The American College of Medical Genetics recently launched a new, web-based continuing medical education program called Using Databases to Interpret Cytogenomic Arrays. The program aims to help geneticists learn how to interpret rarely encountered copy number variations, confirm the interpretations of copy number variations provided in laboratory reports of results, and understand the phenotypic variations associated with different copy number variations, according to ACMG.
The program's target audience includes medical and clinical geneticists interested in confirming cytogenomic array results; clinical cytogenetics and molecular genetics laboratory directors; medical genetics fellows, trainees and students; and genetic counselors. The registration fee for the program is $50 for ACMG members, $500 for non-members, and free for medical genetics trainees.
Tutorials include the evolution of arrays, array basics, interpretation of array results, and follow-up of array results. There are also additional lessons on the use of genetic databases such as the University of California Santa Cruz genome browser and how to align it with clinical databases including the Database of Chromosomal Imbalance and Phenotype in Humans Using Ensembl Resources, the Database of Genomic Variants, and the International Standards for Cytogenomic Arrays Consortium database.
More information about the new program is available on ACMG's website.