albert O. Edwards, MD, PhD

Geneticists think of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as a complex trait in which multiple environmental and epidemiological risks combine to cause the disease. Dr. Albert O. Edwards is a consultant and an opthalmologist at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, discusses with host Dr. Levitt the genetic approach for identifying biological pathways involved in the disease, and explains how to interpret the genetic studies. Dr. Edwards also outlines the importance of lifestyle choices, such as exercise, low-fat diet and other heart-healthy behaviors, to reduce their risk of developing AMD regardless of one's knowledge of the genetic risk. Tune in to hear Dr. Edwards clarify the relationship between genetics and AMD.

Host: Lisa Mazzullo, MD

Guest: Enrique Hernandez, MD

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death in women around the world. Many of these deaths can be avoided if women with mild cervical dysplasia are treated early. In the last few years, doctors have clarified the cytology and pathology for women in order to treat the problem effectively, while not over-treating the issue. Dr. Enrique Hernandez, chairman of the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, joins host Dr. Lisa Mazzullo to talk about the treatment plan for women with mild cervical dysplasia as well as recommendations for treating the disease in the future.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Marianne Legato, MD

Women account for 85 percent of the people in the industrialized world who have reached 100 years of age. What accounts for the longer lifespan of women? Dr. Marianne Legato, founder of the Partnership for Gender-Specific Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, talks with host Dr. Lauren Streicher about the significance of gender on life span. They discuss the roles that biology, lifestyle, and social factors play in longevity, and probe whether social changes in the industrialized world may be closing the gap.

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD

Guest: Randi Hagerman, MD

Diagnosis of the genetic disorder Fragile X syndrome can be devastating for our young patients and their families, knowing that both the patient and their elders can be affected by this condition. Should we expand current screening measures for Fragile X? As clinicians, how do we guide patients and their families through this process of understanding their diagnosis? Dr. Randi Hagerman, professor and endowed chair of Fragile X research, and medical director of the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, joins host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill to talk about the nuances of this genetic condition.

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD

Guest: Randi Hagerman, MD

We are rapidly learning more about the genetic disorder Fragile X syndrome, and a series of conditions related to Fragile X. We're also seeing great progress in promising therapies under investigation. How will these therapies, along with other treatment strategies, improve the lives of children and families affected by Fragile X and related conditions? Who should supervise care, and should treatment for children be coordinated with care of potentially affected relatives? Dr. Randi Hagerman, professor and endowed chair of Fragile X research, and medical director of the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, shares her expansive expertise on Fragile X syndrome and associated conditions with host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill. If a child is diagnosed with Fragile X, is genetic screening inevitably warranted for parents and grandparents?

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD

Guest: Randi Hagerman, MD

It's responsible for more than five percent of all cases of autism, and it's the most common cause of inherited mental retardation. But are we as familiar as we need to be with Fragile X syndrome, and a series of genetic conditions related to Fragile X? Host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill welcomes Dr. Randi Hagerman, professor and endowed chair of Fragile X research, and medical director of the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, for a stimulating conversation about our rapidly expanding knowledge of these genetic conditions. How do the signs and symptoms manifest in children, and how does Fragile X impact our elder generations?

Host: Lisa Mazzullo, MD

Guest: Mark Hughes, MD, PhD

In the context of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), the revolutionary prospects of the human genome are quite striking. Dr. Mark Hughes, professor of molecular medicine and genetics at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and director of the Genesis Genetics Institute in Detroit, joins host Dr. Lisa Mazzullo to address the inescapable ethical debate surrounding this technology. Further, are there any safety concerns tied to PGD?