DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

Preparing for the genetic counseling board exam can feel overwhelming. Between the extensive study materials, challenging practice questions, and uncertainty about what to expect on exam day, candidates often struggle to determine where to begin and how to use their preparation time effectively.

In this episode of DNA Today, host Kira Dineen is joined by Melanie Hardy and Amy Shikany to explore the new and updated resources available to candidates preparing for the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) Certification Examination.

Melanie Hardy is the 2026 President of ABGC, and Amy Shikany is ABGC President-Elect and a past Chair of the Certification and Education Committee.

Together, they discuss ABGC’s Certify webpage, the new CGC self-study guide, the approved references list, a new student webinar, and the updated practice examination that launched on June 15, 2026. They also take listeners behind the scenes of how the certification exam is developed, reviewed, and maintained.

 

Discussion Topics:

What the ABGC Certification Examination is designed to assess

Where candidates should begin when navigating ABGC’s certification and exam resources

How to use the exam content outline when developing a study plan

Why ABGC created its new CGC self-study guide

How candidates can use the self-study guide alongside the approved references

What candidates can expect from ABGC’s new student webinar

How questions for the certification exam are written and reviewed

What makes a strong “one best answer” board-exam question

How ABGC evaluates questions for accuracy, relevance, fairness, and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion considerations

What has changed in the updated ABGC practice examination

How closely the practice exam reflects the structure and reasoning required on the certification exam

How candidates should interpret their practice-exam results

How the passing standard for the certification exam is determined

Preparation steps candidates should take before exam day

Encouragement and next steps for candidates who do not pass on their first attempt

How certified genetic counselors can contribute to the development and maintenance of the examination

One clarification from the conversation: candidates are provided access to a simple calculator during the certification exam.

 

About the Guests
Melanie Hardy, MS, CGC is the 2026 President of the American Board of Genetic Counseling. Through her leadership with ABGC, she supports the organization’s work to establish and maintain certification standards for the genetic counseling profession and provide resources for current and future certified genetic counselors.

 

Amy Shikany, MS, CGC is President-Elect of the American Board of Genetic Counseling and a past Chair of ABGC’s Certification and Education Committee. Her work with ABGC has included supporting the development, review, and ongoing maintenance of the genetic counseling certification examination.

 

Resources Mentioned

American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) website

Introducing the New CGC® Logo & Digital Badge

ABGC Certify 
Eligibility Requirements

Certification Process, Exam and Fees

Need-Based Certification Scholarship

ABGC CGC Exam Resources
Candidate Guide (Start here)

Exam Content Outline

Self Study Guide 
Syndromes and Disorders List on Pages 19 and 20

Practice Exam

Examination References 

Exam Performance Taskforce Report

Student Webinar (Coming Soon)

Relevant DNA Today Episodes:

#397 ABGC Recertification Changes: Learning Scenarios Explained for Genetic Counselors — Monica Marvin, Dr. Claire Davis, and Heather Rich explain ABGC’s new Continuing Competence Learning Scenarios, how the requirement fits into recertification, and what certified genetic counselors need to know.

#295 Genetic Counseling Board Exam Updates with ABGC — ABGC President Angela Trepanier and Executive Director Heather Rich provide an inside look at the certification exam, including exam development, scoring, administration, costs, financial assistance, equity, and available resources.

#235 Genetic Counseling History: ABGC Formation — Seasoned genetic counselors Ann Walker and Ed Kloza share about the formation of ABGC

#138 Genetic Counseling Boards Advice — Three genetic counselors share their experiences preparing for and taking the board exam, including study schedules, review courses, subject areas, resources, and balancing studying with work.

#126 Adam Buchanan on ABGC Boards Exam — Then-ABGC President Adam Buchanan answers listener questions about the exam’s structure, content, study resources, scoring, results, testing accommodations, cost, and inclusivity.

#57 Georgia Hurst on Lynch Syndrome — Patient advocate Georgia Hurst opens up about how Lynch syndrome has affected her and her family. This episode was mentioned towards the end of the interview. 

 

Connect:
Luckily you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Until then, why not dive into our library of over 400 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! The video component of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and website. Some of these episodes were filmed at our home studio, the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead is Liv Davidson. Our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead is Eric Knaus. And the Graphic Designer of our logo is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC. 

