Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with patients at various stages in their diagnostic odyssey. I’ve seen people who have lived their whole lives knowing… CONTINUE
About Morgan Simmons, MMSc, CGC
The FDA Adds Gene Therapy to the Menu
Sometimes (read: most of the time), I think we as a society are pretty spoiled. Unlike our ancestors, we live in an age where many medical conditions and ailments can… CONTINUE
A Millennial’s Guide to Family Health History
I am a millennial. There, I said it. If you’re wondering what I’m referring to, the word “millennial” typically refers to the generation that reached adulthood around the turn of… CONTINUE
Before You Click to Order That Test – Tips for Understanding Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing
Using advertising such as, ”Begin your genetics journey” to reach an innate desire we have to know what makes us unique, companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com have made direct-to-consumer (DTC)… CONTINUE
Everyone’s a Mutant, After All – The Difference between Gene Mutations and Polymorphisms
If DNA is our body’s instructions for how to grow, develop, and function, then a change in these instructions must be bad, right? Turns out, not so much. In fact,… CONTINUE
Genetic disease. Genetic condition. Genetic disorder. Is there a difference?
This question comes up often. To be honest, even after my training in genetic counseling, I’ve had to Google the difference between these terms not just once, but multiple times…. CONTINUE
How Animals Help Us Understand Genetic Disease
Did you know that more than 50% of Americans own pets? Whether they have cats, dogs, horses, birds, or tropical fish – Americans are pet lovers. And while ThinkGenetic focuses… CONTINUE
“Something Smells… Fishy”: The Use of Smell in Genetic Diagnoses
Genetic diseases can be diagnosed using a variety of methods: physical exam, personal/family medical history, or tests performed in a laboratory. But, did you know that smells can also be… CONTINUE
Napoleon Bonaparte and Hereditary Cancer
He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat. – Napoleon Bonaparte Today we know that there are hereditary cancer syndromes that predispose families to develop various types of cancer…. CONTINUE
In the Gray – Understanding Variants of Uncertain Significance or VUS in Your Genetic Testing
The acronyms VUS and VOUS stands for “variant of uncertain significance.” Just as it sounds, a VUS means that your genetic testing found a variant or change in one or… CONTINUE
Tips for Compiling Your Family Health History
Scientists have long maintained that they can track human origins back to one region in Africa. From there, our human ancestors spread up to Europe and outwards to settle in… CONTINUE
The Inside Scoop on Genetic Counseling
If I were to ask you to sit back, close your eyes, remember your childhood, and ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up, what would you… CONTINUE
Top Five Reasons to Join a Support Group
Living with or being the caregiver, family member, or friend of someone living with a genetic condition can be overwhelming at times. In addition to having questions and concerns, many… CONTINUE