Genomics Specialist Careers: Meet the Genomic Scientists

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The scientists involved in genomic medicine perform a variety of roles and bring expert scientific knowledge and skills to the genomics multidisciplinary team. Scientists are vital to the provision of genomic medicine in three main ways:
• Ensuring that patients have access to the most relevant tests that are most likely to inform their clinical management.
• Correctly handling and processing samples from the patient and their family. In the case of genomic medicine this involves the extraction of DNA from samples and the specialist operation of a wide range of apparatus and testing platforms.
• Accurately interpreting the results from testing (this is most often done in collaboration with medics and other scientists) so that the right course of action can be taken for the patient and other family members.

In this film, we hear more about the roles and work from:
• Professor Sian Ellard OBE, consultant clinical scientist (working in rare disease), South West NHS Genomics Laboratory Hub;
• Professor Rachel Butler MBE, consultant clinical scientist (working in cancer), South West NHS Genomics Laboratory Hub;
• Ronnie Wright, clinical scientist (working in rare disease), North West Genomics Laboratory Hub;
• Jake Miller, senior genetic technologist, North West Genomics Laboratory Hub; and
• Djemilah Gordon, trainee clinical scientist (working in cancer), Wessex and West Midlands Genomics Laboratory Hub.

As our experts explain, the healthcare scientists involved in genomics fall into two distinct categories: the clinical scientists and the genetic technologists. Clinical scientists and genetic technologists perform different roles but work together closely to find answers for patients.
Genetic technologists are responsible for what is commonly referred to as the ‘wet lab’ work; that is, the handling and processing of all different kinds of samples - for example blood, sputum or tumour - and for running a variety of genomic tests in the laboratory. Clinical Scientists, on the other hand, are office based and spend most of their time at computers or in meetings with other scientists, medics and healthcare professionals. They are trained at postgraduate level in genomic science, and their in-depth knowledge means they are integral to the selection of the most relevant genomic tests and the interpretation of the often complex results that are returned.

Health Education England's Genomics Education Programme is developing a substantial education programme to inform healthcare professionals about the impact of genomics on clinical practice. This video is the one of the many educational resources from the programme. For more information visit genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk

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