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DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

By: Kira Dineen Gene Pool Media
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Discover New Advances in the world of genetics, from technology like CRISPR to rare diseases to new research. For over a decade, multi-award winning podcast ”DNA Today” has brought you the voices of leaders in genetics. Host Kira Dineen brings her genetics expertise to interview geneticists, genetic counselors, patient advocates, biotech leaders, researchers, and more.

***Best Science and Medicine Podcast Award Winner (2020, 2021 and 2022)***

Learn more (and stream all 400+ episodes) at DNAtoday.com. You can contact the show at info@DNAtoday.com.


This show is part of "Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network" head to GenePoolMedia.com to explore all our science themed shows.

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Episodes
  • #399 How PKU Changed Newborn Screening Forever

    #399 How PKU Changed Newborn Screening Forever
    Jun 19 2026
    What condition helped spark the creation of newborn screening in the United States? It was Phenylketonuria, or PKU, a rare inherited metabolic disorder that forever changed how we identify and treat genetic conditions from the very start of life. In this in-person episode of DNA Today, we kick off a three-part series on phenylketonuria, better known as PKU, by looking at how one condition became central to a major public health shift. Host Kira Dineen is joined in person by Sarah Chamberlin and Ryan Miller to explore the scientific, clinical, historical, and deeply personal sides of PKU. We explore the history of newborn screening itself, including the work of Dr. Robert Guthrie and the development of the Guthrie card. Sarah brings a remarkable piece of history to the recording: the original stamp used to create early Guthrie cards. Ryan, Sarah, and Kira unpack why PKU remains both a newborn screening success story and an ongoing challenge. From treatment access and medical nutrition coverage to state-by-state differences in newborn screening panels and the promise and complexity of newborn sequencing, this episode shows why PKU is still shaping conversations about genetics, public health, and rare disease care. Thank you to PTC Therapeutics for sponsoring this three-part series on PKU. Our guests are participating in this podcast to share their experience and opinions only. They are not providing any medical advice. Always check with your healthcare provider for treatment and screening advice. Episode Discussion Topics Why PKU helped launch newborn screening in the United StatesWhat life was like for individuals with PKU before newborn screeningHow PKU affects the body on a metabolic levelThe role of phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiencyWhy elevated phenylalanine levels can impact brain developmentDr. Robert Guthrie’s role in developing newborn screeningThe history and significance of the Guthrie cardSarah’s experience learning her daughter’s newborn screen was flagged for PKUWhat confirmatory testing and early treatment looked like for IzzyHow newborn screening panels vary across statesWhat the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, or RUSP, isGaps in access to medical formula and low-protein medical foodsWhy insurance coverage remains a major challenge for familiesThe promise and concerns around newborn sequencingHow clinicians can better support newly diagnosed familiesWhy connecting families with community early can be life-changingThe need for more metabolic geneticists, genetic counselors, and dietitians Guest Bios Sarah Chamberlin is a parent of a child with PKU and a founder and the Chief Program Officer of flok, a patient advocacy organization supporting individuals and families affected by inherited metabolic disorders. Ryan Miller is Senior Director, Field Medical Lead at PTC Therapeutics on the U.S. Medical Affairs Metabolism team, where he supports PKU. He is trained as a genetic counselor. Resources PKU / PhenylketonuriaPhenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency ACT SheetThe Newborn Screening Information Center (NBSIC)Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, or RUSPRUSP overview for familiesACMG Newborn Screening ACT Sheets and Algorithmsflok healthBaby’s First Test: Newborn Screening InformationNational PKU Alliance Referenced DNA Today Podcast Episode #394 How Newborn Sequencing Could Transform Pediatric Rare Disease Care in Florida 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 400 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! The video component of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and website. Some of these episodes were filmed at our home studio, the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead is Liv Davidson. Our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead is Eric Knaus. And the Graphic Designer of our logo 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 info@DNAtoday.com.
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    40 mins
  • #398 Soil Microbiomes, Plant Genetics, and Groundswell with Nikki Reed and Rebecca Tickell

