Current Clinical Pharmacogenomic Testing: How Do Clinical Laboratories Stay on Top of Changes to Technologies, Professional Guidelines, and Regulations?

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) delves into how genetic factors, whether inherited or acquired, influence individuals' responses to drugs. As a swiftly evolving branch of laboratory medicine, clinical PGx testing holds the potential to significantly impact the well-being of patients taking medications. In this webinar, Dr. Yuan Ji, section chief of Molecular Genomics and Genomics, will provide insights into the latest advancements in technologies, professional guidelines, and regulatory frameworks driving the field of clinical PGx testing. The presentation will underscore the vital clinical significance of such testing while also addressing the hurdles and prospects associated with its widespread clinical adoption.

Originally presented on June 27, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Lecture Presenter

Yuan Ji, PhD, DABCP, FACMG Associate Professor University of Utah School of Medicine Section Chief, Molecular Genetics and Genomics ARUP Laboratories

Dr. Yuan Ji is an associate professor of pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. She received her PhD in molecular pharmacology and experimental therapeutics at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she further completed her postdoctoral research fellowship in pharmacogenomics, an NIH-T32 Clinical Pharmacology fellowship, and an ABMGG fellowship in clinical molecular genetics. Dr. Ji received multiple early career development awards and grants, including an NIH-KL2 Mentored Career Award and a Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics Award. Dr. Ji is board certified in both clinical pharmacology and medical genetics and genomics. Dr. Ji’s major clinical and research focus is in pharmacogenomics, i.e., identifying novel pharmacogenomics markers and accurately testing, interpreting, and reporting pharmacogenomic variants. In addition, Dr. Ji has also developed a vast interest in developing cost-effective diagnostic testing for diseases, including somatic overgrowth and related syndromes.

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Objectives

After this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Elucidate key distinctions between clinical PGx testing and other molecular genetic tests
• Discuss latest technological advancements driving continual improvement in clinical PGx testing
• Describe the present state of professional guidelines developed to tackle unanswered clinical questions within the realm of clinical PGx testing
• Expound on the challenges and opportunities emerging from the ever-evolving regulatory landscape shaping laboratory medicine, with a specific focus on the clinical implementation of PGx

Sponsored by:

University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, and ARUP Laboratories