DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

In this special live recording from The University of Connecticut’s 2026 Rare Disease Symposium, host Kira Dineen, moderates a powerful panel featuring individuals living with rare conditions. The conversation moves beyond clinical diagnostics to explore the "hidden work" of navigating the healthcare system, the trauma of medical dismissal, and the fierce advocacy required to survive and thrive in a complex medical landscape.

Shoutout to the lead organizer Anthony Zuo for putting this conference together. 

 

The Panel (in order of appearance) 
 

David (Dave) Leeds: Lives with Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) with normal C1 inhibitor (specifically the HS3ST6 gene mutation), a type of HAE that affects fewer than 20 people worldwide. He also advocates for his son, who has Specific Antibody Deficiency.

 

Kate Tokarski: A social worker and former paramedic living with three conditions: vitiligo, type 1 diabetes, and SUNCT syndrome (short-acting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing). She navigates a "rare family" dynamic, including children affected by gastroparesis, keratoconus, juvenile arthritis, celiac disease, ampfield pain syndrome, COPA syndrome, and median arcuate ligament syndrome. 

 

Jill Gassman Zullo: Lives with Sinus Nasal Mucosal Melanoma, a rare cancer affecting less than 1% of the population. She is the author of Brokenly Beautiful. 

 

Jonathan Cappiello: After 20 years of having a misdiagnosis, he was correctly identified as having a nano-rare disease, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase deficiency. He is also the host of 1 of 20 podcast.

 

Topics Discussed 
The Burden of Expertise
A recurring theme is the "expert patient." Panelists describe the exhaustion of knowing more about their conditions than the providers treating them. Kira emphasizes the importance of medical professionals being comfortable saying, "I don't know," rather than muddling through an answer.

Navigating the Emergency Room
David describes the danger of ER protocols. For HAE patients, standard allergy treatments like EpiPens and steroids do nothing for their Bradykinin-based swelling, which can be fatal if it affects the throat. The panel discusses "Medical PTSD" and why the ER is often a place of last resort.

The Battle with Insurance and Systems
Kate shares a heartbreaking story of "Systemic Trauma":

The Insurance Loop: Her daughter was denied a life-changing medication due to a bureaucratic glitch.

The School-to-Court Pipeline: Because she missed school due to her autoimmune crises, Kate was reported for neglect, and her 16-year-old was read her Miranda Rights in family court for being a "truancy outlier."

The Power of Community and Storytelling
Jonathan discusses his journey as a science podcaster, using his background in film and journalism to give a platform to others with rare diagnoses. The panel highlights how storytelling is a form of survival and a tool for systemic change.

 

Relevant Resources: 

Jill Gassman Zullo’s book Brokenly Beautiful

Jonathan Cappiello’s podcast 1 of 20 podcast

Kate Tokarski’s poem I Was 'That Mom' 

National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

Undiagnosed Disease Network (UDN)

Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD)

 

Relevant Rare Disease Patient Advocacy Stories on DNA Today:

#380 “Rare Rebels”: When Parents Drive Science, The Story of MPS I

#371 Growing Old Too Fast: A Mother’s Fight for Cockayne Syndrome Advocacy

#372 Fighting for Time: Hunter Syndrome, Gene Therapy & Urgent Advocacy

#356 From Statehouse to Capitol Hill: A Guide to Effective Advocacy for Rare Diseases

#342 $10 Million for a Cure: Donating Mr. Beast’s “Beast Games” Winnings For Son’s Creatine Transporter Deficiency

Connect With Us:  

Luckily you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Until then, why not dive into our library of over 385 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! For the past four years, we’ve been recording episodes with video, including some filmed at the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. Check them out on our YouTube channel! 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead Liv Davidson. And our logo Graphic Designer is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC.

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

What does it mean to truly care for a child with achondroplasia beyond just their growth differences? Achondroplasia is the most common form of skeletal dysplasia, but it is so much more than height. Children and adults with achondroplasia can have medical complications that require lifelong monitoring and the need for lifelong multidisciplinary care.

