17 May 2021. The 2020-2021 NSHG-PM webinar series continued on 14 May 2021 with presentations on a topic titled “Genetics and Electronic Health Records – Opportunities for Personalized Medicine,” by Lili Milani and Neeme Tõnisson, University of Tartu, Estonia.
In addition to audience Q&A, there was a panel discussion with Sara Hägg of Karolinska Institute, Nina Mars of the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, and Kári Stefánsson of deCODE genetics.
The Estonian Biobank is a volunteer-based biobank. Today, it contains a collection of health and genetics data of over 200,000 individuals, approximately 20% of the adult population of the country. The health records of the biobank participants are regularly updated using national electronic health databases and disease registries. A unique feature of the biobank is that participants can be contacted again for further studies based on specific genetic findings.
As a result, national clinical pilot studies evaluating the implementation of personalized medicine have been launched – one for female breast cancer genetics-based screening and another for prevention of cardiovascular disorders. Many more are on the way, including studies on the genetics of drug metabolism and implementation of pharmacogenetics on a national level. What are the advantages of genetics-first approaches, and when will healthcare systems be ready to integrate genetics in disease prevention?
The webinar included two presentations
- Genetics and Electronic Health Records: Opportunities for Personalized Medicine, Lili Milani, University of Tartu
- Genetic Recall Studies at the Estonian Biobank, Neeme Tõnisson, University of Tartu
Listen to the Webinar
Questions
1. How far can we get with genotyping and a population-specific whole genome reference panel?
2. What additional value does text-mining of electronic health records add to structured health data?
3. How do biobank participants respond to genetic counselling, and what do family doctors say?
Watch previous webinars.
About the Society
The Nordic Society of Human Genetics and Precision Medicine (NSHG-PM) works with stakeholders at national, regional, and global levels to: 1) establish a Nordic framework for research into the genetics of human diseases, evolution, and population history; 2) accelerate discovery of disease-influencing genes; 3) translate these findings for precision medicine to improve public health; and 4) uphold and promote the highest legal, regulatory, social, and ethical standards.
The benefits of membership for you and your research include reduced registration fees at NSHG-PM conferences, symposia, and select workshops. Equally important, you are helping to support the field as NSHG-PM works to educate and advocate for human genetics and precision medicine research in academic, policy, and public education arenas.
NSHG-PM membership runs from January to December. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, complimentary 2021 membership will be included for members who pay or join in 2020.