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Master of Genetic Counseling

Vanderbilt Genetic Counseling Symposium

Hosted by the Master of Genetic Counseling degree program at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, the third annual Genetic Counseling Research Symposium will feature talks from guest speakers and presentations from the Vandy MGC class of 2026, the program’s research fellows, and participants in the new Advanced Research Training for Genetic Counselors (ART-GC).

Students and guest presenters at the 2025 Genetic Counseling Symposium

Details and Registration

 

March 23, 2026
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Vanderbilt Student Life Center

Register by March 16

Featured Speakers

Noura S. Abul-Husn, MD, PhD

Headshot of woman in green shirt and black jacket.Dr. Noura Abul-Husn is a physician-scientist and nationally recognized leader in genomic medicine, with a career spanning academia, healthcare, and industry. She is Chief Medical Officer of the 23andMe Research Institute and Associate Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Founding Chief of the Division of Genomic Medicine and founding Clinical Director of the Institute for Genomic Health, where she built foundational clinical and research infrastructure to integrate genomics into routine care.

Her work focuses on leveraging large-scale genomic data to inform disease prevention and clinical implementation, and she has published extensively in leading journals including The New England Journal of Medicine, Science, and Cell. Dr. Abul-Husn earned her MD and PhD at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She completed combined residency training in Internal Medicine and Medical Genetics and is board certified in both specialties. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Dr. Michael S. Watson Genetic & Genomic Medicine Innovation Award from the ACMG Foundation and a 40 Under 40 Rising Star Award. Across all of her roles, Dr. Abul-Husn is committed to translating genomic discovery into real-world health impact and shaping a future where genomic medicine improves health for all.

Adam H. Buchanan, MS, MPH, CGC

Adam H. Buchanan is Professor and Chair of the Department of Genomic Health at Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania. A board certified genetic counselor with advanced degrees in Public Health and Genetic Counseling, he is an NIH-funded investigator and former President of the American Board of Genetic Counseling. His career focuses on bridging genomics, population health, and clinical care, with research on genomic screening outcomes, genetic service delivery, and multi-cancer early detection tests. An accomplished author of numerous peer-reviewed publications, Mr. Buchanan is an expert in implementing genomic screening programs, interpreting actionable genomic data, and integrating genetics into precision and preventive medicine for diverse patient populations.

Schedule

  • View Schedule

    Welcome – in Ballroom

    • 8:00 – 8:45 a.m. – Breakfast, Registration, Speaker Check-Ins
    • 8:45 a.m. – Introduction, Announcements & Schedule

    Invited Guest Speaker

    • 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. – Adam Buchanan, MS, MPH, CGC on “How implementation science can help genetic counselors achieve their vision”

    ART-GC Scholar Presentations

    • 9:45 – 10:05 p.m. – Vanessa Smith, MS, CGC on “BPAN Natural History and Prospective Outcome Research”
    • 10:05 – 10:25 p.m. – Madisen Cook, MS, CGC on “A Snapshot of Genetic Testing Rates of Eligible Breast, Pancreatic, and Colorectal Cancer Patients at VUMC”

    BREAK           10:25 – 10:35 a.m.

    FIGOR Scholar Presentations

    • 10:35 – 11:05 a.m. – Kelly Taylor, MS, CGC on “Characterizing Pathogenic Germline Variant Frequencies and Genotype-Phenotype Relationships for the EGFR Gene”
    • 11:05 – 11:35 a.m. – Cece Kessler, MGC, CGC on “ABCA4 Variation Observed in 250,000 Subjects Suggests Disparities in Public Variant Archives“
    • 11:35 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. – Lianna Paul, MGC, CGC on “Building Tools for Genetic Diagnosis using Machine Learning and Real-World Data “

    Lunch            12:05 – 1:05 p.m.

    Invited Guest Speaker

    • 1:05 – 1:50 p.m. – Noura Abul-Husn MD, PhD on “Scaling Genome-First Care: From Research to Real-World Prevention”

    Concurrent Student Presentations downstairs

    • 2 – 2:20 p.m.
      • Natalie Ceelen, introduction by LilyAnne Grieve, Breakout Room A
      • Cierra Nelson, introduction by Katherine Anderson, Breakout Room B
    • 2:25 – 2:45 p.m.
      • Grace Branger, introduction by Terry Jo Bichell, Breakout Room A
      • Emily Spector, introduction by Lucas Richter, Breakout Room B
    • 2:50 – 3:10 p.m.
      • Elise Abney, introduction by Terry Jo Bichell, Breakout Room A
      • Robin Bluejoy, introduction by Lucas Richter, Breakout Room B
    • 3:15 – 3:35 p.m.
      • Hailey Connell, introduction by Gillian Hooker, Breakout Room A
      • Nikol Nikolova, introduction by Kyle Davis, Breakout Room B

    Wrap Up – 3:40pm