We seek to improve the public's health through continuous improvement in laboratory practice in human genetic testing. We strive to accomplish this goal by working with public health professionals, healthcare providers, policy makers and others at the local, national, and global, levels who develop, provide, use, and pay for genetic testing services.

Learn more about DLS Genetics

Project/Focus Areas:

1. Molecular Genetic Testing - Guidance for good laboratory practices, fact sheets, and questions and answers.
    
2. Promoting good laboratory practices for ensuring the quality of genetic tests - Enhancing the quality of genetic testing services through the development of recommendations for good laboratory practices and rare disease and biochemical genetic testing.
    
3. GeT-RM - Coordinates the development of characterized reference materials for quality control, test development/validation and proficiency testing.
    
4. GeT-EQuIP - User-friendly web-based resource designed to facilitate information searches on genetic diseases detected through newborn screening and related diagnostic genetic tests maintained in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health GARD website.
    
5. CETT Program - An NIH program that provides support to research laboratories in translating tests for rare diseases to clinical applications. CDC facilitated the development of this program.
    
6. Promoting professional competency and effective collaboration between the laboratory and health care settings - Provides educational and practice tools for laboratories and clinicians to aid in effective communication and support of appropriate and evidence-based decision making.
    
7. Guidelines, and Standards Development - Genetics team members work with officials of state, federal, and international agencies, as well as numerous professional organizations to develop regulatory and voluntary guideline- and standard-setting activities for genetic testing and clinical laboratory practices.

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