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.

What happens when DNA from a decades-old crime scene meets a family tree created generations later?

That combination helped investigators identify the Golden State Killer and transformed how law enforcement approaches some of the country’s most difficult cold cases.

Content warning: This episode includes discussions of murder, sexual assault, suicide, and other sensitive topics.

In this episode of DNA Today, host Kira Dineen speaks with Paul Holes, a retired cold-case investigator, New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and television host. During his 27-year career with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s Offices, Paul worked on some of the most infamous cases in American criminal history, including the Zodiac murders, the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard, and the investigation that ultimately identified Joseph DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer.

Paul is also the author of Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases, co-host of the podcast Small Town Dicks, and one of the investigators featured in the television special Celebrity Crime Scene: Marilyn Monroe, available on Hulu.

We explore the science, strategy, and ethical complexity behind cold-case investigations. Paul shares how investigators determine whether decades-old evidence still holds value, what kind of DNA evidence would be needed to scientifically resolve the Zodiac case, and why older biological samples create difficult decisions about whether to test now or preserve evidence for future technologies.

The episode also dives into the landmark investigation that identified the Golden State Killer. Paul walks through how traditional forensic DNA databases failed to produce a match, why investigative genetic genealogy changed the direction of the case, and how distant relatives’ DNA helped investigators build family trees that eventually led to Joseph DeAngelo.

Later in the episode, Paul discusses his latest project, Celebrity Crime Scene: Marilyn Monroe, and how modern virtual reconstruction can be used to reexamine a historic death scene more than six decades later.

Episode Discussion Topics

Cold-case investigations and how evidence is reexamined decades later

How investigators decide which biological samples may still have forensic value

The Zodiac Killer case and what would be needed to consider it scientifically solved

The challenges of DNA evidence from stamps, envelopes, letters, and other handled items

Why finite evidence creates difficult decisions about testing now versus waiting for future technology

The role of DNA in linking the Golden State Killer crimes before a suspect was identified

Why traditional forensic DNA databases did not solve the case

How investigative genetic genealogy helped generate a new lead

How distant relatives’ DNA can help identify someone who never uploaded their own DNA

The scientific and investigative process behind building genealogical trees from crime-scene DNA

How investigators narrowed family branches until Joseph DeAngelo became a viable suspect

Reconstructing Marilyn Monroe’s final hours using virtual crime-scene technology

What records, photographs, reports, and witness statements can reveal in historical case reviews

About Paul Holes
Paul Holes is a retired cold-case investigator, New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and television host. During his 27-year career with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s Offices, he investigated some of the country’s most complex and high-profile cases, including the Zodiac murders, the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard, and the Golden State Killer case.

Paul’s work helped bring national attention to the power of investigative genetic genealogy, particularly through the identification of Joseph DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer. He is the author of Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases, co-host of Small Town Dicks, and appears in Celebrity Crime Scene: Marilyn Monroe.

Resources

Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases by Paul Holes

Small Town Dicks podcast

Celebrity Crime Scene: Marilyn Monroe, available on Hulu

Relevant DNA Today Podcast Episode
#326: How DNA Solves Crimes: The Forensic Science Behind True Crime

#131: DTC Series: Libby Copeland on Law Enforcement Use of Genetic Databases

#130 DTC Series: Anne Greb on 23andMe

Connect
Luckily you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Until then, why not dive into our library of over 400 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! The video component of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and website. Some of these episodes were filmed at our home studio, the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead is Liv Davidson. Our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead is Eric Knaus. And the Graphic Designer of our logo is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC. 

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.

Just a few years ago, there were no pharmacological treatments for patients with achondroplasia. Today, with multiple therapies on the market, the conversation has shifted from if we can treat to how we treat safely, consistently, and thoughtfully. 

In this third and final installment of our achondroplasia series, sponsored by BioMarin, we explore the recently published international consensus guidelines for vosoritide. These guidelines provide a roadmap for the entire treatment lifecycle, from the initial diagnosis and counseling to initiation, monitoring, and eventually, the transition off therapy.  You can review the prescribing information for vosoritide here with additional safety information, including about the risk of low blood pressure.  