This is the second episode in our three-part series on achondroplasia, sponsored by BioMarin. In our first episode, (Episode 359 of DNA Today) Dr. Janet Legare helped us explore the basics of achondroplasia and the role of genetics in diagnosis and family counseling. In this conversation, we’re shifting the focus to what living with achondroplasia actually looks like day to day, from managing medical complications to coordinating care across multiple specialties.

Joining us is Dr. Ricki Carroll, a complex care and palliative care physician on the multidisciplinary skeletal dysplasia team in Delaware. Dr. Carroll brings expertise in providing a medical home for children with skeletal dysplasias, with a special focus on pain and symptom management. She also co-leads a skeletal dysplasia consultative service, and her training in bioethics adds a unique perspective on delivering compassionate, individualized care.

In This Episode, We Discuss

Building a Medical Home
What a “medical home” means for children with achondroplasia

Common concerns families raise after a new diagnosis, beyond height

Supporting families early while planning for long-term care

Co-Morbidities & Clinical Complications
Key conditions clinicians should monitor in infants and children, including:
Foramen magnum stenosis

Hydrocephalus

Sleep apnea

ENT issues like recurrent ear infections and hearing loss

Orthopedic challenges such as kyphosis, spinal stenosis, and bowed legs

How chronic pain presents and is managed across childhood and adulthood

Living With Achondroplasia
How medical needs evolve from childhood into adolescence and adulthood

The role of fatigue, mobility limitations, and accessibility in daily life

Balancing medical care with childhood independence and normalcy

Under-recognized burdens that significantly affect patients and families

Multidisciplinary Care in Practice
What a full skeletal dysplasia care team looks like

How palliative care supports symptom management, decision-making, and quality of life

Coordinating care across specialties like orthopedics, neurosurgery, ENT, and audiology

Preventing communication breakdowns between providers

Helping families navigate complex choices around interventions and surgeries

Looking Ahead
Gaps in current care models for achondroplasia

How emerging treatments are changing long-term planning conversations

Key takeaways for providers who may only occasionally care for patients with achondroplasia

 

Our Guest Dr. Ricki Carroll:

Dr. Ricki Carroll is a complex care and palliative care physician on the skeletal dysplasia and palliative care teams at a hospital in Delaware. Dr. Carroll works to provide a medical home and manage care for children with a wide array of skeletal dysplasias. Her background in palliative medicine allows her to focus on pain and symptom management needs for these children, teens and young adults. Dr. Carroll also leads the skeletal dysplasia consultative service, providing care for infants and children with skeletal dysplasias who are in the hospital. Additionally, drawing upon her Master’s in Bioethics, she is currently serving as co-Chair of an Ethics and Patients’ Rights Committee.

 

Achondroplasia Resources: 

Little People of America (LPA) 

Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA) 

International Achondroplasia Forum 

Achondroplasia GeneReviews 

Achondroplasia Growth Charts

Ireland PJ, Johnson S, Donaghey S, Johnston L, McGill J, Zankl A, Ware RS, Pacey V, Ault J, Savarirayan R, Sillence D, Thompson E, Townshend S. Developmental milestones in infants and young Australasian children with achondroplasia. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2010 Jan;31(1):41-7. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0b013e3181c72052. PMID: 20081435. 

Julie Hoover-Fong, Charles I. Scott, Marilyn C. Jones, COMMITTEE ON GENETICS, Emily Chen, Tracy L. Trotter, Susan A. Berry, Leah W. Burke, Timothy A. Geleske, Rizwan Hamid, Robert J. Hopkin, Wendy J. Introne, Michael J. Lyons, Angela Scheuerle, Joan M. Stoler; Health Supervision for People With Achondroplasia. Pediatrics June 2020; 145 (6): e20201010. 10.1542/peds.2020-1010

Nadia Merchant, Julie Hoover-Fong, Ricki S Carroll, Approach to the Patient with Achondroplasia—New Considerations for Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 110, Issue 7, July 2025, Pages e2309–e2316, https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgaf017 

