Genetics Experts
PhD Geneticists
Chansonette Badduke, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Gastrointestinal Disorders
Dr. Badduke joined PreventionGenetics in April 2022 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist. Her portfolio focuses on gastrointestinal disorders, Cystic Fibrosis and CF-Related Disorders. Dr. Badduke earned her Ph.D. in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia. She completed an ABMGG Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco in the Pathology Department in February of 2022.
Stela Berisha, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Craniosynostosis and Ectodermal Dysplasias
Dr. Berisha joined PreventionGenetics in August 2021 as an Associate Laboratory Director. Her portfolio focuses on Craniosynostosis, Holoprosencephaly, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and Ectodermal Dysplasias. She received her Ph.D. in Regulatory Biology with a Cellular and Molecular Medicine Specialization from Cleveland State University and Cleveland Clinic and has completed the ABMGG/ACGME fellowship in Laboratory Genetics and Genomics at Center for Human Genetics, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.
Eric Bend, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Epilepsy
Dr. Bend joined PreventionGenetics in August 2018, and currently serves as Associate Laboratory Director and Geneticist, Senior Manager. His portfolio focuses on epilepsy. Dr. Bend received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. He then went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at University of Utah and molecular genetics fellowship at the Greenwood Genetic Center in South Carolina.
Renee Bend, Ph.D.
Specializes In Intellectual Disability
Dr. Bend joined PreventionGenetics in August 2018 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist. Her portfolio focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders - in particular, intellectual disability. She earned her doctorate degree in neuroscience from the University of Utah. Originally from southern Oregon, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in biology at Lewis and Clark College, in Portland.
Kym Bliven, Ph.D.
Specializes In Mitochondrial Disorders
Dr. Bliven joined PreventionGenetics in August 2015 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist. Her portfolio focuses on mitochondrial disorders. Dr. Bliven received her Ph.D. from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
Maxime Cadieux-Dion, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Metabolic Disorders
Dr. Cadieux-Dion joined PreventionGenetics in August of 2022 as a Human Molecular Geneticist. His portfolio focuses on hypoglycemia, copper metabolism and fatty acid oxidation defects. Dr. Cadieux-Dion received his PhD in Neurosciences from the University of Montreal in 2016 and completed an ABMGG Laboratory Genetics and Genomics fellowship at Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri in 2022.
Chun-An Chen, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Adult Cardiovascular Disorders
Dr. Chen joined PreventionGenetics in August 2020 and is currently an Associate Laboratory Director. His portfolio focuses on adult cardiovascular disorders and Marfan syndrome. Dr. Chen received his Ph.D. in Molecular and Human Genetics from Baylor College of Medicine. He completed the ABMGG fellowship in Laboratory Genetics and Genomics at Baylor College of Medicine.
Hongjie Chen, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Metabolic Disorders
Dr. Chen joined PreventionGenetics in April 2023 as an Associate Laboratory Director. Her portfolio focuses on metabolic disorders. Dr. Chen received her Ph.D. In Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. She completed the ABMGG fellowship In Clinical Biochemical Genetics and Clinical Molecular Genetics and Genomics at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. Dr. Chen has 10 years of experience working in clinical biochemical genetics prior to joining PreventionGenetics.
Wuyan Chen, Ph.D.
Specializes In Kidney Disorders and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
Dr. Chen joined PreventionGenetics in January 2013 as a Human Molecular Geneticist. Dr. Chen's portfolio of specialties includes congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and kidney disorders. A native of Guangdong Province in southern China, Dr. Chen received his Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Marissa Cloutier, Ph.D.
Specializes In Obesity
Dr. Cloutier joined PreventionGenetics in August 2022 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist. Her portfolio focuses on genetic testing for obesity. Dr. Cloutier earned her PhD in Genetics & Genomics from the University of Michigan in 2022.
