Greenwood Genetic Center - Summer 2017

Where Compassion Inspires Progress

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Rett Syndrome Family Day - p.2

Summer 2017

Self Regional Hall Opens - p.11

Racers for Pacers at the Inaugural Race the HelixÂŽ Lowcountry - p.10

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Excellence Celebrated Through diagnostic testing, natural history studies, and a recent successful clincial trial, GGC is positioning itself as a leader in the understanding and treatment of Rett syndrome.

GGC has a long-standing interest in genetic disorders of the X chromosome, and this work has earned the Center an international reputation for their expertise in this area of genetics.

syndrome natural history study and the newly established Rett syndrome clinic being held in conjunction with Shriners Hospital for Children and the Greenville Health System.

In 2000, GGC was one of the first diagnostic laboratories to offer testing for MECP2, the gene on the X chromosome that causes Rett syndrome. For the past two decades, the Center has been known as one of the top sites in the country for its experience with this rare neurodevelopmental disorder.

The Ravenel Boykin Curry Chair in Genetic Therapeutics, Dr. Walter Kaufmann, was also on hand to discuss his role in establishing the diagnostic criteria for Rett syndrome and his current focus on designing and implementing clinical trials and valid outcome measures.

In 2016, GGC was named a Clinical Research Center of Excellence by Rettsyndrome.org, and that distinction was celebrated in a big way this spring. Through two events - one for fellow clinicians and supporters and one for families - GGC shared past successes and future plans for its Rett syndrome program.

Also discussed was the recent successful clinical trial by Australia-based Neuren Pharmaceuticals of their drug, trofinetide.

GGC partnered with Neuren in the study design, patient recruitment, implementation of protocol and data analysis. The drug demonstrated significant clinical benefits for pediatric patients and paved the way for moving forward in the development of phase III trials.

GREENVILLE RECEPTION

On Friday, May 17th, Rettsyndrome.org hosted an event in Greenville to introduce GGC’s work to area medical specialists and other stakeholders and supporters.

Dr. Steve Skinner shared highlights of the Center’s Rett syndrome work including involvement in the NIH-funded Rett

FAMILY EDUCATION DAY

The following day, GGC welcomed 14 families from SC, NC, and Georgia to Greenwood for a family education event.

Individuals with Rett syndrome from age 2-30, along with their parents, grandparents,

siblings, and other caregivers spent the day hearing from experts including Skinner, Kaufmann, and Dr. Alan Percy of the University of Alabama Birmingham on topics such as the history of Rett syndrome, the current natural history study, and the status of upcoming clinical trials.

Paige Nues of Rettsyndrome.org and Hollis Gunn, of Mount Pleasant, SC, both parents of girls with Rett syndrome shared their powerful personal stories and encouraged families to engage and empower each other and support advances in research.

The families enjoyed lunch and time together and wrapped up the day with an opportunity to ask questions of the experts on topics including medical concerns and adult living issues.

A main goal of the event was simply to provide the opportunity for families to learn from, connect with, and encourage each other.

To learn more about GGC’s Rett syndrome program, visit www.GGC.org/Rett

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Above: The GGC Rett syndrome team and special guests accept the designation as a Rettsyndrome.org Clinical Research Center of Excellence at the Greenville reception.

Left: Dr. Steve Skinner visits with Katie Champagne (center), her caregiver, Jo Chavis, and mother, Mary Champagne at the family event Below left: Hollis Gunn, of Mount Pleasant, father and Rettsyndrome.org Family Empowerment Representative for SC, addresses the families with words of encouragement.

Below right: Families join for a photo as the family event concluded.

Cover: Dr. Walter Kaufmann shares a moment with Rylee Slatton, 3, at the family event.

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GGC’S BIOCHEMICAL LAB CELEBRATES RECORD YEAR

Making Strides From laboratory expansions to growing educational outreach and collaborations, GGC’s influence is apparent on the Greenwood community, our state and world.

BIOCHEMICAL LAB POSTS RECORD YEAR

2016 was a very busy year for GGC’s Biochemical Genetics Laboratory. Over that 12 month period, the lab signed out 10,044 test results, a 60% increase from the number completed by the lab in 2015. The extra activities also led to an equal increase in revenue from that lab over the same time period.

The Biochemical Genetics Laboratory specializes in the diagnosis of a variety of metabolic genetic disorders through analysis of enzymes and small molecules, as well as monitoring the treatment of patients with rare disorders.

