Webinar information
Variants in APOE are known to play a role in both abnormalities of lipid metabolism and neurologic disease. While crossing medical specialties, the complexities of testing for APOE in a clinical setting are further compounded by the absence of established “actionability,” availability of information in direct-to-consumer testing, differing laboratory reporting policies, and lack of current knowledge on APOE’s effect in diverse populations. It is likely that clinicians across both specialties may encounter questions about when testing this gene is indicated, how best to counsel around this indication, and what nuances should be considered before testing.
During this webinar, Hannah Ison, MS, CGC, Tara Jones, MS, CGC, Hannah Wand, MS, CGC, and Kaylee Faulkner, MS, CGC will address these questions, review current guidelines on this topic, and present cases that demonstrate ways in which genetic counselors have encountered questions around this topic.
Webinar objectives:
- Review APOE’s role in coronary artery disease risk and Alzheimer’s disease risk
- Case-based discussion analyzing personal utility and clinical utility to define actionable results
- Examine guidelines for testing APOE in clinical or direct-to-consumer testing
Speakers
Hannah Ison
Hannah Ison is a genetic counselor at the Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease. She received her Master’s in Medical and Molecular Genetics from Indiana University in 2018, and returned home to California to begin her career as a genetic counselor. In her role she spans both the adult and pediatric hospitals, and works with patients with various inherited cardiovascular conditions. However, her primary clinical focus is in the congenital heart disease and inherited dyslipidemia space. Her research interests include understanding/optimizing counseling and testing strategies for patients with congenital heart disease, as well as improving early identification and treatment of individuals with inherited cholesterol conditions.
Tara Jones
Tara Jones (she/her) is a genetic counselor in adult neurology at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, specializing in neuromuscular and dementia indications. Tara currently serves as co-chair for a workgroup that advocates and supports genetic counselors newly entering the neurology specialty. Her research interests include data-driven service delivery models to improve patient and provider outcomes regarding pre-symptomatic genetic testing. Her clinical passion involves removing the stigma from a dementia diagnosis to allow for early detection and full involvement of persons with dementia in their own care plan.
Hannah Wand
Hannah Wand, MS, CGC, is program director of the preventive genomics program at Stanford Medicine. She is a genetic counselor in preventive cardiology and clinical instructor with an MS in genetic counseling program at Stanford. Her research interest areas are in implementation science, community engagement, and health equity within public health genomics.
Kaylee Faulkner
Kaylee Faulkner, MS, CGC attended graduate school at Arcadia University. She previously worked as a clinical genetic counselor in adult neurology. Currently, she is a genetic services consultant at Blueprint Genetics serving as a resource for neurodegenerative diseases and testing, while also partnering with clinicians across the Midwest to support their practices. She is passionate about ending patients’ diagnostic odysseys through comprehensive and quality testing and provider education.