Brett Deml, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Pediatric Cardiovascular Disorders
Dr. Deml joined PreventionGenetics in May 2018 as a Clinical Molecular Geneticist. His portfolio focuses on pediatric cardiovascular disorders and Noonan syndrome/RASopathies. Before attending graduate school at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. Deml was a Clinical Technologist at PreventionGenetics for four years, where he was instrumental in our Research and Development department. Dr. Deml received his Ph.D. in human genetics from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed a clinical molecular genetics fellowship at the University of Chicago.
Juan Dong, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Skeletal, Skin and Dental Disorders
Dr. Dong joined PreventionGenetics in March 2012 and currently serves as a laboratory director. Her portfolio focuses on skeletal genetic disorders. She received her medical and master's degrees from Harbin Medical University in China and her Ph.D. degree from the Heidelberg University in Germany. She completed the American Board of Medical Genetics training in clinical molecular genetics at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
Ben Dorshorst, Ph.D. HCLD(ABB)
Specializes In Hearing Loss and Deafness
Dr. Dorshorst joined PreventionGenetics in January 2016 and currently serves as a laboratory director. His portfolio focuses on Hearing Loss and Deafness. Dr. Dorshorst received a Ph.D. in functional genomics from North Carolina State University. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin. Prior to coming to PreventionGenetics, Dr. Dorshorst was an Assistant Professor of Genetics at Virginia Tech.
Luke Drury, Ph.D. DLM(ASCP)CM, HCLD(ABB), MB(ASCP)CM
Clinical Laboratory Director
Specializes In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Red Blood Cell Disorders
Dr. Drury joined PreventionGenetics in September 2013 as a Human Molecular Geneticist, he currently serves as Clinical Laboratory Director. His portfolio focuses on red blood cell disorders and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He is certified as a High Complexity Clinical Lab Director through the American Board of Bioanalysis and as a Diplomat of Laboratory Management through the American Society of Clinical Pathology. Dr. Drury received his Ph.D. in microbiology and molecular genetics from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Prior to coming to PreventionGenetics, he was a postdoctoral research scholar at the University of Iowa.
Li Fan, MD, Ph.D. FCCMG, FACMG
Specializes In Neurological Disorders
Dr. Fan joined PreventionGenetics in 2015 and currently serves as Associate Laboratory Director. Her portfolio focuses on neurodegenerative disorders and brain malformations. Dr. Fan received her medical training at Zhejiang Medical University, a master's degree in molecular biology at the University of Hong Kong, and her Ph.D degree in biochemistry from the University of Queensland in Australia. She completed her Canadian College of Medical Geneticists (CCMG) fellowship in Molecular Genetics at McGill University, Montreal Children Hospital, Canada. Dr. Fan worked for 13 years in clinical diagnostics prior to joining PreventionGenetics.
Sali Farhan, Ph.D. FCCMG
Specializes In Neurodegenerative Diseases
Dr. Farhan joined PreventionGenetics in October 2022 as an Associate Laboratory Director. Her portfolio focuses on neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Farhan received her Ph.D. in biochemistry and genetics from Western University in Canada. She completed a Postdoctoral fellowship in medical, population, and statistical genetics at Massachusetts General Hospital and The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and then a 2-year CCMG fellowship in molecular genetics at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, Canada.
Greg Fischer, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Autism
Dr. Fischer joined PreventionGenetics in October 2016 and currently serves as a Human Molecular Geneticist and the Senior Supervisor of Reporting. His portfolio focuses on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Fischer earned his PhD in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2016. In 2022, he completed his fellowship training in Laboratory Genetics and Genomics at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene/UW-Health.
Jamie Fox, Ph.D.
Specializes In Pharmacogenetics and Congenital Cataracts
Dr. Fox joined PreventionGenetics in 2019 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist. Dr. Fox received her Ph.D. in biomedical science from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Prior to joining PreventionGenetics, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation and the University of Wisconsin.
Angela Gruber, Ph.D.
Specializes In Muscle Disorders and Kidney Disorders
Dr. Gruber joined PreventionGenetics in June 2014. She currently serves as a Senior Supervisor of Genomic Analysts. Her portfolio includes neuromuscular disorders such as myopathies, muscular disorders and kidney disorders. Dr. Gruber earned her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin.
