Undoubtedly there is huge potential for genomics and big data to improve the health of all Australians. Recently we’ve seen a huge drop in the prices and time necessary for mapping a whole genome – we’re not far from the cost being sub $100.
But what value can it actually deliver you now?
In this event we will be discussing:
- How much information can personal healthcare and lifestyle advisors glean from your DNA? Can it tell you what diet you should be on?
- Who can access your genome information and how’s it being used for research purposes?
- Are there risks around privacy?
- How will this effect health insurance premiums and accessibility?
- What is the societal value versus personal value derived from sequencing at this point in time?
Ticket price includes drinks, light refreshments and a copy of the event report.
PANELLISTS
Prof Ingrid Winship - Executive Director Research, Melbourne Health
Prof Winship was appointed as the Executive Director Research for Melbourne Health and the Inaugural Chair of Adult Clinical Genetics at the University of Melbourne, in November 2006.
She graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1981 then completed postgraduate training in genetics and dermatology before combining an academic position at the University of Cape Town with a clinical position at the Groote Schuur Hospital from 1989-1994.In 1994, she moved to New Zealand to take an academic position at the University of Auckland where she later became Professor of Clinical Genetics within the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. She was Clinical Director of the Northern Regional Genetic Service, a comprehensive genetic service based in Auckland that she initiated in 1995. In her last five years in Auckland she was Associate Dean for Research in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Prof Winship is currently a member of the Victorian Cancer Agency, the Board of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and the Peter Doherty Institute Council. She is on the steering committee of the Melbourne Genomic Health Alliance, Scientific Advisor to the Human Variome Project and a member of the Strategic Advisory Council of the Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics. She has recently completed terms as a member of the Health System Information, Knowledge and Innovation Management Advisory Committee for the Victorian Department of Health, and the NHMRC Human Genetic Advisory
Committee.
Paul Beaver (PhD) - Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer, FitGenes
Paul is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Fitgenes Ltd, an international provider of genome - based personalised preventative healthcare and wellness services. For the past 20 years Paul has been developing personalised health solutions for maximising health potential, based on the latest scientific and medical research in the fields, such as Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics.
In addition, Paul is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow, School of Allied Health, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, La Trobe University, Melbourne Australia.
Alex Tighe - Commercial Lawyer, Holding Redlich
Alex is a partner in Holding Redlich’s Dispute Resolution & Litigation Group and will be speaking to the legal ethics surrounding genome sequencing. She has over ten years’ experience practising as a senior lawyer, specialising in commercial dispute resolution. Alex has acted for numerous health professionals works and is a member of an Executive Committee which reports to the Board of Mercy Health Foundation.
She is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and has both a Bachelor of Arts (RMIT University) and Bachelor of Laws (Monash University).
Chris Kommatas - Innovation Manager|Accelerator Program Director,Melbourne Health
Chris is currently the Innovation Manager & Accelerator Program Director at Melbourne Health where he leads the Melbourne Health Accelerator (MHx) at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and drives awareness, activation and engagement of clinicians, researchers and staff in shaping an innovative healthcare culture.
Chris' former life included clinical roles in physical medicine and rehabilitation at major hospital systems in NYC and Long Island as well as over 15yrs in pharmaceutical and medical technology industries. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Long Island University (USA) and is has held board, advisory positions within the clinical and academic innovation space. Chris has also held commercial leadership roles with GSK, Merck, Hospira (now Pfizer) and ConvaTec across the US, UK and Asia Pacific. Upon arriving in Australia, Chris embarked on his own entrepreneurial journey, first as founder of Australia's largest early-stage startup community, Startup HealthTech and later co-founder of Australia's first dedicated digital health coworking space, LanewayLabs. He focuses his energy building and advocating a strong, connected health innovation ecosystem that enables health system cross-collaboration, maximises sunk research investment and the realisation of latent hospital IP.