In addition to their clinical diagnostic work, the lab is also busy with industry contracts, which created additional revenue in 2016. They have relationships with several pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies to assist in test development, as well as to monitor the effectiveness of various drug treatments.

Even before the official numbers were tallied, Teresa Thompson, Lab Supervisor, said they had felt the growth through increased workload and hours. “We have been extraordinarily busy over the past few months, but fortunately this boom has also allowed us to bring in additional personnel.”

“We have seen amazing growth in our Biochemical Genetics Laboratory, especially over the last year, and are indebted to the dedicated technologists and innovative leaders who make it all possible,” shared Steve Skinner, MD, GGC’s Director. “Our biochemical lab staff has eagerly accepted new challenges and is willing to take a leap of faith to embark on cutting-edge projects, including the industry contract work.”

Last year, GGC announced a $5.4 million investment in expanding all three laboratories, and Skinner shared his excitement about the Center’s future. “With a faculty and staff who are second to none, the families we serve worldwide are likely to see tremendous benefits and advances in diagnostics and treatments coming out of Greenwood in the coming months and years.”

Above: GGC’s Biochemical Genetics Laboratory - Front row: Christina Underwood, Linda Williams, Coursey Cobb, Dr. Rongrong Huang, Kinu Bradley, Dr. Laura Pollard. Back row: Kim Stewart, Judy Haley, Dr. Tim Wood, David Zipprer, Jenna Hallman, Teresa Thompson, Rene Garay, Allison Cason, and Dr. Taraka Donti

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GGC PARTNERSHIP CAMPUS

Following a nearly two-year strategic planning process in collaboration with the Greenwood Partnership Alliance and Point A Consultants, GGC has announced a plan to expand what was once called Greenwood Research Park into the development of GGC Partnership Campus.

The plan includes maintaining the Center’s main campus as a Heritage Center with two phases of growth. One area of over 44 acres, called GGC Partnership South, will be for recruitment of biotechnology, academic, and medical organizations.

The second, GGC Partnership North, is envisioned for mixed used development including industry, residential and retail sites with a direct link to Uptown Greenwood through the proposed Carolina Avenue Connector.

The plan has received approval from the GGC Board of Directors and the GGC Foundation Board of Trustees, who owns the 160 acres in the GGC Partnership Campus.

“We are excited to have a clearer plan to move forward in creating this GGC Partnership Campus,” said Jay Nexsen, Chair of the GGC Foundation Board. “With the Greenwood Partnership Alliance’s marketing and recruitment skills, the potential for growth around the GGC campus is immense.”

EDUCATION PROVISO

GGC’s Gene Machine Mobile Science Laboratory serves over 6,000 SC middle and high school students each year. But the Gene Machine is popular, and the schedule is often filled by the beginning of the school year, leaving many students without the opportunity to benefit from this experience.

To help make this program more accessible to all students, the SC Department of Education has allocated proviso funding of $278,000 to GGC to expand its outreach educational STEM programs with priority to

traditionally underserved districts across SC. The funding will be used to expand the services of the Gene Machine, offer additional field trips for students to the GGC campus in Greenwood, and provide more teacher development opportunities, especially in more rural school districts across the PeeDee and LowCountry of SC. Leta Tribble, PhD, GGC’s Director of Education, expects the number of school visits to grow by 50% next year. “We will be able to access more students with our fun, engaging activities that are designed to improve students’ genetic knowledge and encourage them to consider furthering their education in the sciences,” said Tribble.

“Ultimately our outreach programs will help to equalize some of the educational disparities among school districts across our state and in the long term, help to strengthen the SC workforce.”

“The Gene Machine is so very beneficial to rural schools“ said Jerry Brigman who teaches Health Sciences Technology at Chesterfield High School. “This lab brings state of the art equipment and up-to-date research to our students, allowing them to experience practical and relevant information.”

FACE2GENE

GGC has partnered with FDNA, a Bostonb a s e d co m p a ny that has created a software program called Face2Gene.

This program assists clinicians in making a diagnosis based upon facial features and additional information.

By producing a composite mesh of patient faces from multiple individuals with a confirmed diagnosis, the app can analyze a photograph of an undiagnosed patient to identify which syndromes are a good facial match.

“GGC has a treasure trove of photographs of patients from nearly 43 years of clinics,” said Hannah Warren, MS, CGC, the GGC genetic counselor leading this project.

“We are working with FDNA to use those photographs to help train this software to be more effective at suggesting a diagnosis.”