Tony Krentz, Ph.D. HCLD(ABB)
VP of Laboratory Operations
Dr. Krentz joined PreventionGenetics in 2011. Tony played a key role in developing and validating NextGen Sequencing tests at PreventionGenetics. During his tenure he held numerous leadership positions including the Director of Research and Development, NextGen Sequencing, Specimen Processing, and Informatics departments. From 2016 to the acquisition of PreventionGenetics by Exact Sciences he served as Chief Operating Officer. He currently serves as Vice President of Laboratory Operations - PreventionGenetics. Tony works with the leadership team to develop strategic plans, set priorities, and allocate resources to achieve company goals. Dr. Krentz received his PhD in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics from the University of Minnesota. He is certified as a High Complexity Laboratory Director from the American Board of Bioanalysis.
McKenna Kyriss, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Metabolic Disorders
Dr. Kyriss joined PreventionGenetics in November 2014 and currently serves as a Laboratory Director. Her portfolio includes metabolic disorders and Huntington Disease. Dr. Kyriss received her B.S. in biology from Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA and her Ph.D. in Molecular Biosciences from Washington State University. She completed an ABMGG Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) Fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR.
Jana Paderova, Ph.D.
Specializes In Lysosomal Storage Disorders
Dr. Paderova joined PreventionGenetics in May 2022 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist. Dr. Paderova earned her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Genetics and Virology at Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Her portfolio includes lysosomal storage disorders.
Siwu Peng, Ph.D.
Specializes In Blood Disorders
Dr. Peng joined PreventionGenetics in September 2021 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist. His portfolio focusing on blood disorders. Dr. Peng earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Shantou University, China and completed an ABMGG Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) fellowship at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York in 2021.
Megan Piazza, Ph.D. FACMG
Specializes In Immunodeficiency Disorders
Dr. Piazza joined PreventionGenetics in August 2019 and currently serves as an Associate Laboratory Director and Senior Manager of Geneticists. Her portfolio focuses on immunodeficiency disorders. Dr. Piazza received her Ph.D. in Genetics and Genome Sciences and completed an ABMGG Cytogenetics Laboratory Fellowship and ABMGG Molecular Genetics Laboratory Fellowship at the University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Erin Sybouts, Ph.D.
Specializes In Repeat Expansion Disorders
Dr. Sybouts joined PreventionGenetics in February 2020 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist, where she focuses on repeat expansion disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and VACTERL association. Dr. Sybouts earned her Ph.D. in Cellular and Structural Biology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas. Erin began an LGG fellowship at University of Wisconsin Madison in the summer of 2023.
Dana Talsness, Ph.D.
Specializes In Eye Disorders
Dr. Talsness joined PreventionGenetics in April 2021 and currently serves as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist, where she focuses on eye and vision disorders. Dr. Talsness received her Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, and Genetics at the University of Minnesota, was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology for three years at her undergraduate alma mater, Luther College, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Genomic Medicine at the University of Utah.
Jessica Tumolo, Ph.D.
Specializes In Gastrointestinal and Digestive Disorders
Dr. Tumolo joined PreventionGenetics in 2019 as an Associate Human Molecular Geneticist. Her portfolio focuses on gastrointestinal and digestive disorders, including hereditary pancreatitis, cholestasis, and congenital diarrhea and enteropathies. Dr. Tumolo received her Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Currently, Dr. Tumolo is pursuing a fellowship in laboratory genetics and genomics at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Fang Xu, Ph.D. FACMG, MB(ASCP)CM CGCM
Specializes In Endocrine Disorders and Cytogenetics
Dr. Xu joined PreventionGenetics in January 2016 and currently serves as Laboratory Director and Senior Manager of Geneticists. Her portfolio focus on endocrine disorders, reproductive disorders, pulmonary disorders, and structural variants analysis. Dr. Xu received her Ph.D. in Genetics from Nanjing University in China. She completed the ABMGG Cytogenetics Laboratory Fellowship at Yale University, Department of Genetics. Dr. Xu is also certified by ABMGG in Laboratory Genetics and Genomics.
