#208 The 100,000 Genomes Project with Dr. Julian Barwell

DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

In 2012, the 100,000 Genomes Project was announced, the same year we started this podcast!

Back in 2015 we did an episode about the 100,000 Genomes Project so we’re excited to revisit this massive project today with Dr. Julian Barwell, who is a clinical geneticist and has countless titles but today’s most relevant one is the operational clinical lead of the 100,000 Genome project.

After finishing his Clinical Genetics training (2001-2007) at Guy's, St George's and the Royal Marsden from the University of London; Dr. Barwell started as a consultant in Clinical Genetics in Leicester. He runs specialist clinics in inherited cancer susceptibility; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and susceptibility to hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma; Von Hipped Linda syndrome and Neurofibromatosis type 2. He has over 60 publications and helped coin the internationally known phrase, the 'Angelina Jolie effect' on referrals to inherited breast cancer clinics. He also developed the first YouTube channel for Clinical Genetics that has been viewed in over 100 countries and developed the Supporting Families with Cancer projects in association with the Genetics Education Centre (GENIE) at the University of Leicester.

He is the clinical lead for the delivery of Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Non-Malignant Haematology and Clinical Genetics national portfolio research studies (CRN) in the East Midlands. He is the rare disease lead for the 100,000 Genome Project in Leicester and the public and patient involvement clinical lead for the East of England Genomics Medicine Centre with the aim of reducing inequality of access to Genomic Medicine. He is the designer of the genome project eligibility criteria wheels for Health Education England and is on the Genomics England committee for patient involvement and access to genomics for black and minority ethnic groups. He is a national clinical advisor to the National Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline and helped develop the award winning Prostaid male health App and is clinical lead of the United Against Prostate Cancer project, establishing tumour BRCA testing. He is joint clinical lead of the Paediatric and Genetics Clinical Research Facility at the Leicester Royal infirmary and is establishing a fragile X syndrome research group and patient self-navigation App project with the Genomic Medicine Service Alliance. He is a senior author of the newly commissioned book, Clinical Genetics and Genomics at a Glance as well as a children's book on DNA.

On This Episode We Discuss:

Ten years of the 100,000 Genomes Project (2012-2022)

Advantages of using digital pedigrees tools such as the one developed by TrakGene

Why it’s important to have genomes from various ancestries represented

Importance of utilizing digital pedigrees

How the 100,000 Genome Project is going to change the role of genetic counselors

Reclassifying variants as data is continuously being analyzed

If you want to learn more about what it’s like to be a clinical geneticist, check out this article which follows Dr. Barwell through a day in the life, and you can find a list of Genomics England's publications here.

To learn more about TrakGene, the pedigree drawing tool and clinical genetics database software company that we mentioned in this episode, you can head to their website or follow them on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. You can also follow Dr. Barwell on Twitter and Facebook!

Don’t forget to enter our upcoming giveaway via social media next week for a lifetime subscription to TrakGene and a copy of “The Patient Will See You Now” by Dr. Eric Topol. You can also use code “DNATODAY” for a year free trial for TrakGene.

Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on next Friday, November 4th, 2022 where we’ll be defining quality genetic tests with Blueprint Genetics! In the meantime, you can binge over 205 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.

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli.

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