No protected health information is shared

in the process, protecting patient privacy.

The software creates measurements from the photographs using mathematical algorithms and compiles them into a composite image.

GGC has submitted thousands of images on over 9,000 patients to date. Another benefit of the collaboration says Warren, is the ability to catalog GGC’s vast collection of photos for clinical use. She has also joined in webinars to discuss the project with other organizations and help expand the collaboration among geneticists worldwide.

“We are excited to work with Greenwood on this project that will help rare disease patients globally,” said Dekel Gelbman, CEO, FDNA. “The combined experience of the GGC with the technologies of FDNA will result in new discoveries that are sure to help clinicians globally as they evaluate new patients.”

“Face2Gene’s technology is a definite advantage in the clinic, helping us to narrow down the potential list of diagnoses and maybe even suggesting ones we hadn’t thought of before,” said GGC Director, Steve Skinner, who is also part of the project.

“It won’t replace clinical judgement, but has the potential to help our patients receive a diagnosis faster with fewer blood tests and procedures.”

HAVE YOU ‘SCENE’ IT? GGC started a blog, The Gene Scene, in February. The weekly blog features posts by GGC faculty and staff regarding their activities as well as numerous guest posts form contributors including patient families, senior genetic scholars, and colleagues in other areas of genetic medicine. You can follow The Gene Scene by visiting the GGC website at www.GGC.org.

If you have a suggestion for a blog post or would like to contribute a post, please contact Lori Bassett at lbassett@ggc.org.

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‘Hope for Harper’ Families are never fully prepared to learn that their beloved baby has a birth defect, but one SC mom is working to make their road a little less rocky by sharing her own story and advocating for the littlest patients.

Stephen and Jenna Brown of Hanahan, SC were eagerly anticipating the birth of their first child, Harper. They found out she was a girl at a 15 week ultrasound and had seen her beautiful face at a ‘keepsake’ 17 week scan. Feeling excited and confident, Jenna went alone to her routine 18 week ultrasound. Though Stephen offered to come, Jenna had resisted, wanting him to go to work and have more time off when the baby arrived.

“When the doctor came in, the ultrasound tech reached out and took my hand. That was my first sinking moment of despair,” shared Jenna.

There was a cyst at the bottom of Harper’s spine, possibly spina bifida.

‘My daughter will never walk,’ was her first thought. As she waited in the office holding her daughter’s ultrasound picture and crying, Jenna texted her husband. Later that day they were worked in at the Medical University of SC (MUSC).

Spina bifida was confirmed.

The Browns elected to pursue in-utero surgery which could provide Harper with the best hope for a positive outcome. After an amniocentesis and two long weeks of waiting, they drove to Philadelphia where the highlyspecialized surgery is performed, ready to put their life on hold for baby Harper. Jenna endured 12 hours of testing only to learn that she was not a candidate for the procedure.

“We left Philadelphia devastated,” she said. “They reevaluated us at 25 weeks, but we still were not eligible for the surgery.”

At that point, the Browns met with Dr. Ramin Eskandari, a pediatric neurosurgeon at MUSC, to discuss Harper’s surgery after delivery. “He was the first one who gave us hope,” said Jenna. “This was not the worst-case scenario we had read about on the internet, maybe her lesion was even covered!”

When spina bifida lesions are covered they are protected from the damaging effects of the amniotic fluid.

The Browns followed up at MUSC every two weeks until Harper was delivered on June 17, 2015, with family in the waiting room wearing their ‘Hope for Harper’ t-shirts.

After delivery, Harper was whisked away for an evaluation, and Stephen went with her. “He came back to my room with tears flowing, but couldn’t get the words out.”

My heart sank again, but he said ‘No, it’s good - it’s covered.’

The next day Harper had her closure surgery. She went home on June 24th, her original due date.

Jane Dean of GGC’s SC Birth Defects Prevention Program met the family when Harper was about a month old. “I immediately fell in love with this strong, amazing family.”

Dean provided counseling and information and enrolled the family into GGC’s folic acid study.

“I was taking folic acid during my pregnancy,” shared Jenna, “so I wanted to help understand what other factors may be involved - why it didn’t work for Harper.”

Since Harper’s birth, Jenna has left her teaching career to became a full-time mom. Harper is thriving. She is walking and running thanks to successful surgeries and ongoing physical and occupational therapy. Now, Jenna and Harper spend their days volunteering with MUSC’s Children’s Hospital, hosting events, advocating for patients, and attending appointments with families who are facing the same challenges they have endured - providing hope.

