No. 51 JANUARY 2023 - European Cytogeneticists Association
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ISSN 2074-0786 http://www.e-c-a.eu No. 51 • JANUARY 2023
E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
E.C.A. Newsletter No. 51 January 2023
The E.C.A. Newsletter is the official organ Contents Page
published by the European Cytogeneticists
Association (E.C.A.). For all contributions to and President’s address 2
publications in the Newsletter, please contact the th
14 European Cytogenomics Conference, 3
editor. Montpellier, France, 1-4 Juy 2023
Editor of the E.C.A. Newsletter: Literature on Social Media 6
Konstantin MILLER Educational External Quality Assessment (EQA) 11
Institute of Human Genetics and competency programs for the global
Hannover Medical School, Hannover, D genetics community
E-mail: miller.konstantin@mh-hannover.de Call for suggestions for the next version of ISCN 13
E.C.A. Structures 14
Editorial committee:
- Board of Directors 14
J.S. (Pat) HESLOP-HARRISON - Committee 15
Genetics and Genome Biology
University of Leicester, UK - Scientific Programme Committee 15
E-mail: phh4@le.ac.uk E.C.A. News 15
Kamlesh MADAN E.C.A. Fellowships 15
Dept. of Clinical Genetics
Leiden Univ. Medical Center, Leiden, NL Minutes of the E.C.A. General Assembly 2022 16
E-mail: k.madan@lumc.nl Minutes of the E.C.A. Board meeting Goldrain 16
Mariano ROCCHI 2023 European Advanced Postgraduate Course 18
President of E.C.A. in Classical and Molecular Cytogenetics (EAPC)
Dip. di Biologia, Campus Universitario 2022 Goldrain Course in Clinical Cytogenetics 20
Bari, I
E-mail: mariano.rocchi@uniba.it 2023 Goldrain Course in Clinical Cytogenetics 21
V.i.S.d.P.: M. Rocchi ISSN 2074-0786
E.C.A. on Facebook
As mentioned in earlier Newsletters, E.C.A. is on Facebook.
You will find announcements of interesting articles, related to cytogenomics or to biology in general, and
also pictures and stories from social events related to E.C.A. and its members. Also our E.C.A.
conferences will be covered on Social Media.
You can see the weekly posts and announcements via the direct link
https://www.facebook.com/Cytogeneticists/ or on the updated E.C.A. website http://www.e-c-a.eu/
You will find a selection of interesting Facebook posts in this Newsletter starting at page 6.
Please contact us (mariano.rocchi@uniba.it) if you wish to share an interesting news item or a pertinent
article.
1
E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
President’s Address
Dear friends,
First of all, Happy New Year! becoming too difficult to sustain it further on his
own. So, considering the importance of the
I started my letter of January 2022 with: “We
last saw each other in 2019 [in Salzburg].
Then Covid came along, and we entered a tunnel,
course, the ECA decided to look for a solution.
Prof. Schinzel, Prof. Dupont, Prof. Miller and I
met in Milan on November 12, 2022 and as a
confident that we would soon see the light at the result, a solution has been found. In Bari, where I
end of the tunnel”. I am glad to say that the end live, a non-profit association has been created
of the tunnel now appears to be real and we will (Scuola Europea di Citogenetica; European
have the long-awaited opportunity to meet in School of Cytogenetics) to provide administrative
person this year. As already announced, our and organizational support, thus ensuring that the
biennial conference will be held in Montpellier, 1 Goldrain course will continue (see https://www.e-
to 4 July 2023; see https://www.e-c- c-a.eu/files/downloads/16th-Goldrain-flyer.pdf).
a.eu/EN/UPCOMING-CONFERENCES.html. The E.C.A. offers two scholarships to cover the
The program is almost complete and you will hear registration and accommodation fees. Additional
more about it soon. scholarships will be provided by the E.S.H.G.
Other ECA activities are also finally being held in (European Society of Human Genetics). For
person. The Nîmes course is scheduled to take further information please write to Prof. Albert
place from 20 to 26 March 2023. Registration Schinzel (schinzel@medgen.uzh.ch).
closes on 15 February 2023; see https://www.e-c- The flyers with details of the Nîmes and Goldrain
a.eu/EN/European-Advanced-Postgraduate- courses can be found at the end of this Newsletter.
