Sureni V. Mullegama, PhD was honored as the 2017 recipient of the ACMG Foundation/PerkinElmer Diagnostics Travel Award at the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) 2017 Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
Dr. Mullegama was selected to receive the award for her platform presentation, "Diagnostic Utility of Clinical Exome Sequencing in Autism Spectrum Disorder."
Dr. Mullegama completed her PhD in Human and Molecular Genetics at the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University. She then completed her Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Human Genetics with a focus on neurodevelopmental and Autism Spectrum Disorders at Baylor College of Medicine. She received her Bachelor of Science in Genetics, Cell Biology and Development with a minor in History from the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities). Currently, she is a second year ABMGG Clinical Molecular Genetics Fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is also involved in clinical molecular genetics research at UCLA and her research interests include understanding the genetic etiology of novel pediatric genetic disorders.
"I would like to extend my sincerest thanks for being selected as an award recipient. It is a tremendous honor as a trainee and I am deeply grateful that the organization has recognized my work. I appreciate that PerkinElmer Diagnostics supports studies in medical genetics and further acknowledges the research efforts of geneticists-in-training. The award is a reaffirmation for me to continue try to be a contributor to the field of clinical molecular genetics through my research efforts. Finally, most importantly, I would like to thank my P.I. and research mentor at UCLA, Dr. Julian A. Martinez-Agosto, MD, PhD for his mentoring and involvement in my future success as a geneticist. I am truly lucky and appreciative for the opportunity to work with Dr. Martinez, who is brilliant, knowledgeable, selfless, and a dedicated teacher and medical geneticist," said Dr. Mullegama.
This award was created in 2008 by Signature Genomics to recognize an ACMG member and first author of a platform presentation abstract for the scientific program. The ACMG Program Committee selects the Travel Award recipient based on scientific merit. In recognition of the selected presentation, PerkinElmer Diagnostics covers the travel costs for the recipient to the ACMG Meeting.
"The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine is grateful to PerkinElmer Diagnostics for its continued generous support of medical genetic researchers through this Travel Award," said Bruce R. Korf, MD, PhD, FACMG, President of the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine.
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The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a community of supporters and contributors who understand the importance of medical genetics in healthcare. Established in 1992, the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine supports the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics' mission to "translate genes into health" by raising funds to attract the next generation of medical geneticists and genetic counselors, to sponsor important research, to promote information about medical genetics, and much more.
To learn more about the important mission and projects of the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine and how you too can support this great cause, please visit http://www.acmgfoundation.org or contact us at acmgf@acmgfoundation.org or 301-718-2014.
Note to editors: To arrange interviews with experts in medical genetics, contact Kathy Beal, MBA, ACMG Director of Public Relations at kbeal@acmg.net.