Jenna also recently joined Dean at a bridal show in Charleston to help promote the importance of folic acid before and during pregnancy (photo below).

“Your story could be different, your journey could be different than what you planned,” said Jenna. “Ours is, but there is always hope.”

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GENE WEEK 2017 Save the Dates!

Building on the success of the inaugural Gene Week in 2016, GGC is excited to plan for the return of this celebration of all things genetic this fall!

Join in the fun, family-friendly activities and learning opportunities planned for Gene Week 2017 September 30 - October 7, 2017. #GeneWeek17 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 - The 4th annual Jammin’ for Genes barbeque and music lawn festival presented by Self Regional Healthcare.

Enjoy great food and national bluegrass recording artists, The Little Roy and Lizzie Show. This year we are also introducing ‘Through Our Eyes’, an art fair and exhibit featuring the work of our talented GGC patients.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3 - A special ‘Science on Tap’ community lecture followed by tours of GGC. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5 - GGC Open House.

Tour the clinic, diagnostic and research labs, and Genetic Education Center and participate in hands-on activities on board the Gene Machine Mobile Science Lab. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 - 7th annual Race the Helix® Greenwood. Lace up your sneakers for the 5K or walk/ run the one mile course to support the GGC Foundation.

For the first time ever, the one mile walk is free of charge thanks to our very generous ‘Walk the Helix’ sponsor, Manley Garvin, LLC.

Calling All Artists!

“Your story could be different, your journey could be different than what you planned. Ours is, but there is always hope.”

Harper at 18 months

If you or your child are a GGC patient and an artist, we would love to include your work at Jammin’ for Genes!

Contact Lori at Lbassett@ggc.org or 864-388-1061 for information.

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Photo courtesy of TEDx Greenville

DR. LUIGI BOCCUTO PRESENTS TEDx TALK

Going Above and Beyond GGC employees take the Center’s mission and vision to heart. They not only do what is necessary, they do what is best - for patients, families and the field of genetics.

TEDx GREENVILLE

“Do you remember the dogma of genetics that one gene equals one disease?” Dr. Luigi Boccuto challenged the audience at TEDx Greenville in April. “Well, forget that!”

and treatments for autism as well as other common disorders.

“Autism is a complex disorder. Why would we expect the answer to be simple?” he concluded.

Boccuto, an Associate Research Scientist at GGC’s JC Self Research Institute, was one of 17 speakers and performers selected from over 190 nominations to present at the annual TEDx Greenville event on April 7th.

Boccuto’s work at GGC focuses on identifying metabolic perturbations in blood samples from patients with ASD with the goals of developing a blood-based test for autism, as well as potential treatments.

The annual Greenville conference, an independent local event, brings together a variety of speakers and topics to spark discussion and connection. It is modelled after the national TED organization that promotes ‘Ideas Worth Spreading.’

ROGERS RECOGNIZED BY ALMA MATER

During his talk, ‘Personalized Medicine: A New Approach,’ Dr. Boccuto enlightened the crowd about GGC’s research that moves beyond the one gene/one disease model to the study of the combined effects of genes, proteins and metabolic pathways on disease. Using the model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Boccuto shared GGC’s new approaches to understanding the metabolic profiles of patients with an ASD and how that understanding will lead to better diagnostics

Curtis Rogers, MD, Senior Clinical Geneticist in GGC’s Greenville office, was named a 2017 Distinguished Alumnus by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) at the school’s Alumni Reunion Weekend in March.

Rogers, a 1980 graduate of MUSC, joined GGC in 1985 as a fellow and was instrumental in the Center’s expansion to Greenville in 1988.

He was recognized for his dedication and commitment to families impacted by a wide range of genetic disorders, as well as his scholarship, particularly in the identification and

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study of Phelan-McDermid syndrome.

He helped found the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation (PMSF) nearly 20 years ago and currently serves as Chairman Emeritus.

Columbia and included a low-protein taco bar, crafts, games, and a presentation

by Family Connection of SC.

BEST WISHES IN RETIREMENT

Dr. Neena Champaigne, Director of the Metabolic Treatment Program, works on a craft with children at the Metabolic Fiesta.

“To me Judy is the epitome of a great technologist,” said GGC co-founder Hal Taylor, PhD, who hired Judy in 1992.