Course-in-Classical-and-Molecular-
Cytogenetics-2023.html This Newsletter also contains the ECA posts that
The E.C.A. offers two scholarships for the course, have appeared on its Facebook page since the
covering the registration and accommodation previous issue of the newsletter
fees. For further information and registration, (https://www.facebook.com/Cytogeneticists).
please send an e-mail to Prof. Jean-Michel Dupont These are announcements/summaries of inter-
(jean-michel.dupont@aphp.fr) esting articles, related to cytogenomics and to
and/or to Prof. Thierry Lavabre-Bertrand biology in general. Your contributions are
(thierry.lavabre-bertrand@umontpellier.fr) welcome (please contact
The Goldrain Course in Clinical Cytogenetics, mariano.rocchi@uniba.it).
organized by Prof. Albert Schinzel in the Goldrain
castle (South Tyrol, Italy) was held in person Wishing you again a happy 2023,
already last summer. It was, as always, a great
success. By the end of the course, however, it Kind regards,
appeared that it might be the last because until
now it has been organized and run almost entirely Mariano Rocchi
by Prof. Schinzel alone and he felt it was E.C.A. President
2
14th EUROPEAN
CYTOGENOMICS
CONFERENCE
1 – 4 July 2023
MONTPELLIER – FRANCE
www.eca2023.org
INVITED SPEAKERS
Alex Hoischen, Sweden Eva R. Hoffmann, Denmark Michael E. Talkowski, USA
Anna Lindstrand, Sweden Folker Spitzenberger, Germany Matthiue Rouard, France
Antonio Capalbo, Italy Giacomo Cavalli, France Nicolas Chatron, France
Antonio Rausell, France Johan den Dunnen, Netherlands Orsetta Zuffardi, Italy
Bekim Sadikovic, Canada Karen Temple, UK Robert-Jan H. Galjaard, Netherlands
Brankica Mravinac, Croatia Lars A. Forsberg, Sweden Sarah McClelland, UK
Brunella Franco, Italy Lyn Chitty, UK Tony Heitkam, Germany
Caroline Schluth-Bolard, France Malgorzata I. Srebniak, Netherlands
IMPORTANT DATES
February 27, 2023 Monday
Deadline for Abstract Submission
March 20, 2023 Monday
Notification of Acceptance
April 3, 2023 Monday
Deadline for Early Registration
E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
14th European Cytogenomics Conference – Preliminary Program
Opening lecture
Eva R. Hoffmann Denmark
Aneuploidy in the Maternal Germline
Plenary session 1 -
Mosaicism: from Preimplantation Embryos to Aging
1. Mosaicism in Preimplantation Embryos Antonio Capalbo Italy
2. Mosaicism in Prenatal Diagnosis:
Malgorzata I. Srebniak Netherlands
from NIPT to Amniocytes Investigation
3. Hematopietic Loss of Chromosome Y and
Lars A. Forsberg Sweden
Higher Mortality in Men
Plenary session 2 - Cancer Cytogenomics
1. Replication Stress Generates Distinctive Landscapes of
DNA Copy Number Alterations and Chromosome Scale Sarah McClelland UK
Losses in Cancer
2. Whole-Genome Duplication Shapes the Aneuploidy
Uri Ben-David Israel
Landscape of Human Cancers
Concurrent Session 3 - Recent Advances in Cytogenomics
1. Optical mapping to karyotype Alex Hoischen Netherlands
2. Artificial Intelligence in Cytogenetics Antonio Rausell France
Concurrent Session 4 -
Beyond Genome Sequencing: the Epigenetic Signature
1. DNA Methylation Episignatures Associated with Large
Bekim Sadikovic Canada
Structural Copy Number Variants: Clinical Implications
2. Multi-locus imprinting disorders Karen Temple UK
Plenary session 3 - Clinical Cytogenomics
1. Complex Genomic Rearrangements: an Underestimated
Anna Lindstrand Sweden
Cause of Rare Diseases
2. Distal Germ-Line Deletions in Mosaic With Copy-Neutral
Loss of Heterozygosity: Something to Be Considered in Orsetta Zuffardi Italy
Genetic Counselling
3. From Gene Disruption to Missense Variants: how different
Brunella Franco Italy
Types of Variants Influence the X-Linked Inheritance Model
4
E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
Concurrent Session 5 - Clinical Cytogenomics 2
1. Structural Variants in Clinical Practice Using
Nicolas Chatron France
Short Read WGS
2. Chromoagensis: From Diagnosis to Genetic Counselling Caroline Schluth-Bolard France
Concurrent Session 6 - Animal and Plant Cytogenomics I
1. Comparative Genomics and Tools for Studying
Matthieu Rouard France
Chromosome Evolution
2. Coleopteran Satellite Profiles: Chromosomal and
Brankica Mravinac Croatia
Sequence Organization
Plenary session 4: Nuclear Organization and Disease
1. The Role of 3D Genome Organization in The Regulation of
Giacomo Cavalli France
Gene Expression and Cell Fate
