Harry Ostrer has been named president-elect, while Nancy Mendelsohn assumes the role of past president following the completion of her term.

Brynn Levy, MSc (Med), PhD, FACMG, has been elected president of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, the organization announced.

Levy is a professor of pathology and cell biology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where he serves as medical director of the Cytogenetics Laboratory and co-director of the Laboratory for Personalized Genomic Medicine. With more than 30 years of experience in clinical genetics, he has worked with organizations including the ACMG, the College of American Pathologists, the Cancer Genomics Consortium, and the International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis to establish national and international standards and guidelines for integrating new technologies into clinical practice.

“As genomic medicine becomes a foundational pillar of modern healthcare, the demand for expert clinical and laboratory geneticists has reached an all-time high,” says Levy, in a release. “Alongside the rollout of advanced diagnostic tools, we face a vital responsibility to educate the broader healthcare community. The ACMG is at the forefront of this effort, establishing the evidence-based standards necessary for the seamless adoption of these technologies.”

Levy succeeds Nancy J. Mendelsohn, MD, FACMG, who will now serve as past president.

Ostrer Named President-Elect

Harry Ostrer, MD, FACMG, has been elected president-elect of the ACMG Foundation. A professor of pathology and pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Ostrer brings 21 years of experience as director of the Human Genetics Program at the New York University School of Medicine and five years as director of genetic and genomic testing at Montefiore Medical Center. He trained in pediatrics and medical genetics at Johns Hopkins Hospital and in molecular genetics at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Ostrer has conducted research into the genetic basis of common and rare disorders and has advocated for policies addressing genetic discrimination and informed consent in genetic testing.

“My vision is to transform the Foundation into a premier philanthropic engine that fuels our most critical priorities: cultivating a robust medical genetics workforce, developing the evidence-based standards that define the practice of genomic medicine, and honoring the stars of our medical genetics community,” says Ostrer, in a release.

Leadership Transition

Mendelsohn expressed confidence in the incoming leadership. “I have worked closely with both of these clinicians and believe they will lead the Foundation with great intellect, energy, and clarity,” she says, in a release.

Melissa Forburger, interim chief executive officer of the ACMG and the ACMG Foundation, noted that the two bring a breadth of experience across clinical care, laboratory innovation, policy leadership, and professional education.

“Their combined vision and dedication will strengthen the Foundation’s philanthropic impact and ensure continued advancement of genetic and genomic medicine in service of patients and families,” says Forburger, in a release.

The ACMG Foundation works to advance ACMG educational and public health programs through philanthropic support from corporations, foundations, and individual donors.

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