 

Relevant Skeletal Dysplasia DNA Today Episodes: 

#192 Osteogenesis Imperfecta with The Middle’s Atticus Shaffer 

#301 Dwarfism with Colleen Gioffreda 

#348: NIPT Beyond the Basics: Screening for Single-Gene Conditions (including skeletal dysplasia disorders) 

#359 Breaking Down Achondroplasia: A Pediatrician in Clinical Genetics Explains (Biomarin’s Sponsored Series First Installment)

 

Be on the lookout for our third and final episode in this series about achondroplasia sponsored by BioMarin. 

 

Connect With Us:

Luckily, you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Until then, why not dive into our library of over 375 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! For the past four years, we’ve been recording episodes with video, including some filmed at the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. Check them out on our YouTube channel! 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead Liv Davidson. And our logo Graphic Designer is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC. 

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

To recap the vibrant American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) held in Baltimore, host Kira Dineen is joined by presenters to capture what they spoke about at the conference! 

 

We explore the latest advancements in whole genomic sequencing (WGS) including the integration of newer tools like optical genome mapping (OGM), long-read sequencing and RNA sequencing. Then we learn about how AI is helping to sift through all the data provided by WGS by prioritizing variants so genomic analysts can find the causative variant faster. We wrap up by talking about how all these tools can be ethically used to advance equity in genomic testing.

 

Our episode is broken into three segments…

 

Baylor Genetics’ announce their Enhanced Whole Genome Sequencing with their Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer, Dr. Christine Eng and their Chief Growth Officer Chris Sands

Illumina teaches us about their variant interpretation software that utilizes AI with a staff product marketing manager, Talia Silver and a senior staff medical science liaison, Dr. Livia Loureiro

Ambry Genetics discusses advancing equity in genomic testing with a Clinical Strategy Manager in Medical Affairs, Carrie Horton, and their Translational Genomics Director for Rare Diseases, Dr. Seth Berger 

 

Relevant Resources: 

 

Baylor Genetics Segment Resources: 

Baylor Genetics Announces Enhanced Whole Genome Sequencing Test

Baylor Genetics’ Enhanced Whole Genome Sequencing Technologies 

AAP Guidelines: Genetic Evaluation of the Child With Intellectual Disability or Global Developmental Delay

 

Illumina Segment Resources: 

Genomewide Sequencing Ontario Project 

Illumina’s Emedgene variant interpretation software 

Illumina’s Grand Rounds in Genomic Medicine 

Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) 

 

Ambry Genetics Segment Resources: 

Ambry Genetics’ Patient for Life website and white paper

Ambry Genetics’ Announcing Their One Millionth Test Leveraging RNA to Improve Diagnostic Accuracy and Yield 

Dr. Seth Berger’s publication last week on “Identification of de novo variants from parent-proband duos via long-read sequencing” in the American Journal of Human Genetics 

Ambry Genetics’ publication in January 2026 on “Ten years of exome sequencing and reanalysis among racial, ethnic, and ancestral groups: The importance of equitable reanalysis access”

 

Relevant DNA Today Podcast Episode:

#182 Eric Green on the Complete Human Genome Project

#231 ChatGPT and AI In Genetics with Daniel Uribe

#285 AI To Enhance Variant Curation with Daniel Uribe

#297 Exome Reanalysis with Ambry Genetics

#303 RNA Analysis with Ambry Genetics

#325 Revolutionizing Variant Curation with MAVEs

#334 ACMG 2025 Recap

#358 AGBT Precision Health 2025 Meeting Recaps and Reflections

#384 Beyond DNA: How RNAseq Resolves VUS and Shortens the Diagnostic Odyssey

 

Upcoming Conferences:

In November, we will be back in Baltimore for the 2026 National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) annual conference, but before that we have a few other conferences on the books. Check out our conference schedule so far for 2026…

Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) Precision Health in September in San Diego 

Podcast Movement in September in New York City 

American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) in October in Montreal

National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) in November in Baltimore  

 

Connect With Us:

Luckily you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Except when a conference ends on a weekend ;) Until then, why not dive into our library of over 385 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! For the past four years, we’ve been recording episodes with video, including some filmed at the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. Check them out on our YouTube channel! 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead Liv Davidson. And our logo Graphic Designer is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC.