    #398 Soil Microbiomes, Plant Genetics, and Groundswell with Nikki Reed and Rebecca Tickell
    Jun 12 2026
    What if the future of human health doesn’t just begin in the clinic, but in the soil? In this episode of DNA Today, we explore the new documentary Groundswell, the final chapter in the regenerative agriculture documentary trilogy that began with Kiss the Ground and continued with Common Ground. Narrated by Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson, Groundswell follows regenerative agriculture solutions across five continents, showing how restoring soil health can support biodiversity, food systems, local economies, climate resilience, and human health. This episode takes DNA Today into a different but deeply relevant corner of genetics and genomics. While we often focus on human genetics, Groundswell broadens the lens to show how genetics is embedded in entire ecosystems. Soil is alive with microbial diversity. Plants depend on complex relationships with bacteria, fungi, insects, and the environment around them. Crop diversity and seed diversity can influence resilience to drought, pests, disease, and changing climate conditions. Human health is also shaped not only by our DNA, but by the environments we live in, the food we eat, the water we drink, the chemicals we are exposed to, and the microbes we encounter. Joining us are Nikki Reed, co-producer of Groundswell, and Rebecca Harrell Tickell, co-director of the film. About Nikki Reed Many listeners will know Nikki from her role as Rosalie Hale in The Twilight Saga, as well as her work in Thirteen, which she co-wrote and starred in, and her role in The O.C. Beyond acting, Nikki is also a filmmaker, farmer, entrepreneur, and environmental advocate. About Rebecca Harrell Tickell Rebecca Harrell Tickell is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and environmental activist whose work includes Kiss the Ground, Common Ground, and now Groundswell. Through this trilogy, Rebecca and her collaborators have helped bring regenerative agriculture into mainstream conversations about climate, food, health, and the future of farming. In This Episode, We Discuss How Nikki Reed’s experience in Twilight shaped the way she thinks about storytelling, cultural influence, and using her platform for impactWhy Nikki became involved in regenerative agriculture and how her connection to food, farming, and environmental advocacy became personalWhat regenerative agriculture means and how it differs from conventional agricultureWhy healthy soil is not just “dirt,” but a living ecosystem filled with microbes, fungi, roots, insects, and organic matterHow soil health connects to plant health, nutrient cycling, water retention, and ecosystem resilienceWhy biodiversity matters above and below ground, from soil microbial communities to crops, pollinators, insects, animals, and humansHow regenerative agriculture reframes food systems as regionally specific, community-based, and connected to local ecosystemsThe connection between food, chemical exposures, the environment, and gene-environment interactionsWhy the guests see regenerative agriculture as both a practical solution and a hopeful movementHow storytelling can help make complex topics like soil science, microbes, farming systems, and climate resilience more accessible Fact Check & Context This episode includes a passionate discussion about regenerative agriculture, pesticides, cancer, fertility, carbon, and soil health. As with many topics at the intersection of environment and health, the science is complex. Here are a few important clarifications and sources for our audience members who want to dig deeper. Cancer Rates The episode references concern about rising cancer rates, including pediatric cancer and cancers in younger adults. The most accurate summary is nuanced. For childhood and adolescent cancers in the U.S., a 2025 analysis found that age-standardized cancer incidence increased from 2001 to 2016, then decreased from 2016 to 2022. Cancer death rates among U.S. youth ages 0–19 also declined 24% from 2001 to 2021, according to CDC/NCHS data. Read the study in Cancer Discovery. At the same time, early-onset colorectal cancer has clearly been increasing. The American Cancer Society reports that colorectal cancer death rates in adults under 50 have increased by about 1% per year since 2004, even as rates have declined among many older adults. Researchers are actively studying potential contributors, including diet, obesity, sedentary behavior, environmental exposures, microbiome changes, and other factors, but there is not one single proven cause. Read more from the American Cancer Society. Pesticides, Epigenetics, and Fertility The episode discusses pesticides and their potential effects on human health. A careful way to frame this is that some pesticide exposures have been associated with biological effects, including possible epigenetic changes and reproductive health concerns, especially at higher or occupational exposure levels. Risk depends on the specific chemical, dose, route of exposure, timing, and individual ...
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    29 mins
  • #397 ABGC Recertification Changes: Learning Scenarios Explained for Genetic Counselors

