#334 ACMG 2025 Recap

To recap the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) held in Los Angeles, host Kira Dineen is joined by Karl Krahn. The conference ended Saturday so instead of waiting until Friday to share this episode we released it early.

Through this conversation, Kira and Karl reflect on their first attendance at the ACMG conference. They share insights on the sessions and events they attended, highlighting the engaging discussions and expert panels that made the conference memorable. Kira gives shout outs to a bunch of listeners she met during the conference, so tune in to see if she mentioned your name!

Karl Krahn is a genetic counselor who serves as a Clinical Analyst doing variant curations for exams and genomes at a genetic testing lab. Karl and Kira met as classmates at Sarah Lawrence College and graduated together in 2020. This is Karl Krahn’s return appearance on DNA Today, his first episode was six years ago on Episode #101 where we celebrated Match Day by providing advice on starting genetic counseling grad school.

Sessions Highlighted:

• 2025 ACMG Foundation Awards and Presidential Plenary Session - Genetics in the Media - Entertainment, Public Entertainment, Public Education, Controversies and Ethical Dilemmas
• Challenge The Experts - Pediatric and Prenatal Diagnostic Dilemmas (Rare Knowns and Unknowns)
• Diagnostic Dilemmas from the Undiagnosed Diseases Network
• Genetic Counseling Forum: Sexual and Reproductive Health Counseling for Individuals with Intellectual Disability
• The ACMG/AMP/CAP/ClinGen Standards for Sequence Variant Classification
• Navigating the Current Landscape in Prenatal Genetics - Coverage, Politics and Laboratory Practice
  • Latest Updates in Infertility Care IVF, PGT, and Alabama Advocacy

Takeaways

• The ACMG conference provided valuable insights for various genetic professionals including genetic counselors
• The opening session set a positive tone for the conference
• Networking with peers and listeners was a rewarding experience
• Healthy snacks and beverages contributed to a welcoming atmosphere.
• The 'Challenge the Experts' session was particularly engaging and humorous where geneticists showcased the thought processes of leading professionals in genetics.
• The importance of addressing current political issues in genetics
• Sexual health education is essential for individuals with intellectual disabilities and genetic counselors are well positioned to introduce these topics and resources.
• Updates to ACMG criteria aim to clarify variant classifications
• Legislation can significantly impact infertility care and patient access
• Stigma surrounding infertility remains a challenge in healthcare

Resources Mentioned

• Laura Hercher’s DNA Today episodes #284 IVF in Alabama #191 Overturn of Roe #157 Texas’ SB8
• Recent national genetic conference recaps: NSGC 2024 and ASHG 2024

• Sexual and reproductive health resources for people with intellectual disabilities

We are already looking forward to ACMG 2026 in Baltimore, and coincidentally the 2026 National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) annual conference will also take place in Baltimore. It’s worth pointing out that the next NSGC conference is November 2025 in Seattle. And Kira misspoke, the next national genetics conference she will attend will be the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) which will be in Boston this Fall. See you all there!

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