Webinars in 2013

Applications of Next Generation Sequencing Technology in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

December 13, 2013

Presenter: Noah Hoffman MD, PhD, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA

Host: Rangaraj Selvarangan BVSc, PhD, D(ABMM), Children's Mercy Hosp and Clinics, Kansas City, MO

Description:
This webinar will provide a brief introduction to Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, and will explore applications in the clinical molecular microbiology laboratory. It will focus primarily on strengths, limitations, and examples of NGS-based assays for characterizing mixed bacterial populations from clinical specimens using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It will also explore the pivotal role of the bioinformatic components of a clinical assay.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the basic principles of NGS technology
• Describe bioinformatic methods for taxonomic assignment using 16S rRNA gene sequences
• Identify limitations of marker gene sequencing-based assays
• Discuss practical considerations governing near-term applications of NGS technology in clinical microbiology

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Number of Contact Hours: 1.0

Applications of Human Genetic Testing in the Treatment of Infectious Diseases

October 17, 2013

Presenter: Ted E. Schutzbank, PhD, D(ABMM), Covance Central Laboratoy Services, Indianapolis, IN
Host: Rangaraj Selvarangan BVSc, PhD, D(ABMM), Children's Mercy Hosp and Clinics, Kansas City, MO

Description:
This session will briefly discuss the topics of Mendelian "holes" in immunity and Mendelian resistance to infection by specific organisms. Testing for specific alleles in two different genes, CCR5 and IL28B, and their importance in the treatment of HIV-1 and HCV infections respectively, will be discussed in detail.

Learning Objectives:

• Compare how different human host genetic factors affect an individual's susceptibility or resistance to a variety of infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses and parasites.
• Examine the relationship between HIV-1 and the CCR5 receptor on T cells, and how the CCR5 32 mutation affects virus infectivity, and treatment options.
• Discuss the need for testing HCV-infected individuals prior to initiating pegylated interferon/Ribavirin combination therapy, and how such testing is performed.

Number of Contact Hours: 1.0

AMP Variant Nomenclature Database: Overview and Opportunities for the Future

October 1, 2013

Presenter: Linda Jo Bone Jeng, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
Host: Christine Curtis, PhD, CSI Laboratories, Alpharetta, GA

Description:
Using standard nomenclature is critical to unambiguous communication of molecular results. This webinar will focus on molecular nomenclature and the new AMP Variant Nomenclature Database. This resource can help clinical laboratories to easily standardize the nomenclature used in clinical reports, preventing possible confusion between institutions that may use different designations for the same mutation. Become involved in the effort to expand this resource that will streamline reporting practices and can be used as a great teaching exercise for fellows in training.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the current resources for molecular nomenclature
• Examine the current AMP Variant Nomenclature Database.
• Describe the future opportunities for growth of the AMP Variant Nomenclature Database.

Number of Contact Hours: 0.5

Incidental Findings in the Era of Whole Exome Sequencing: A View from the Laboratory

September 17, 2013

Presenter: Sherri J. Bale, PhD, GeneDx, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD
Host: Rong Mao, MD, ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT

Description:
A review of the ACMG recommendations for reporting incidental findings, the issues it raises for geneticists, GCs, and special populations, and the impact on the laboratories that provide WES testing.

Learning Objectives:

• Review the ACMG's Secondary Findings recommendations
• Outline the practical implementation of these in the clinic, laboratory and in reporting results
• Review the controversy that the recommendations have engendered in the community
•  
• Differentiate between recommendation, guideline, and accepted standard
• Examine the impact of the recommendations on special populations

Number of Contact Hours: 1.0

Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc.

June 28, 2013

Presenters: Roger Klein, MD, JD, Chair, Professional Relations Committee and Sandra S Park, Senior Attorney, ACLU
AMP Host: Ted Schutzbank, PhD, Chair, Training & Education Committee

Description:
On May 12, 2009, the ACLU and the Public Patent Foundation filed a lawsuit on behalf of AMP and other organizational and individual plaintiffs that sought to invalidate key claims of patents on two human genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, that are associated with a heritable predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer.