Joining us in-person all the way from Australia is the lead author of these guidelines, Dr. Ravi Savarirayan. Dr. Savarirayan is a global leader in skeletal dysplasia and has been a driving force in the clinical development of vosoritide from its earliest stages. 

 

Topics Discuss: 
 

The Journey of Vosoritide: Dr. Savarirayan shares his personal "why", from the early research phases to the clinical trials that changed the landscape of skeletal dysplasia care. 

 

Precision Medicine at the Molecular Level: How vosoritide acts as the first precision medicine approved for achondroplasia by targeting and counteracting overactive FGFR3 signaling, along with important safety information such as a risk for low blood pressure 

 

The International Guidelines: Why a global consensus was necessary and how it addresses gaps in real-world clinical practice. 

 

The Treatment Lifecycle: 

 

Counseling: Setting expectations and having the first conversation with families. 

Initiation: Practical tips for daily subcutaneous injections and establishing a routine. 

Safety & Monitoring: How clinicians monitor growth and manage safety considerations like hypotension across different age groups. 

Discontinuation: How to navigate growth plate closure and the transition off therapy. 

The Future of Care: How these guidelines will evolve as we gather more long-term, real-world data. 

 

Our Guest Dr. Ravi Savarirayan: 
 

Ravi Savarirayan is consultant clinical geneticist at Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne, and Group leader (Molecular Therapies at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Victoria, Australia. 

 

Professor Savarirayan received his MBBS from the University of Adelaide, Australia in 1990 and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1997. He was certified as a specialist in Clinical Genetics by the Human Genetics Society of Australasia in 1998 and was awarded his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Melbourne in 2004. He was awarded the Fulbright Professional Scholarship for Australia in 1998, and took this up at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 

 

Professor Savarirayan’s primary research focus is on inherited disorders of the skeleton causing short stature, arthritis, and osteoporosis. He has published over 230 peer-reviewed articles and received over $35M in research funding, collaborating with researchers from 40 countries.  

 

His current clinical trial activities are pioneering disruptive new therapies for the treatment of genetic disorders. He was the global lead investigator of the clinical development program that identified vosoritide as the first precision therapy for children with achondroplasia. He was recently named one of the 30 “Brilliant minds” of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute over the past 30 years, was awarded the Institute’s research excellence award in 2020, and is an NHMRC Leadership Fellow. 

 

Summary:  
We talk about the journey to vosoritide, Dr. Ravi’s personal history with achondroplasia research, published treatment guidelines and how vosoritide is approved under accelerated approval to increase linear growth in pediatric patients with achondroplasia with open epiphyses.  We also discuss the most serious side effect seen—transient decreases in blood pressure, which is why patients should have adequate food and fluid intake prior to administration.  We also cover that it is a daily injection and that injection site reactions are the most common side effect and some patients also experienced vomiting, injection site urticaria, arthralgia, decreased blood pressure, and gastroenteritis.  Those aren't all the side effects, so please refer to the prescribing information here for more information about vosoritide. 

 

Relevant Resources:  
Savarirayan, R., Hoover-Fong, J., Ozono, K. et al. International consensus guidelines on the implementation and monitoring of vosoritide therapy in individuals with achondroplasia. Nat Rev Endocrinol 21, 314–324 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-024-01074-9 

 

Here is a list of Dr. Ravi Savarirayan’s publications, there are far too many to list them all here.   

 

Dr. Ravi Savarirayan Video Explaining Vosoritide  

 

 

Relevant DNA Today Episodes:  

#192 Osteogenesis Imperfecta with The Middle’s Atticus Shaffer  

#301 Dwarfism with Colleen Gioffreda  

#348: NIPT Beyond the Basics: Screening for Single-Gene Conditions (including skeletal dysplasia disorders)  

#359 Breaking Down Achondroplasia: A Pediatrician in Clinical Genetics Explains (Biomarin’s Sponsored Series First Installment) 

#385 Inside ACMG 2026: How AI and New Tools Enhance Genome Sequencing and Equity 

#386 Achondroplasia Beyond Height: Managing Lifelong Medical Needs (Biomarin’s Sponsored Series Second Installment)  

 

Connect With Us:   
Luckily, you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Until then, why not dive into our library of over 400 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.” 

