#214 2022 Genetics Wrapped with Eric Green

DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

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Our guest today is Dr. Eric Green, the director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Green’s career has involved directing a major genomics research program and, most recently, leading NHGRI’s efforts in funding genomics research. In this episode, we are discussing the top genetic and genomic news stories of 2022 including what you listeners submitted! Shoutout to Daniel, Nydia, M.SPDH, Anna, Ryan and Nykole.

Throughout his career, he has authored and co-authored over 385 scientific publications. He was featured on episode #182 of DNA Today when we chatted about the Human Genome Project and the recent completion of the human genome sequence -- from telomere to telomere.

As NHGRI director, Dr. Green leads the Institute's research programs and other initiatives. He has played an instrumental leadership role in developing many high-profile efforts relevant to genomics. Dr. Green received his B.S. degree in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 1981, and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Washington University in 1987. Coincidentally, 1987 was the same year that the word “genomics” was coined. Dr. Green’s relationship with the Institute began long before his appointment as director. He served as the Institute’s scientific director (2002 - 2009), chief of the NHGRI Genome Technology Branch (1996 - 2009) and founding director of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center (1997 - 2009). Prior to that, he played an integral role in the Human Genome Project. Dr. Green is a founding editor of the journal Genome Research (1995 - present) and a series editor of Genome Analysis: A Laboratory Manual (1994 - 1998), both published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. He is also co-editor of Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics (since 2005).

On This Episode We Discuss:

Completion of the human genome sequence (telomere to telomere)

The Genome-sequencing arms race (Lab mergers and changers)

Top genomic medicine papers of 2022

Changing landscape of the genomic diagnostic ecosystem

Gene therapy advances including CRISPR

Genome Sequencing of Acutely Ill Newborns through beginNGS

2022 Nobel Prize Physiology or Medicine to Svante Pääbo for sequencing Neanderthal genome

What to look out for in 2023

Here is a list of links to the papers and announcements we mentioned in this episode!

Genomic Medicine Year in Review: 2022 (Paper)

Genome.gov accomplishments in genomic medicine (includes 2019-2022 notable accomplishments)

Dr. Green’s tribute to Svante Paabo when he won the Nobel this year, with links to his talks at NIH.

Our breakdown of Ultima’s announcement and the sequencing costs developments this year.

The epic T2T news, with background, links to the papers and some explainers.

Based upon the success of gene therapy trials, there are new educational materials for the sickle cell community on how to navigate this new treatment option.

DNA Today Episodes Referenced:

Episode #169 Cytogenomics with Phase Genomics (Optimal genome Mapping)

Episode #172 PhenoTips: Advances in Rare Disease Diagnosis (with Dr. Steven Kingsmore)

Episode #182 Eric Green on the Complete Human Genome Project

Episode #183 Dr. Miga and Dr. Phillippy on the Telomere to Telomere Consortium

Episode #187 Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy with June Kinoshita and Rojan Kavosh (Optimal Genome Mapping)

Episode #197 CRISPR Quality Control with Kiana Aran

Episode #198 CRISPR Ethics with Sam Sternberg

Episode #211 Jorge Contreras on The Genome Defense

Be sure to follow Dr. Green and the National Human Genome Research Institute on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest human genome research news and announcements!

Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on December 16th, 2022, where we’ll be discussing Preventative health through whole exome sequencing with Dahlia Attia-King of Panacea! New episodes are released every Fridays. In the meantime, you can binge over 210 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.

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