Medical College of Wisconsin
Medical College of Wisconsin Medical College of Wisconsin
Research Bench Lab

Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine

For Patients and Families

We understand that every patient comes with their own unique circumstances that have led them to us. Please utilize the resources that we have provided and do not hesitate to contact us if you still have questions.
Mother Child at Table Physician

What is Precision Medicine?

Precision Medicine is a very exciting and promising area of medicine where we are able to diagnose and design treatment plans that highly personalized to match the differences in each individual’s DNA.

For example, two people may be diagnosed with the exact same type of cancer, but they may respond to certain treatments completely different based solely on their DNA make-up.

The GSPMC has a cutting-edge molecular laboratory and bioinformatic capabilities that are designed for the sole purpose of determining the existence of these small but significant variations in a patient’s DNA. This information can open many doors to more effective treatments and allow access to the latest clinical trials and possibly end the Diagnostic Odyssey. The GSPMC Precision Medicine Laboratory provides state-of-the-art genomic services for almost all diagnosis types, providing clinicians with actionable data at industry-leading turnaround time and in a cost-effective manner to both the patient and the referring institution.

 

The Power of Academic Medicine

Academic medicine drives new knowledge and a healthier world.

Genetic Testing Comparisons

  Clinical Genomic Testing Recreational DNA Testing
Purpose Medical diagnosis, treatment, prevention or management of disease General personal interest/curiosity, not medical management
Information Provided Diagnostic
Disease causing genetic variation
Carrier status for recessive conditions
Pharmacogenomics		 Non-diagnostic
Ancestry composition
Neanderthal ancestry
DNA family connections
Traits
Wellness-limited
Testing Coverage Comprehensive sequencing of millions of base pairs throughout the genome and exome
Can detect multiple types of genetic variations		 Hundreds of thousands single base pairs (SNPs) 'spots' in the genome

Not designed to detect disease variants

 
Access to Services Ordering physician required; medical services provided Direct to consumer; online submission
Sample Typically a blood draw Typically saliva collection
Regulations Analytical validity assessed through Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certification and College of American Pathologist (CAP) accreditation. Clinical validity and utility ensured by following American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines.
 None, however FDA will intervene if a company markets the product as a medical test.
Privacy Subject to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protections.
 Information may be shared with 3rd parties. Privacy policies vary with each company.
Example Whole exome or genome sequencing
Disease specific gene panels		 23andMe™
Ancestry.com™
National Geographic™
Patient Couch

Talking With Your Doctor

Once you’ve received your diagnosis, your physician should be the first place you go with your questions. However, it’s hard to know what questions you should be asking. We’ve prepared some key questions to help you start the conversation, including…
  • Should / Can I get a second opinion?
  • Is this type of cancer caused by my genetics? Are other members of my family at disk?
  • Are there molecular tests available that may lead to better treatment or possible clinical trials?