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! For years, we’ve been recording episodes with video, including some filmed at the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. Check them out on our YouTube channel!  

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead is Liv Davidson. Our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead is Eric Knaus. Our makeup artist for recordings at NBC Universal is Sharon DeMasi. Our logo Graphic Designer is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC.  

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.

Four hundred episodes. Nearly fourteen years of conversations. One podcast that began with a high school student, a Rock Band microphone, and a deep curiosity about genetics.

For this milestone episode, DNA Today is turning the microphone around. Kira Dineen is joined by Jess Rizzo, a 2026 graduate of the Rutgers University Genetic Counseling Master’s Program, to look back at the evolution of DNA Today, from its earliest episodes in 2012 to becoming a multi-award-winning genetics podcast and the foundation for Gene Pool Media.

Kira shares how the original idea for DNA Today came together, where the name came from, and what she remembers about recording those first episodes. She also reflects on the major turning points that shaped the podcast, including its first sponsorship, conversations with prominent leaders in genetics, and interviews that changed how she thinks about both science and storytelling.

The conversation explores what makes someone an effective science communicator, what separates a good podcast guest from an unforgettable one, and how DNA Today expanded into Gene Pool Media. Kira also looks ahead to the future of the podcast and considers whether the version of herself who started the show in 2012 could ever have imagined reaching Episode 400.

The episode concludes with a rapid-fire round of “DNA Today Superlatives,” featuring Kira’s dream guests, proudest episode production, most surprising topics, most popular episode, and the conversations that have had the greatest personal impact on her.

An exciting announcement, since recording we learned we have been ranked number one on Million Podcast’s list of “Best DNA Podcasts in the US”.  

Thank you to our audience for sticking with us! Whether you have been listening since 2012, or last week. We appreciate your support in growing DNA Today over the last 14 years. 

About Host Kira Dineen
Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM (she/her) has 15 years of podcast experience fueled by a passion for science communication. She has hosted and/or produced a dozen podcasts, many of which are in her science podcast network: Gene Pool Media. Her flagship show, DNA Today, is in the top 1% of podcasts globally. Listeners Discover New Advances in the world of genetics through Kira’s interviews about genetic technology, disorders, and news. The show has won the Best Science and Medicine Podcast Award for three years, among others. Over the last 14 years, DNA Today has produced over 400 episodes with support from over 100 sponsors. She was accepted into The Podcast Academy and previously served on the National Society of Genetic Counselor’s Digital Ambassador program. Kira received her Diagnostic Genetic Bachelor’s of Science degree at the University of Connecticut and is a certified Cytogenetic Technologist. She received her Master’s of Science at Sarah Lawrence College and is a practicing licensed certified genetic counselor at a high risk pregnancy center in Connecticut. Kira serves as an adjunct faculty member at Bay Path University teaching Ethics and Reproductive Genetics. 

In This Episode, We Discuss

How DNA Today began in 2012

The story behind the podcast’s name

What the earliest recordings were like

How the show has evolved over 400 episodes

Major episodes and guests that shaped the direction of the podcast

The first DNA Today sponsorship on Episode 100 (shoutout KGI) 

What makes a strong science communicator

The qualities that make a podcast guest memorable

How Gene Pool Media grew out of DNA Today

The lessons Kira has learned from interviewing patients, families, researchers, genetic counselors, physicians, advocates, and other experts

The future of DNA Today and Gene Pool Media

Kira’s favorite, most impactful, and most surprising episodes

DNA Today Episodes Referenced

#25: Hereditary Cancer Syndromes with Ellen Matloff 

#110: Analyzing Gattaca

#142 Barbara Fortini on KGI’s Genomic Data Analytics

#100: Human Hereditary with Carl Zimmer

#211: Gene Patents with Jorge Contreras 

#264: XXY/Klinefelter Syndrome with Ryan Bregante

#288 and #289: Sickle Cell Disease CRISPR Treatment with Victoria Gray

#300: “The Man with 1,000 Kids” Netflix Doc with Eve Wiley and Laura 

#306: Human Genome Project and COVID-19 Leadership with Dr. Francis Collins

#370: Genetics Wrapped: 2025 Top Advances in Genomic Medicine with Drs. Eric Green and Sarah Tishkoff

