Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling

Describe the highlights of your career path since leaving Brandeis.

I was fortunate to start my career in the neurogenetics program at Massachusetts General Hospital. In this role, I provided clinical genetic counseling, served as a laboratory genetic counselor and coordinated multiple research studies. I was lucky to fill so many roles in this job, as it was an excellent opportunity to learn and grow as a genetic counselor while exploring what direction to take my career. A highlight of this position was working with several patient advocacy organizations, attending family conferences and organizing outreach events, from which I learned so much. My interest in research lead me to a full-time position as a research genetic counselor. For the past five years, I have worked for two genomic data sharing efforts, the Clinical Genome Resource and Matchmaker Exchange. It has been a career highlight to help grow these efforts and see how they have impacted the genomics community. I am fortunate to collaborate with an international network of clinicians, researchers and laboratories and have the opportunity to travel and teach the community about the importance of data sharing.

What do you remember most about your genetic counseling training at Brandeis?

In my first semester, I found Judy Jackson’s Reproductive Genetics and Elaine Hiller’s Human Genetics classes to be absolutely eye opening. While I pursued genetic counseling because of my interest in genetics, I did not have any advanced education in how genetics affects human health and development when I started the program. I learned so much in that first semester and was reassured that I was on the right path. During my clinical rotations, I was able to watch Brandeis alumnae in action and learned not only about counseling, but lessons about communication, empathy and self-reflection that I value to this day. Finally, the comradery among my classmates was an asset during my time at Brandeis, and our friendship has only grown stronger since graduation. I am so glad to have them as colleagues and friends!

Describe the highlights of your career path since leaving Brandeis.

After graduating from Brandeis, I started my career as a laboratory genetic counselor in the genomic diagnostic division at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where I gained expertise in variants analysis and report interpretation for both sequence variants and copy number alterations. I utilized clinical expertise to perform clinical correlation for report interpretation and generation. I served as a project lead in multiple areas, including proposed hospital-guidelines regarding the handling of cases with multiple regions of homozygosity detected by SNP array, which are potentially concerning for closed consanguinity; forming a new guideline for training new members in CNV analysis using SNP array.

Currently, I work in both a clinical and research setting at MGH. I provide genetic counseling services to patients and families with neurogenetic conditions, participate in the development of educational materials for families with rare neurogenetic disorders, engage in provider outreach and education related to genetic testing and counseling supports in the neurology department. I am also involved in the newborn screening for SMA and serve on the Medical Advisory Council for the CURE SMA Foundation.

What do you remember most about your genetic counseling training at Brandeis?

I sincerely enjoyed the community fieldwork and learned enormously from the invited families sharing their personal experiences caring for someone with a genetic condition, as it offered us valuable working knowledge when interacting with those individuals affected with those disabilities. All of these experiences helped strengthen my counseling and communication expertise, as well as empathy towards everyone that I encountered. The other most memorable aspect is the people I met from the genetic counseling training program including all the leaders of the program, faculty members, and of course classmates, many of whom provided significant guidance, advocacy, mental and moral support throughout the time that I was in the program and beyond. I am grateful to be a part of the genetic counseling program family.

Describe the highlights of your career path since leaving Brandeis.

I began my career at a biotechnology company as a remote field employee in North Carolina. I put my genetic counseling skills to use providing disease education and support to patients and families with four lysosomal storage disorders: Fabry, Gaucher, Pompe and MPS I. I traveled to meet patients and families to discuss the pathophysiology and hereditary nature of their condition. I also addressed questions about available treatment options. I fostered long term, multi-generational relationships and aided in navigating the complex family dynamics that surround sharing disease and risk information with relatives. I preserved partnerships with clinical staff and provided education on enzyme replacement therapy to home infusion nurses.