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

Despite our podcast name, we’re going beyond DNA in this episode and into the next frontier of genetic diagnostics: RNA sequencing and multi-omics.

While DNA sequencing often reveals variants of uncertain significance (VUS), RNA sequencing provides functional evidence that can resolve uncertainty, uncover splicing abnormalities, and ultimately shorten the diagnostic odyssey for patients with rare diseases.

Joining for this in-person podcast episode is Dr. Christine Eng, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer at Baylor Genetics, and Vice Chair for Diagnostic Laboratory Affairs at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Eng has been a pioneer in implementing genomics into clinical practice, and her work is shining a light on how RNAseq and multi-omic approaches are transforming the way we diagnose and care for patients.

Topics Covered in This Episode:

RNAseq 101: What RNA sequencing is and how it complements DNA sequencing.

Splicing Abnormalities: What RNAseq can reveal that DNA sequencing may miss.

Clinical Impact: Real-world examples, including a case where RNAseq reclassified a VUS and changed patient care.

Diagnostic Yield: How often Baylor Genetics sees clinical benefit from RNAseq.

Workflow Questions: Should RNAseq be a reflex after WES/WGS fails to identify a pathogenic variant?

Technical Realities: Key challenges including tissue type, RNA quality, and turnaround time.

When Results Are Inconclusive: How to handle unexpected or unclear RNA findings.

Beyond RNAseq: How multi-omics (including transcriptomics and metabolomics) are beginning to integrate into clinical practice.

Implementation Barriers: Challenges to scaling multi-omic testing in routine labs.

Future of Clinical Genomics: Dr. Eng’s predictions for RNAseq and multi-omics adoption over the next decade.

Resources & Links:

Learn more about Baylor Genetics here

Baylor Genetics Webinar: From Symptoms to Sequencing: Diagnostic Insights from 3 Pediatric Genome Sequencing Cases

AAP’s Genetic Evaluation of the Child With Intellectual Disability or Global Developmental Delay: Clinical Report

Baylor Genetics Applauds New Guidance from American Academy of Pediatrics for Genome and Exome Sequencing to be used as First-Tier Tests for Children with Certain Developmental Delays

Dr. Christine Eng’s Presentation “How Whole Genome Sequencing Can Lead to Early Diagnosis and Intervention”

Zhao S, Macakova K, Sinson JC, Dai H, Rosenfeld J, Zapata GE, Li S, Ward PA, Wang C, Qu C, Maywald B; Undiagnosed Diseases Network; Lee B, Eng C, Liu P. Clinical validation of RNA sequencing for Mendelian disorder diagnostics. Am J Hum Genet. 2025 Apr 3;112(4):779-792. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.02.006. Epub 2025 Mar 4. PMID: 40043707; PMCID: PMC12081282.

Undiagnosed Disease Network

 

Relevant DNA Today Podcast Episode:

#358 AGBT Precision Health 2025 Meeting Recaps and Reflections

 

Connect With Us: 

Get ready, genetic nerds—another brand-new episode of DNA Today drops this Friday! You can always count on us to deliver fresh content every Friday. 

While you wait, why not dive into our library of over 380 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen—just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! For the past four years, we’ve been recording episodes with video, including some filmed at the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. Check them out on our YouTube channel! 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead Liv Davidson. And our logo Graphic Designer is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC. 

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

As Rare Disease Month comes to a close and Rare Disease Day approaches, we are turning our focus beyond the United States to explore what rare disease care looks like in Brazil, and how genomics is reshaping the diagnostic journey.

 

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the rare disease landscape in Brazil, including how patients access genetic testing within a public healthcare system, the barriers families face compared to those in the U.S., and how whole genome sequencing (WGS) is accelerating diagnoses that once took years or even decades.