Lab Genetic Counselors
Christina Zaleski, MS, LCGC
Director, Genetic Counseling
Christina Zaleski earned a Master of Science degree in genetic counseling from Sarah Lawrence College in 1999. After graduation, she did genealogy work for Rockefeller University in South Africa. She worked at the Marshfield Clinic as lead genetic counselor from 1999-2012. Christina is currently Director of Genetic Counseling at PreventionGenetics and is also appointed Honorary Associate of Pediatrics for University of WI School of Medicine & Public Health. Christina has experience in many areas including prenatal, pediatric, cancer, specialty clinics, stillbirth evaluations, administration, public health education, and industry. She developed clinical genetics outreach & telehealth genetic counseling services in Wisconsin. She served on St. Joseph Hospital's Bioethics team and was co-investigator on research projects. Christina has published scientific articles in the areas of clinical genetics, stillbirth evaluations, newborn screening, utilization management, and workflow. Highlights of her career include receiving Leadership Award for Excellence in Community Service from the March of Dimes, Wisconsin Chapter, being nominated by peers as a JEMF Master Genetic Counselor, serving as President for WI Genetic Counseling Association and receiving an Outstanding Volunteer Fundraising Spirit of Giving Award (along with her family) after raising over one million dollars for cardiology research.
Connie Schultz, MS, LCGC
Senior Laboratory Genetic Counselor
Connie received her Master of Science degree in Medical Genetics from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1994, CGC certification in 1996. She has Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Psychology from UW River Falls. Her career began in the laboratory doing medical research on breast cancer and on neural crest cell development. She moved to a clinical histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratory, achieving ABHI certification. As a genetic counselor she has accumulated three decades of additional experience; providing clinical genetic counseling in prenatal, oncology, thrombophilia, neuromuscular and neurogenetics. She has extensive experience in multidisciplinary teams, (MFM, Peds Neurosurgery, MDA, Peds Neurology, Oncology, Pregnancy and Infant Loss and Bereavement ) and played significant roles in the review of genetic testing for compliance in an HMO setting. Connie has also developed and implemented genetic testing policies in both clinical and insurance settings. She has coordinated clinical experiences and provided student supervision for genetic counseling interns, medical residents and genetic fellows. As a laboratory genetic counselor she provided telegenetic counseling for oncology, worked on development of an integrated LIMS/clinical documentation system, was part of the genetics training team for IBM Watson™, ultimately choosing to continue her career at PreventionGenetics as part of the Genetic Counseling team in 2015. As a native Wisconsinite the opportunity to work at a reputable laboratory with such diverse capabilities in her home state was appealing. Her clinical experience traversed multiple specialty areas, allowing her to realize her goal of further continued education in the molecular diagnostic space while having the ability to improve the scope of comprehensive genetic tests. Maintaining her passion of teaching prospective Genetic Counselors was an unexpected bonus . At PreventionGenetics she continues to provide client services with respect to test coordination, utilization management, and shaping prenatal testing policies. Additional responsibilities include coordination of the phenome and exome gene curation teams; translating clinical information into usable data for our bioinformatics pipeline and deep-diving into emerging and existing gene-disease associations.
Megan Nelson, MS, LCGC
Senior Laboratory Genetic Counselor
Megan Nelson has been a Laboratory Genetic Counselor at PreventionGenetics since 2015. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She earned her Master of Science degree in Medical Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010. She also became certified through the American Board of Genetic Counseling in 2010. Megan has five years of clinical genetic counseling experience in Wisconsin. She established a genetics department in a community hospital as a new graduate, and she also has experience in a regional cancer center.
Megan enjoys interacting with providers to coordinate genetic testing for their patients. She also has an interest in improving communication systems and pathways between the laboratory and providers.
Eryn Mares, MS, LCGC
Lead Laboratory Genetic Counselor
Eryn Mares joined the PreventionGenetics team as a Laboratory Genetic Counselor in June 2022. Originally from Balsam Lake, Wisconsin, she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. After completing her undergraduate degree, she joined the PreventionGenetics team as a Genetic Counseling Assistant and was part of this team for three years. Eryn received her Master of Science degree in Genetic Counseling from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Her clinical rotations took place in both Sioux Falls, SD, and Fargo, ND, and provided experience in the prenatal, pediatric, laboratory, adult, and cancer settings. Her special interests include metabolics, newborn screening, and primary care.
Natalie Jacob, MS, LCGC
Lead Laboratory Genetic Counselor
Natalie Jacob, MS, LCGC joined the PreventionGenetics team as a Laboratory Genetic Counselor in June 2022. She received her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from Stetson University. After completing her undergraduate degree, she joined the PreventionGenetics team as a Genetic Counseling Assistant and was part of this team for three years. Natalie received her Master of Science degree from the Rutgers University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Working with mentors from PreventionGenetics, Natalie's thesis work investigated how clinical information impacts whole exome sequencing results. Prior to starting her current role, she practiced as a prenatal genetic counselor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School supervising graduate students and educating medical students on nuances of reproductive genetics.
Kayleigh Avello, MS, LCGC
Laboratory Genetic Counselor
Kayleigh Avello joined PreventionGenetics as a Laboratory Genetic Counselor in July 2019. Originally from Illinois, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After completing her undergraduate degree, Kayleigh worked in hospice in a few different roles. Prior to graduate school, Kayleigh was a Neurology Genetic Counseling Assistant for GeneDx. In 2018, she obtained her Master of Science degree from the Augustana-Sanford Genetic Counseling Program as a member of the inaugural class. During her graduate studies, she spent time in Sioux Falls, SD as well as completed two clinical rotations in Tucson, AZ and Fargo, ND. Also while in graduate school, she worked as an Oncology Genetic Counseling Assistant at the Avera Cancer Center in Sioux Falls. In 2018, Kayleigh joined the pediatrics department at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. During her time there, she saw patients within the general Pediatric and Adult clinic, Metabolic /Newborn Screen clinic, as well as helped to create a Neurogenetics and Utilization Management program. In 2019, Kayleigh completed the NSGC Public Health and Precision Medicine Fellowship and in 2022, she graduated from the UBC Genomic Counseling and Variant Interpretation graduate certificate program.” At the present time, Kayleigh is a member of the ClinGen Hereditary Cancer Dosage curation team and is actively involved with the Augustana University GC program.
Erin McGraw, MS, LCGC
Laboratory Genetic Counselor
Erin McGraw, MS, LCGC joined PreventionGenetics as a Laboratory Genetic Counselor in January 2023. Originally from Ohio, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She obtained her Master of Science in Genetic Counseling from the Rutgers University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Her thesis work evaluated the Genetic Counseling Certificate Program offered to undergraduate students at Rutgers University and the potential benefits of implementing similar programs elsewhere. Prior to starting her current role, she practiced as a pediatric genetic counselor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Waisman Center where she counseled patients for a wide variety of indications.
Erik Strandberg, MS, LCGC
Laboratory Genetic Counselor
Erik Strandberg, MS, LCGC joined the PreventionGenetics team as a Laboratory Genetic Counselor in June 2023. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Michigan Technological University. After completing his undergraduate degree, he joined the PreventionGenetics team as a Genetic Counseling Assistant and was part of this team for four years. Prior to graduate school, Erik volunteered for Crisis Text Line and Special Olympics Wisconsin. In May 2023, Erik earned his Master of Science degree from the Rutgers University Genetic Counseling Program in New Brunswick, New Jersey. During his graduate studies, Erik completed the New Jersey Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (NJLEND) Fellowship, where he developed knowledge in addressing the needs of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and other maternal and child health populations. In collaboration with PreventionGenetics, Erik's thesis investigated how clinician provided phenotype information affects whole exome sequencing variant rankings.