There is the potential opportunity to complete a work-based module which could, for example, explore clinical genomic practice in the NHS Regional Genetics Department at the student’s workplace. The NHS Laboratory at CUH is the first diagnostic laboratory to implement “clinical exome” sequencing in the NHS, and has applied a variety of next generation sequencing technologies to a number of diagnostic applications. The mass of data resulting from clinical exome sequencing alone offers many possibilities on which projects can be based. Examples of suitable projects might include a short case- based portfolio of study, completion and analysis of a clinical audit project, or an analysis of pathogenic genetic variation in specific clinical cohorts.

Suitable projects might involve:

• Critically evaluate existing practice in genomic medicine

• Devise and critique methods and approaches in genomic medicine

• Apply technical expertise to a range of cases, then evaluate and reflect on the utility of these technologies to the practise of genomic medicine techniques

• Apply clinical expertise to a range of cases and reflect on the utility of the genomic testing.

This module is primarily intended for NHS-funded students on the part-time MSt. MPhil students interested in this module should discuss the possibility with Prof Eamonn Maher at the earliest opportunity.