#230 Cancer Pharmacogenetics with Dr. Jamie Fettig

As you may have heard, we are launching a Patreon! For those that don’t know what Patreon is, it’s a platform that allows creators (like podcasters) to offer their followers more content, experiences, and even gifts. We have a survey that will be open for a limited time so get your input in now so we can provide the benefits you want. Maybe that’s a one-on-one Zoom with me for mentorship or a genetics book/movie club or an appearance on the podcast! Let us know so we can make sure to offer it. Thanks for all your support for the podcast over the years. My guest today is Dr. Jamie Fettig, the Founder and CEO of TruGene Diagnostics. We are chatting about a breakthrough in eliminating variants of unknown significance - especially in relation to companion diagnostic tests and pharmacogenetics in oncology. Dr. Jamie Fettig is the Founder and CEO of TruGene Diagnostics, which is eliminating variants of unknown significance - especially in relation to companion diagnostic tests and pharmacogenetics in oncology. He graduated from Palmer University. Dr. Fettig previously worked in private practice and then transitioned into manufacturing and selling medical equipment. He also worked as a coach and trainer to fellow doctors. On This Episode We Discuss:Defining variants of unknown significance (VUS), pharmacogenetics and companion diagnosticsWhat TruGene Diagnostics doesThe GiggaAssayHow knowing if a breast cancer is HER2+ can help inform medications that people should be prescribedVUS in HER2 Tyrosine Kinase RegionWhat people should do if they get HER2+ cancer or their doctor wants to do a biopsy thinking it might be HER2+How cancer survival rates are impacted by utilizing precision medicine approaches with drugsHow TruGene Diagnostics’ test differs from other PGx tests or Precision MedsHow pharmacogenomics can increase the efficacy of clinical trialsCheck out Dr. Fettig’s papers:Heligenics: fulfilling the promise of the functional genome to enable precision medicine (March, 2023)Data Supporting a saturation mutagenesis assay for Tat-driven transcription with the GigaAssay (September 2022)GigaAssay – a high-throughput assay system for molecular functions and cell processes (July 2021)Check out DNA Today Episode 134 that Kira mentioned during this episode; it’s with guest Dr. Kat Arney about cancer evolution. You can also stream other episodes about pharmacogenomics including Episode #108 with Becky Winslow, Episode #174 with Gregory Kellog, and last week’s Episode #229 with Avni Santani! Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on April 7th, 2023, where we’ll be discussing ChatGPT and AI In Genetics with Daniel Uribe of GenoBank! New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 225 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel. DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected]. Surely you have heard of whole genome sequencing, but what about rapid and ultra-rapid whole genome sequencing? This is an emerging method of diagnosing genetic conditions for quick management. PerkinElmer Genomics offers this incredibly valuable test, which can be life saving for ill babies and kids. Learn more in our full episode (#226) with PerkinElmer Genomics. You can visit perkinelmergenomics.com for more information. (Sponsored)Juno Diagnostics has developed the next generation of non-invasive prenatal tests so that all pregnant people can access a higher standard of care. Juno Diagnostics is the onl