This webinar will explain how the Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, has transformed its DNA workflows to improve the diagnosis and treatment of genetic illnesses that are prevalent in the pediatric population of its community.
Dr. Erik Puffenberger, lab director at the clinic, will discuss how the organization improved its genetic workflows in order to give patients the best care possible and provide better outcomes for families. Dr. Puffenberger will share details of how the clinic, as a small, specialized organization, balances the desire to adopt new technologies with the realities of working with a limited budget.
One of the many diseases the clinic diagnoses and treats is spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The occurrence of SMA is much higher within the community the clinic serves, comprising Amish and Mennonite populations, than in the general population. This webinar will highlight how the clinic has evolved its DNA workflows to improve clinical outcomes for SMA and other diseases.
Dr. Puffenberger will detail the DNA extraction technologies that have allowed the clinic to improve its workflows and will also discuss the promise of cell-free DNA for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis and treatment.
Webinar participants will learn about the following areas:
- How to optimize the workflow in a clinical environment to diagnose and treat genetic illnesses
- Which sample types provide the best chances for a positive clinical outcome
- New ways automation enables non-invasive prenatal diagnosis and treatment