“When her baby, the prenatal screening program, ended fairly recently, she persevered continuing to learn new assays and techniques.”

“Curtis is a tireless champion for our children and a much sought after resource for parents,” said Nick Assendelft, Vice President of the PMSF Board of Directors and Foundation co-founder.

“Dr. Rogers is such a compassionate physician, regularly going out of his way to do whatever is needed,” said Allison Bellomo, MS, a genetic counselor in GGC’s Greenville office. “His heart is truly focused on the care of his patients and their families.”

Rogers, left, is presented the Distinguished Alumnus award by Dr. Ray Dubois, Dean of MUSC School of Medicine.

FIESTA!

GGC’s Metabolic Treatment team of physicians, genetic counselors, dietitians, and psychologists organized a ‘Metabolic Fiesta’ to bring together families from across SC who have a metabolic diagnosis.

“These children and adults must maintain a low-protein diet in order to stay healthy and prevent symptoms of their disease such as developmental delays and seizures,” said event organizer and GGC metabolic dietitian, Mitzi Grappone. “Our goal with this event is to educate parents, provide fun learning activities for the kids and bring together families who all face similar challenges in managing their child’s diagnosis.”

The Fiesta-themed event was held in

CAREER MILESTONES

Katy Drazba, MS,CGC, passed the American Board of Genetic Counseling examination and is now a boardcer tified genetic counselor. Katy joined GGC’s Florence office in 2016 and provides clinical counseling and coordinates the Center’s new Fragile X syndrome clinic.

Dr. Carrie Buchanan, MD, of the GGC Center for Translational Research achieved board certification in DevelopmentalBehavioral Pediatrics through the American Board of Pediatrics. She participates in specialty clinics for Fragile X and Rett syndromes and is involved in clinical trial implementation.

Kasia Ellsworth, PhD, has completed her second GGC Medical Genetics Training Program fellowship.

She finished a Clinical Biochemical Genetics fellowship in 2016 and this spring completed a second fellowship in Clinical Molecular Genetics. Dr. Ellsworth has joined GGC’s DNA Diagnostic Laboratory as a Clinical Molecular Specialist.

The GGC Biochemical Genetics Laboratory is bidding farewell to Judy Haley, a laboratory technologist who is retiring after 25 years of dedicated service.

Judy performed all of GGC’s prenatal screens for several decades. She has handled over 100,000 samples in her years at GGC, impacting tens of thousands of families.

“Judy has been a model employee, “ said Biochemical Lab Director, Tim Wood, PhD. She is dependable, hard-working, and detail oriented. We will miss her experience and her consistently positive attitude. We wish Judy well in her retirement.”

Cindy Skinner, RN, Research Sample Coordinator, is retiring after 22 years at GGC. She has assisted with research recruitment, sample collection and study management and has coauthored numerous journal articles.

“Cindy has been an invaluable asset to the Research Division, serving as the liaison between our lab and the many patients and families who look to us for assistance,” said Charles Schwartz, PhD, Director of Research. “With a genuine concern for the welfare of all of our patients, she has recruited countless families into research studies and kept them engaged in our progress. She has worked closely with the clinical and diagnostic divisions to ensure that patients always received the highest quality care. We wish her well in retirement.”

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GGC Foundation GGC was founded in 1974 by an act of philanthropy, and to this day, GGC’s compassionate services and advances in genetic medicine are only possible when caring and generous individuals join us in our mission. You are an important part of our successes!

YOUR IMPACT

Your gifts to the GGC Foundation provide vital services to families and resources necessary for GGC to remain at the forefront of genetic research and technology. Here is just a snapshot of some of the ways the $600,000+ from endowment earnings and the GGC Foundation’s annual fund made an impact during 2015-2016.

10,914 FAMILIES RECEIVED CARE AT GGC IN 2015-2016.

ZERO WERE TURNED AWAY DUE TO INABILITY TO PAY.

$300,000 13,000 + SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BLOOD-BASED TEST FOR AUTISM.

STUDENTS LEARNED ABOUT CAREERS IN GENETICS THROUGH OUTREACH EDUCATION IN 2015-16.

$150,000 FUNDED TELEHEALTH CLINICS TO ENSURE THAT TRANSPORTATION IS NOT A BARRIER TO SERVICES.