My field experiences inspired me to explore how I could impact the rare disease community on a broader scale. I leveraged the diverse genetic counselor skillset in collaboration with other departments. As a result, I developed an interest in patient marketing and patient advocacy which lead me to create a novel position. Currently, I support our patient speaker bureau, patient marketing and lead a program focused on Gaucher disease for the Ashkenazi Jewish community. Perhaps unique in its description, my career thus far has been more fulfilling than I could have anticipated.

What do you remember most about your genetic counseling training at Brandeis?

In addition to a lot of laughs, and of course a few good tears shed in Judith’s office, I intimately remember the shared support and irreplaceable guidance gained in process group. I recall my feelings of sheer awe as to how our professors were always equipped with the most insightful response or perfect reflective statement. I was captivated by their ability to be completely present in the moment and to actively listen, conveying the utmost care and concern. I strive to emulate and recreate these experiences during each patient interaction and to focus on how the smallest gestures may have a lasting impact.

Describe the highlights of your career path since leaving Brandeis.

After working in pediatrics and research positions at institutions such as Boston Children’s Hospital, the University of Puerto Rico, and the University of Miami (UM), in 2007, while at UM, I took a position in cardiogenetics, where I advocated for and earned an Instructor faculty appointment. In 2012, I was recruited by The Ohio State University to join the faculty of the Division of Human Genetics, where I have clinical, research, and education responsibilities. My experience attaining and navigating faculty appointments led to an invitation to advise Yirhu Zhao’s (Class of 2018) in her thesis project, which explored the career trajectories of genetic counselors with academic appointments. I was also elected to the American Board of Genetic Counseling Board of Directors, where I have served as co-chair of the Certification Exam Committee (2016) and President (2019). As a nationally recognized expert on cardiomyopathy and native Spanish speaker, I am also a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselor’s Expert Media Panel, where I participate in bilingual media outreach efforts with focus on cardiovascular genetics. My work has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed publications, including the manuscript that for the first time showed that dilated cardiomyopathy genes are associated with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

What do you remember most about your genetic counseling training at Brandeis?

My days at Brandeis were full of opportunities, both in the classroom and in prestigious clinical sites around the Boston area, to learn human genetics directly from patients. Many assignments were designed to help us find ways to connect with their lives, learn their stories, and identify their unique circumstances. I remember the specific “how-to’s” on how to approach sensitive clinical situations. I also remember that even during technical scientific discussions we were encouraged to prioritize the human side, to never forget the families that made genetic discoveries possible. Learning best practices to help patients explore their thoughts and feelings are transferable skills that I developed in this program, giving me the ability to use them in diverse ways, not only with patients, but also with colleagues, students, friends, and family. The program’s environment made me welcome to share my ideas and in turn benefit from a free-thought exchange that has inspired me to pursue excellence. More than proud, I am fortunate to be a Brandeis alumni and to have attended a program committed to training genetic counselors who consider it an honor to serve, especially those whose lives have been touched by genetic conditions.

Describe the highlights of your career path since leaving Brandeis.

After completing my program at Brandeis University, I joined as a genetic counselor at the Penn Telegenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania. I had the opportunity to provide genetic counseling under clinical and research settings and participate in telegenetics research studies. In over two years at the Penn Telegenetics program I was able to explore nontraditional roles. I gained expertise in telegenetics and participated in research studies along with other collaborators in the areas of oncology and neurodegenerative diseases. I also had the opportunity to server as a NSGC committee member.

After gaining experiencing at Penn Telegenetics, I moved back to my home country (India) to bring back my education and expertise in genetic counseling. With the goal of increasing standards of genetic counseling education and clinical care, I currently provide genetic counseling for prognostic and diagnostic cases and offer educational opportunities such as internships and shadowing experience for students pursuing genetic counselling.

What do you remember most about your genetic counseling training at Brandeis?

As an international student, I faced the challenge of adjusting to a new academic environment and culture. The faculty at Brandeis provided a nurturing environment that allowed me to learn, welcomed my thoughts and ideas that helped me develop insight in genetic counseling. Brandeis genetic counseling program fosters a strong sense of community that continues to provide support even after many years of graduation.