    #397 ABGC Recertification Changes: Learning Scenarios Explained for Genetic Counselors
    Jun 5 2026
    Recertification is changing for genetic counselors. The American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) now requires completion of new Continuing Competence Learning Scenarios as part of maintaining the CGC credential. These are not traditional quizzes with one correct answer. Each scenario presents a complex genetic counseling situation, followed by reflective questions, peer rationales, and educational resources designed to support lifelong learning and continuing competence. To help us understand why this change was made and what genetic counselors need to know, we are joined by three guests from ABGC: Monica Marvin and Dr. Claire Davis, co-chairs of ABGC’s Continuing Competence Committee, and Heather Rich, Executive Director at Smithbucklin, who manages ABGC operations. We break down why these Learning Scenarios were created, how the requirement works, what counts toward recertification, and how ABGC is approaching competence in a field where many real-world situations are nuanced, reflective, and shaped by context. In This Episode, We Discuss: Why ABGC reevaluated the recertification process for certified genetic counselorsWhat was missing from a recertification model based primarily on CEUs or reexaminationWhat Continuing Competence Learning Scenarios are, and what they are notHow these scenarios differ from traditional quizzes or testsWhy there may be more than one thoughtful way to respond to a complex genetic counseling situationHow panelist rationales help Diplomates understand the reasoning of other competent practitionersHow the new requirement is being phased in based on recertification cycleWhat genetic counselors in current recertification cycles need to know about voluntary scenario completionHow each scenario earns 0.1 CEU and how those CEUs fit into existing recertification requirementsHow often new Learning Scenarios will be publishedHow scenarios are developed and reviewed by ABGC’s Continuing Competence CommitteeWhy review by the DEIJ Committee is an important part of the processHow Learning Scenarios can address complex topics such as bias, cultural humility, access, identity, and patient-centered careWhether future scenarios may expand beyond patient-facing clinical roles to include genetic counselors working as medical science liaisons, variant curators, educators, and other nontraditional roles The Panel: Monica Marvin, MS, CGC, is the Program Director for the University of Michigan Genetic Counseling Graduate Program and Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and Human Genetics at the University of Michigan. Monica was the inaugural President of the Michigan Association of Genetic Counselors, the 2011 Chair of the National Society of Genetic Counselors Access and Service Delivery Committee and the 2014 Chair of the National Society of Genetic Counselors Payor Subcommittee. She also served on the Board of Directors for the National Society of Genetic Counselors in 2016 and 2017 and is a current member of the Accreditation Council of Genetic Counselors Program Review Committee. In addition, Monica serves on the Advisory Board for multiple genetic counseling programs, and is the co-chair of the American Board of Genetic Counselors Continuing Competence Committee. She received the 2014 Strategic Leader award from the National Society of Genetic Counselors and was instrumental in the 2018 passage of legislation to license genetic counselors in the state of Michigan. She is passionate about the provision of high-quality genetic counseling services. Claire Davis, EDD, MS, CGC has contributed to the learning, growth, and development of genetic counselors for 19 years. She received her Master of Science in Genetic Counseling from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2007. She earned a doctorate in Adult Learning and Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University, completing a dissertation on how genetic counselors learn to incorporate innovations into their practice. A deep love of GC education prompted her to serve as a genetic counseling program director, course director, clinical supervisor, thesis advisor, simulation facilitator, committee volunteer, and author of articles and a book. She is currently Director of Curriculum for the Institute for Genomics at Sarah Lawrence College and Co-director of the Genome Health Analysis master’s program co-created with NYU Langone’s Grossman School of Medicine. Heather Rich, MPA, ICE-CCP, is an Executive Director with Smithbucklin, bringing over 20 years of experience in certification, including oversight of more than 23 credentialing programs. She currently serves as Executive Director for the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC). Ms. Rich possesses extensive expertise across all facets of certification, including governance, program development, and accreditation standards. She has successfully led multiple organizations through reaccreditation processes with both the American Board of Specialty ...
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    32 mins
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