Genetic Medicine: Applications to Cardiovascular Disease
Elizabeth McNally MD PhD
Director, Center for Genetic Medicine
Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
DATE: Wednesday, July 29, 2015
TIME: 2:00 pm
LOCATION: Conference Center, room 0636, Advocate Children’s Hospital
93rd Street & Kilbourn Avenue Oak Lawn, Illinois 60453
This talk will review genetic testing for cardiovascular and related disorders with emphasis on
interpretation and use of genetic information in medical practice. Genetic testing is increasing in
scope and application because of its ability to provide accurate diagnosis and help guide
medical management. In cardiovascular disease, heart failure, arrhythmia and vascular disease
all are strongly influenced by genetic variation. Because of advances in sequencing and
analysis, gene testing panels are now available for inherited aortopathies, cardiomyopathies
and inherited arrhythmia syndromes including the Long QT syndrome. With gene panel testing,
between 20 and 100 genes may be tested simultaneously. With gene panel testing and genetic
variation, interpreting the results of gene panel testing can be challenging.
Elizabeth McNally is a cardiologist and geneticist working
with patients and families to understand genetic risks for
inherited cardiovascular disorders. She joined
Northwestern University in September 2014 to lead the
Center for Genetic Medicine, which provides support to
the genetic missions across NU and its affiliated clinical
programs. With the growth in human genetic information,
the CGM is committed to exploring and defining genetic
variability and ultimately using this information to better
inform health care decisions. Dr. McNally’s research
bridges human and model system genetics where her
group has devised new methods for surveying human
genetic data and established animal and cell-based
models of genetic diseases. Dr. McNally is supported by
the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense,
and private foundations. She was president of the
American Society for Clinical Investigation 2011-2012,
and serves as an advocate through her work with the
Muscular Dystrophy Association, Parent Project Muscular
Dystrophy, and the American Heart Association. Dr.
McNally has been recognized as an Established
Investigator of the American Heart Association and as a
Distinguished Clinical Scientist by the Doris Duke
Charitable Foundation.