How AI and Gene Therapy work in conjunction: Sara Pirzadeh-Miller, MS, CGC

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes | Captions are auto-generated and may contain errors

“What we’re trying to do at NSGC is make sure genetic counselors are at the table, helping drive how AI is integrated into practice in a way that lets us practice at the top of our scope. We’re thinking about how to leverage these technologies so we can focus on what matters most — bringing humanity, empathy, and decision-making to our patient care.”

The landscape of genetic counseling and gene therapy has evolved rapidly over the last decade, with a growing number of certified genetic counselors entering the profession and an expanding range of medical specialties integrating genetics into their practice. The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), both in society in general and within genetic counseling, has given genetic counselors new and innovative tools to enhance patient care.

At the 44th National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Annual Conference, held November 6-10 in Seattle, Washington, Sara Pirzadeh-Miller, MS, CGC, president of the NSGC, took part in two different sessions: one on the state of the society and the other on emerging practice areas for genetic counselors. In her talks, Pirzadeh-Miller, who also serves as the director of Cancer Genetics at UT Southwestern in Dallas-Fort Worth Texas, provided a review of NSGC’s current activities and initiatives. Following her presentation, she sat down for an exclusive interview with CGTLive®, our sister publication, to discuss NSGC as a whole, while focusing on the exciting developments of incorporating AI into genetic counseling.

In the interview, Pirzadeh-Miller spoke about the growing role of AI in genetic counseling and genomics, highlighting how these tools can help identify meaningful patterns and insights to better support clinical decision-making. She noted that while AI offers exciting opportunities to improve efficiency and patient care, it cannot replace the human connection and empathy at the core of genetic counseling.

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