An ibs.GRANADA researcher is appointed as the new director of the Andalusian Plan for Genetics
With a recognized research and care career, this researcher, member of ibs.GRANADA and head of the Genetics section of the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada, has just been appointed by the Ministry of Health and Families.
The head of the Clinical Analysis section, of the Genetics area, of the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital and researcher of the Translational and Integrative Oncology group of ibs.GRANADA, Antonio Poyatos, has been appointed as the new director of the Genetics Plan of Andalusia, replacing of Sheep Health.
Antonio Poyatos is a medical specialist in Clinical Analysis, with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Granada. University Expert in Medical Genetics, he has extensive clinical experience, since 2009, and has extensive accredited training in this field.
Since 2012, he has been a member of the Spanish Association of Human Genetics and the European Society of Human Genetics. He has participated as a speaker in different professional and university forums, in addition to having several national and international scientific publications in the field of Clinical Genetics. In her professional career, she has held positions of responsibility in the direction and management of clinical laboratories.
In recent years, he has led the incorporation of massively parallel sequencing (NGS) technology for the study of hereditary cancer gene panels, hereditary nephropathies and the study of the Clinical Exome. He has carried out more than 3.000 sequencing studies of families with suspected familial cancer in the provinces of Granada and Huelva. He has studied more than 300 families for suspected hereditary kidney disease, especially those affected by cysts, such as Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease or Alport Syndrome.
The laboratory directed by this specialist participates in the external quality accreditation programs of the European Molecular Genetics Quality Network (EMQN) for these studies. Since 2020, the clinical exome study has been incorporated to approach rare diseases, with good results in the identification of complex diagnoses. In addition to laboratory studies, the Genetics unit carries out intense clinical counseling work for families affected by genetic alterations, supporting professionals from different medical specialties and collaborating with different patient associations.
Its portfolio of services includes a wide variety of genetic studies ranging from prenatal to neuromuscular diseases such as Duchenne and Myotonic Dystrophy. Recently, the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital has been authorized as a reference center for the performance of assisted human reproduction techniques through embryo selection, carrying out pre-implantation genetic testing, where the Genetics unit is especially involved in its development, together with gynecologists and other specialists. .
Genetics Plan of Andalusia
With this Plan launched by the Ministry of Health and Families, a comprehensive, coordinated, equitable, high-quality and sustainable response is given to the challenges posed by the development of human genetics and its applications in the field of public health care in Andalusia in the coming years.
Recent discoveries in human genetics have dramatically changed the understanding of human development and the cause of many diseases. These discoveries have allowed important advances in clinical practice.