DNA sequencing of anatomy lab cadavers to provide hands-on precision medicine introduction to medical students.

BMC Medical Education
Ramu AnandakrishnanRobin T Varghese

Abstract

Medical treatment informed by Precision Medicine is becoming a standard practice for many diseases, and patients are curious about the consequences of genomic variants in their genome. However, most medical students' understanding of Precision Medicine derives from classroom lectures. This format does little to foster an understanding for the potential and limitations of Precision Medicine. To close this gap, we implemented a hands-on Precision Medicine training program utilizing exome sequencing to prepare a clinical genetic report of cadavers studied in the anatomy lab. The program reinforces Precision Medicine related learning objectives for the Genetics curriculum. Pre-embalmed blood samples and embalmed tissue were obtained from cadavers (donors) used in the anatomy lab. DNA was isolated and sequenced and illustrative genetic reports provided to the students. The reports were used to facilitate discussion with students on the implications of pathogenic genomic variants and the potential correlation of these variants in each "donor" with any anatomical anomalies identified during cadaver dissection. In 75% of cases, analysis of whole exome sequencing data identified a variant associated with increased risk for a disease/abn...Continue Reading

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
exome sequencing
genotyping
dissection
dissections
blood
electrophoresis

Software Mentioned

Qubit analyzer
Precision
GATK
Variant Effect Predictor ( VEP )
ClinVar
SNPedia
SNPnexus

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