On June 13, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling in this ground-breaking case challenging human gene patents. Join AMP for a highly informative webinar on the effects the Court's decision will have on the profession.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the decision
2. Explain its implications for genetic testing, laboratory practice, and patients
3. Evaluate the impact on molecular diagnostic testing

Number of Contact Hours: 1.0

The Diagnostic Management Team: Optimizing Personalized Diagnostic Testing for Hematologic Malignancies

May 16, 2013

Presenter: Adam Seegmiller, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
Host: Annette S Kim, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN

Description:
Neoplastic hematology is at the forefront of personalized cancer medicine. Consequently, there has been a rapid expansion in the number of ancillary cytogenetic and molecular tests available for the analysis of these diseases. However, development of testing standards and decision support tools to help clinicians choose and interpret these tests have not kept pace. This results in inefficiency, excessive test ordering, and increased costs. The Diagnostic Management Team (DMT) is a multi-disciplinary group at Vanderbilt University Medical Center that responded to these challenges by developing evidence-based standards, updated workflows, and novel informatics tools to ensure that the right tests are ordered on the right patient at the right time and to assist with interpretation of complex results. Implementation of the DMT process has decreased unnecessary tests and test omissions, has increased the frequency of positive results, and has decreased test costs to patients and payers. This webinar will describe the DMT concept and demonstrate how implementation of DMT processes has led to these positive outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

1. Outline the need for new approaches to the application of molecular genetic testing to complex diseases.
2. Describe the concept of a diagnostic management team, its approach to complex testing processes, and its implementation in laboratory and clinical workflow.
3. Demonstrate the outcomes of diagnostic management team implementation on testing efficiency, effectiveness, and cost.

Number of Contact Hours: 1.0

Lung Biomarker Guidleine presented by CAP, IASLC and AMP — Molecular Testing Guideline for Selection of Lung Cancer Patients for EGFR and ALK Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

April 24, 2013

Presented by Lead Authors: Philip T Cagle MD FCAP; Marc Ladanyi MD; and Neal I Lindeman MD

Hosted by: Laura J Tafe, MD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Description: The Lead Authors will present an overview of the guideline including its implementation and potential impact on future treatment guidelines.

Download the Guideline at abstract

Review of the Gene Patent Supreme Court Case

Friday, April 19, 2013

Presenter: Sandra S Park, Senior Attorney, ACLU

AMP Hosts: Roger Klein, MD, JD, Chair, Professional Relations Committee and Ted Schutzbank, PhD, Chair, Training & Education Committee

Description:
On May 12, 2009, the ACLU and the Public Patent Foundation filed a lawsuit on behalf of AMP and other organizational and individual plaintiffs that sought to invalidate key claims of patents on two human genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 that are associated with a heritable predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer. The case was ultimately accepted by the United States Supreme Court, with oral arguments taking place on Monday April 15, 2013.

“AMP believes gene patents can serve as a disincentive to innovation in molecular testing because they deny access to a vital baseline of genomic information that cannot be ‘invented around,’” stated Jan Nowak, MD, PhD, who was AMP President when the case was filed. This webinar will provide an overview of those arguments.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the medical and legal issues under consideration in the gene patent case and their significance.
• Distinguish the arguments of the petitioners (AMP et al.) and the respondent (Myriad) for and against the patent eligibility of human genes.
•  
• Formulate your own opinion on the desirability gene patenting.

Ins & Outs of Coding with the New Molecular Pathology CPT Procedure Codes

February 26, 2013

Presenters: Aaron D Bossler, MD PhD and Jan A Nowak, MD PhD
Co-Chairs, AMP 2013 Economic Affairs Committee

Description:
The format for the new Molecular Pathology Procedure Codes will be reviewed briefly, highlighting the new additions for the 2013 AMA CPT book. Examples of different molecular procedures and ways to code them will be discussed. Current understanding of instructions from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the establishment of pricing by way of the gap fill process will also be presented. Participants will have an opportunity to submit questions as well as local experiences with CMS contractors or private payers from 2012 and first month of 2013 in advance of the webinar.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the rationale and structure of the new Molecular Pathology Procedure CPT codes.
• Apply practical coding with examples.
• Identify perspectives on likely and potential changes as well as problems for molecular CPT coding in 2013 and beyond.

Molecular Diagnostics in MDS and AML

January 7, 2013

Presenter: Professor Ghulam J Mufti, DM FRCP FRCPath, King's College Hospital, London, England

Host: Annette S Kim, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN

Description: The background to prognostic subgroups in AML and MDS, outlining the importance of cytogenetics, molecular characterisation of AML and MDS and future diagnostic and prognostic variables will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Outline types of chromosome and molecular changes in MDS/AML
• Describe target cells affected by genetic lesion
• Identify future therapeutics and molecular characterisation of MDS/AM