DOUBLE HELIX SOCIETY

In May, GGC Board chair, Jay Nexsen (center) and his wife, Christy (right), hosted members of the GGC Foundation’s Double Helix Society at their home for a Southern Garden Reception. The Double Helix Society recognizes donors who contribute $1,000 or more to the GGC’s annual fund. At the reception, GGC Director Dr. Steve Skinner updated guests regarding the impact of their gifts including advances in autism research and the acquisition of new equipment.

RACE THE HELIX® GOING STATEWIDE!

Race the Helix® has grown yet again! Spring of 2017 witnessed the 3rd annual Race the Helix Upstate in Greenville followed by the inaugural Race the Helix Lowcountry held at Riverfront Park in North Charleston. Both events were met with a wonderful local reception and brought together employees, GGC families, GGC Foundation supporters, and others to benefit families impacted by genetic conditions.

With a physical presence across the state of South Carolina, Race the Helix is a fun, familyfriendly way to reach out to all of those served by GGC, to let them know they are supported right where they live. Planning is underway and volunteers are needed to introduce Race the Helix - Capital City in Columbia in 2018! All proceeds from the statewide races benefit the GGC Foundation. This year’s events were presented by Affymetrix, Biomarin, and Mutual of America.

Save the Dates!

Jammin’ for Genes - September 30, 2017 Race the Helix®- Greenwood - October 7, 2017 For more information on how you can support the Center through the GGC Foundation, visit GGC.org or contact the Foundation at (864) 388-1813 or 1-888-442-4363.

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SELF REGIONAL HALL BECOMES FIRST FACILITY TO OPEN ON PARTNERSHIP CAMPUS A ribbon-cutting for Self Regional Hall, the 17,000-square-foot, state-ofthe-art facility that will house the Clemson University Center for Human Genetics, was held in February. The facility’s name recognizes the ongoing support for the project from Self Regional Healthcare.

The facility will enable Clemson’s growing genetics program to collaborate closely with the long tradition of clinical and research excellence at the GGC, combining basic science and clinical care. The center will initially focus on discovering and developing early diagnostic tools and therapies for autism, cognitive developmental disorders, oncology and lysosomal disorders.

“As the parent of a child with special needs, the kind of research that you are doing here is especially meaningful and important to me and my family,” Photo courtesy Craig Mahaffey, Clemson University said Clemson University President James P. Clements during the event. “As you all know, an early diagnosis can make a huge difference for a child and their family because the earlier you can figure out what a child needs the earlier you can intervene and begin treatment.”

“This facility, and its proximity to the Greenwood Genetic Center, elevates our ability to attract the brightest scientific talent to South Carolina and enhances our efforts to tackle genetic disorders,” said Mark Leising, interim dean of the College of Science at Clemson The building contains eight laboratories and several classrooms, conference rooms, and offices for graduate students and faculty. Clemson is conducting a national search for an endowed professor to lead the facility.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was originally scheduled for September 2016, but was delayed because of the death of state Sen. John Drummond, an ardent GGC supporter.

“Self Regional Healthcare’s vision is to provide superior care, experience and value. This vision includes affording our patients with access to cutting-edge technology and the latest in healthcare innovation – and genomic medicine, without a doubt, is the future of healthcare,” said Jim Pfeiffer, president and CEO of Self Regional Healthcare. “The research and discoveries that will originate from this center will provide new options for those individuals facing intellectual and developmental disabilities, and will provide our organization with innovative capabilities and treatment options for our patients.”

“We are pleased to welcome Clemson University to Greenwood as the first academic partner on our Partnership Campus,” added Dr. Steve Skinner, director of the GGC. “This is the next great step in a collaboration that has been developing over the past 20-plus years. We look forward to our joint efforts with both Clemson and Self Regional Healthcare to advance the research and discoveries that will increase our understanding and treatment of human genetic disorders.”

ABOVE: L-R - Furman Self, Skinner, Pfeiffer, Clements, the Tiger Cub, Jay Self, Bubba Self, Mat Self, Coleman Self, and Frank Wideman, President of the Self Family Foundation, participate in the ribbon cutting.

FAR LEFT: Self Regional Hall LEFT: Jim Pfeiffer and Dr. James Clements reveal the name of the new facility at the ribbon cutting event.

Photo courtesy Craig Mahaffey, Clemson University

The Greenwood Genetic Center is a nonprofit institute organized to provide clinical genetic services, diagnostic laboratory testing, educational programs and materials, and research in the field of medical genetics.

106 Gregor Mendel Circle Greenwood, SC 29646 Tel: 864-941-8100 Toll Free: 888-442-4363 www.ggc.org

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