 

Joining us is Dr. João Bosco de Oliveira Filho, a physician-scientist who helped lead Brazil’s national rare disease genomics initiative, Genomas Raros, and now continues this work through his laboratory, NeoGenomica. We’re also joined by Victor Camillo from MGI, who shares a global technology perspective on how large-scale sequencing efforts can expand access to rare disease diagnostics, especially in middle-income countries.

 

Together, we discuss:

How rare disease care in Brazil compares to the U.S.

Why whole genome sequencing is a game changer for undiagnosed patients

Lessons learned from national-scale genomics initiatives

The role of public–private partnerships in sustaining innovation

What the future holds for rare disease diagnostics worldwide

Relevant Resources: 

MGI Tech

MGI’s Sequencing Platforms 

NeoGenomica

NeoGenomica implements the world's most powerful genetic test, focusing on accuracy and speed in diagnoses.

100,000 Genomes Project by Genomics England

Coelho, A. V. C., Mascaro-Cordeiro, B., Lucon, D. R., Nóbrega, M. S., de Souza Reis, R., Bertollo de Alexandre, R., Moura, L. M. S., Oliveira, G. S., Guedes, R. L. M., Caraciolo, M. P., Zurro, N. B., Cervato, M. C., & Oliveira, J. B. (2022). The Brazilian Rare Genomes Project: Validation of Whole Genome Sequencing for Rare Diseases Diagnosis. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, 9, Article 821582. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmolb.2022.821582

Wojcik MH, Lemire G, Berger E, Zaki MS, Wissmann M, Win W, White SM, Weisburd B, Wieczorek D, Waddell LB, Verboon JM, VanNoy GE, Töpf A, Tan TY, Syrbe S, Strehlow V, Straub V, Stenton SL, Snow H, Singer-Berk M, Silver J, Shril S, Seaby EG, Schneider R, Sankaran VG, Sanchis-Juan A, Russell KA, Reinson K, Ravenscroft G, Radtke M, Popp D, Polster T, Platzer K, Pierce EA, Place EM, Pajusalu S, Pais L, Õunap K, Osei-Owusu I, Opperman H, Okur V, Oja KT, O'Leary M, O'Heir E, Morel CF, Merkenschlager A, Marchant RG, Mangilog BE, Madden JA, MacArthur D, Lovgren A, Lerner-Ellis JP, Lin J, Laing N, Hildebrandt F, Hentschel J, Groopman E, Goodrich J, Gleeson JG, Ghaoui R, Genetti CA, Gburek-Augustat J, Gazda HT, Ganesh VS, Ganapathi M, Gallacher L, Fu JM, Evangelista E, England E, Donkervoort S, DiTroia S, Cooper ST, Chung WK, Christodoulou J, Chao KR, Cato LD, Bujakowska KM, Bryen SJ, Brand H, Bönnemann CG, Beggs AH, Baxter SM, Bartolomaeus T, Agrawal PB, Talkowski M, Austin-Tse C, Abou Jamra R, Rehm HL, O'Donnell-Luria A. Genome Sequencing for Diagnosing Rare Diseases. N Engl J Med. 2024 Jun 6;390(21):1985-1997. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2314761. PMID: 38838312; PMCID: PMC11350637.

 

Relevant DNA Today Podcast Episode:
#285 AI To Enhance Variant Curation with Daniel Uribe

#355 How Genomics Is Transforming Rare Disease Diagnosis in Turkey with MGI Tech

#364 Breast Cancer Genetic Testing in Italy: A Curated Gene Panel with MGI 

#379 Global Cancer Diagnostics: Building High-Quality Cancer Genomic Testing with MGI

 

Connect With Us: 
Luckily you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Until then, why not dive into our library of over 380 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! For the past four years, we’ve been recording episodes with video, including some filmed at the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. Check them out on our YouTube channel! 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead Liv Davidson. And our logo Graphic Designer is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC.

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected].