Anders Bojesen
Laboratory Clinical Director, Genseq
Insights from genetic testing can shape patient care, treatment selection and preventative healthcare strategies. Consultant Geneticist, Anders Bojesen, speaks to the importance of genetic testing in cardiovascular care.
Genetic testingc has emerged as a powerful tool for the assessment of individual risk for inherited cardiovascular disease, guiding preventative measures and potentially saving lives.
Genetics guiding prevention
“Our understanding of how genes impact disease has grown exponentially over the last decade,” explains Anders Bojesen, Consultant Geneticist. “Genetic testing can help with diagnosis and prognosis, treatment decisions and facilitate truly personalised medicine.”
Genetic testing is especially important where a family history of early cardiac death or unexplained cardiac events is concerned. “Conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies and familial hypercholesterolemia can all have a genetic basis,” explains Bojesen. “Genetic testing identifies gene variants, such as the LDL receptor, allowing all family members to be tested and preventative measures to be taken.”
Barriers and opportunities in Ireland
While the National Genetics and Genomics Office (NGGO) is seeking to implement a National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland, it is still currently in development. Approximately 20,000 genetic tests in Ireland are still being sent abroad to over 80 different laboratories globally, with long turnaround times leading to delayed results and elevated financial implications.
“It’s crucial to keep testing local,” implores Bojesen. “Without local services, genetic knowledge isn’t developed nationally. With a single accredited Irish provider and the right capacity, tests can be handled locally, which would be a stark improvement from the existing fragmented system.”
Conditions such as cardiac
arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies
and familial hypercholesterolemia
can all have a genetic basis.
Equal access to genetic insight
Genseq, the largest genomics laboratory in Ireland, provides ISO 15189-accredited clinical genetic testing services to healthcare professionals, alongside a range of genomic solutions. With expertise across the therapeutic areas of cardiology, neurology, nephrology, ophthalmology and oncology, the organisation is passionate about improving local access to valuable genetic insight.
“It’s about equal access to genetic testing. Faster results mean patients aren’t waiting to commence treatment, which improves clinical outcomes,” concludes Bojesen. “Genetics is a powerful tool in cardiovascular care. It’s not just about individual treatment; it’s about prevention, family health and building knowledge locally, so we can continue advancing patient care in Ireland.”
From patient health to national health
With a turnaround time of between one and two weeks for single gene tests, and three to six weeks for panel tests, Genseq is enhancing patient care across Ireland, providing rapid results, timely clinical intervention and building local expertise for patients and their families throughout Ireland.