#390: Pfeiffer Syndrome with Prince’s Wife/Co-Parent, Mayte Garcia

Additional Resources Referenced

Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network

Listen & Learn: A Rare Disease Podcast Course by Gene Pool Media

DNA Dialogues: The Official Podcast of the Journal of Genetic Counseling 

DNA Clarity and Support Podcast

All Access DNA Podcast 

Mugglecast: A Harry Potter Podcast (2005-Present)

Keck Graduate Institute 

Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling

Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genomic Data Analytics

My Gene Counsel 

“My Medical Choice” Angelina Jolie’s NTY Op-Ed Piece

The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince A Memoir By Mayte Garcia

 

Connect With Us:
Luckily you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Until then, why not dive into our library of over 400 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! The video component of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and website. Some of these episodes were filmed at our home studio, the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead is Liv Davidson. Our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead is Eric Knaus. And the Graphic Designer of our logo is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC. 

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.

What condition helped spark the creation of newborn screening in the United States? It was Phenylketonuria, or PKU, a rare inherited metabolic disorder that forever changed how we identify and treat genetic conditions from the very start of life.

In this in-person episode of DNA Today, we kick off a three-part series on phenylketonuria, better known as PKU, by looking at how one condition became central to a major public health shift. Host Kira Dineen is joined in person by Sarah Chamberlin and Ryan Miller to explore the scientific, clinical, historical, and deeply personal sides of PKU.

We explore the history of newborn screening itself, including the work of Dr. Robert Guthrie and the development of the Guthrie card. Sarah brings a remarkable piece of history to the recording: the original stamp used to create early Guthrie cards.

Ryan, Sarah, and Kira unpack why PKU remains both a newborn screening success story and an ongoing challenge. From treatment access and medical nutrition coverage to state-by-state differences in newborn screening panels and the promise and complexity of newborn sequencing, this episode shows why PKU is still shaping conversations about genetics, public health, and rare disease care.

Thank you to PTC Therapeutics for sponsoring this three-part series on PKU.

Our guests are participating in this podcast to share their experience and opinions only. They are not providing any medical advice. Always check with your healthcare provider for treatment and screening advice.

Episode Discussion Topics

Why PKU helped launch newborn screening in the United States

What life was like for individuals with PKU before newborn screening

How PKU affects the body on a metabolic level

The role of phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency

Why elevated phenylalanine levels can impact brain development

Dr. Robert Guthrie’s role in developing newborn screening

The history and significance of the Guthrie card

Sarah’s experience learning her daughter’s newborn screen was flagged for PKU

What confirmatory testing and early treatment looked like for Izzy

How newborn screening panels vary across states

What the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, or RUSP, is

Gaps in access to medical formula and low-protein medical foods

Why insurance coverage remains a major challenge for families

The promise and concerns around newborn sequencing

How clinicians can better support newly diagnosed families

Why connecting families with community early can be life-changing

The need for more metabolic geneticists, genetic counselors, and dietitians

Guest Bios
Sarah Chamberlin is a parent of a child with PKU and a founder and the Chief Program Officer of flok, a patient advocacy organization supporting individuals and families affected by inherited metabolic disorders.

Ryan Miller is Senior Director, Field Medical Lead at PTC Therapeutics on the U.S. Medical Affairs Metabolism team, where he supports PKU. He is trained as a genetic counselor.

Resources

PKU / Phenylketonuria

Phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency ACT Sheet

The Newborn Screening Information Center (NBSIC)

Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, or RUSP

RUSP overview for families

ACMG Newborn Screening ACT Sheets and Algorithms

flok health

Baby’s First Test: Newborn Screening Information

National PKU Alliance

Guthrie-Kock Scholarships from flok

David’s story of learning of an older brother with PKU who was institutionalized

Referenced DNA Today Podcast Episode

#394 How Newborn Sequencing Could Transform Pediatric Rare Disease Care in Florida

Connect With Us
Luckily you don’t have to wait long for a brand-new episode of DNA Today, we drop episodes every Friday! Until then, why not dive into our library of over 400 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen, just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! The video component of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and website. Some of these episodes were filmed at our home studio, the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. 

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Social Media Lead is Liv Davidson. Our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead is Eric Knaus. And the Graphic Designer of our logo is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC. 

See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.