World Congress on Genetic Counselling (Virtual Conference)

To encourage a global audience of professionals interested in genetic counselling, registration for this virtual conference will be free.

Communicating the meaning and impact of genomic sequencing technology for people, is just as important as the technological advances themselves. Understanding how genomic information ‘makes sense’ for individuals, families and wider society will benefit from empirical genetic counselling research.

The third world congress on genetic counselling will provide a forum that facilitates active engagement between international researchers and practitioners to explore the evidence that guides genetic counselling and the communication of genetics in medicine.

The conference will bring together:
• Clinicians (genetic counsellors, genetic nurses, clinical/medical geneticists, and others using genetic technology in their practice)
• Academics (social scientists, psychologists and ethicists)

The programme will explore, empirically, what is at the heart of genetic counselling. We will focus on professional and leadership issues in genetic counselling, including cross-cultural counselling, reaching traditionally underserved populations, and ‘mainstreaming’ of genetic counselling the wider health service. We will discuss how counselling and sociological theory can influence genetic counselling practice and will involve genetic counsellors who are leading their own research.

The World Congress on Genetic Counselling has been assigned 12 hours of CPD by the Genetic Counsellor Registration Board UK and Republic of Ireland. Attendees are eligible to apply for category 2 CEUs from National Society of Genetic Counselors, USA

The conference will run on Wednesday 27 October and Thursday 28 October 2021. We are aiming to hold sessions so that delegates can join two sessions within their timezone. See the time where you are here. The conference will also be available on demand for 4 weeks after the event.

Topics will include:

• Evolution of the genetic counselling profession around the world
• Researching the boundaries of genetic counselling
• What genetic counsellors can learn from science communication disciplines
• Genetic counselling outside traditional healthcare models
• Genetic counselling in a patriarchal society
• Leaders in genetic counselling: case studies and stories of leadership

Scientific programme committee

Jehannine Austin
The University of British Columbia, Canada

Charlotta Ingvoldstad Malmgren
Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden

Annie Qurratulain Hasan
Kamineni hospital, L.B Nagar, Hyderabad, India

Anna Middleton
Wellcome Connecting Science, UK

Keynote speaker

Christine Patch
Wellcome Connecting Science, UK

Confirmed speakers

Barbara Biesecker – RTI international, USA
Clara Gaff – Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance, Australia
Charlotta Ingvoldstad Malmgren – Karolinska University Hospital,  Sweden
Vera Izhevskaya – Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Russia
B.R.Lakshmi – Molecular Diagnostics, Counseling, Care & Research Centre (MDCRC), India
Juliana Lee – Professional Society of Genetic Counselors in Asia
Rachel Mills – The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA
Milena Paneque – University of Porto, Portugal
Rebecka Pestoff – Linköping University, Sweden
Sonika-Sachanandani Phulwani –  Mediclinic Middle East, UAE
Jonathan Roberts – Wellcome Connecting Science, UK
Maya Thangavelu – Applied Genetics Consulting, USA
Ma’n Zawati – McGill University, Canada

Panelists

Catherine Beard – Melbourne Health, Australia
Stephanie Cohen – Ascension St. Vincent, USA
Alessia Costa – Wellcome Connecting Science, UK
Emily Higgs – Stanford University, USA

Organisers – Wellcome Connecting Science

Laura Wyatt, Conference & Events Organiser
Treasa Creavin, Scientific Programme Manager

To encourage a global audience of professionals interested in genetic counselling, registration for this conference will be free of charge.

Registration includes:

• access to the virtual event portal (Log in details will be emailed a few days before the event starts)
• live-stream sessions, including posters and online networking channels
• recordings of the live-stream sessions, available ‘on-demand’ for four weeks after the event ends.

If you have any questions, please contact the conference organiser.

The World Congress on Genetic Counselling has been assigned 12 hours of CPD by the Genetic Counsellor Registration Board UK and Republic of Ireland. Attendees are eligible to apply for category 2 CEUs from National Society of Genetic Counselors, USA

Abstract deadline: 7 September 2021

We welcome abstracts from all areas relevant to the main themes of the meeting, for oral presentations and short lightning talks. Several oral presentations will be chosen from the abstracts submitted.

Abstracts will only be considered from registered delegates. Please use our online abstract submission system and follow the instructions given to ensure your abstract is submitted correctly. All abstracts must be submitted by the deadline. If you are intending to submit more than one abstract, please contact the conference organiser prior to registration.

The scientific programme committee will assess your abstract after the deadline has passed and you will be notified whether you have been selected for an oral presentation or lightning talk.

Uploading abstracts after completed registration:

1. Login to your account via ‘My Account’.
2. Click on ‘View account history’ to show a table of your event registrations.
3. Select the appropriate conference
4. Click on ‘Upload file’ (in right hand column).
5. Select ‘Abstract’ and upload via the abstract form.
6. If you wish to upload a second abstract, click on ‘Additional Abstract’ and again upload via the abstract form.

Please note: documents submitted via ‘Supporting Documents’ are for bursary applications only and cannot be seen during the abstract selection process.

Genetic Counsellors: Imagining the next 10 years

Keynote lecture by Laura Hercher (Sarah Lawrence College, USA) at World Congress on Genetic Counselling 2019

Futuristic models of genetic counselling

Keynote lecture by Shivani Nazareth (Clear Genetics, USA) at World Congress on Genetic Counselling 2019