2. Spatial Organization of Transcribed Eukaryotic Genes Irina Solovei Germany
Concurrent Session 7 - Animal and Plant Cytogenomics II
1. Adding a Chromosome Perspective to Plant Genomics:
Making Sense of Retained Retroviruses, Moving Tony Heitkam Germany
Retrotransposons and Expanding Satellite DNAs
Concurrent Session 8 -
Accreditation, Quality Control and Education
1. The New ISO 15189 Standard Medical Laboratories Folker Spitzenberger Germany
2. Sequence-based Nomenclature and the Novelties to Come
Johan den Dunnen Netherlands
in the Next ISCN Version
Plenary session 5 -
Prenatal Diagnosis and preimplantation
1. Genome-Wide Noninvasive Prenatal Testing:
Robert-Jan H. Galjaard Netherlands
Follow-Up Results of the TRIDENT-2 Study
2. Fragmentomics and Non Invasive Prenatal Screening
Joris Vermeesch Belgium
(NIPS)
3. Prenatal Diagnostic Yield and Pitfalls Through Arrays,
Lyn Chitty UK
Exome, and NIPT
Closing keynote:
The Landscape of Structural Variation Across Diverse Global Michael E.Talkowski USA
Populations and Developmental Disorders
5
E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
Literature on Social Media
E.C.A. is now also present on Social Media. Here are announcements of interesting articles that we have posted on
Facebook. The articles and news items are related to cytogenomics or to biology in general. If you have relevant
articles that you would like to share, please contact mariano.rocchi@uniba.it.
RARE DE NOVO TERMINAL DELETIONS of 874 genes in 589,306 individuals. Unexpectedly,
THE RESCUE OF UNFAVORABLE ZYGOTIC they found 13 “normal” adults harboring mutations
IMBALANCES? for 8 severe Mendelian conditions, with no clinical
manifestation of the indicated disease.
A recent review article (Eur J Hum Genet, by Zuffardi A very similar task was performed by Kingdom et al.
et al.1) examines the evidence which suggests that (Am J Hum Genet in press) who took advantage of the
many de novo unbalanced structural rearrangements UK Biobank (UKB) to investigate phenotypes
are not representative of the genomic constitution of associated with rare protein-truncating and missense
the zygote but are rather the result of modifications of variants in 599 monoallelic DDG2P genes (clinically
genomic imbalances that are incompatible with curated Developmental Disorders Gene2Phenotype
embryonic development. It has long been known that Database) by using whole-exome-sequencing data
a cell with trisomy can undergo a rescue process, from ~200,000 individuals and rare copy-number
which can result in a cell with 46 chromosomes with variants overlapping known developmental disorders
segmental or complete uniparental disomy. More re- loci by using SNP-array data from ~500,000
cently, it has been demonstrated that both unbalanced individuals.
de novo translocations and small supernumerary They suggest that (1) many genes routinely tested
chromosomes may result from modifications of an within pediatric genetics have deleterious variants
entire supernumerary chromosome. The article, in with intermediate penetrance that may cause lifelong
addition to reviewing this evidence, focuses on distal sub-clinical phenotypes in the general adult popula-
de novo deletions that could result from the breakdown tion; (2) clinical studies may overestimate the pene-
of an isodicentric chromosome present in a zygote, trance of such rare variants, while population cohorts
which, despite having 46 chromosomes, has in fact an like UKB are likely to underestimate the penetrance as
almost complete functional trisomy. The authors a result of ascertainment bias toward healthy indi-
underline how the rescue events of the deletion can, viduals.
through somatic recombination with the normal
1
homolog, create errors of interpretation if adequate https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt.3514
2https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000292
methodologies are not used to highlight segmental
disomies. Furthermore, the dicentrics break and the 9722002178?via%3Dihub
resulting products, which lack telomeres, undergo
repeated breakage-fusion-bridge cycles. This can lead
to the production of a variety of rearrangements such LOH AND GENE CONVERSION
as unbalanced translocations and ring chromosomes,
which can then be present in the embryo but more Most tumor-suppressor (TS) genes have been identi-
frequently in the placental cells. fied through Loss of Heterozygosity (LOH) in cancer
cells. SNP-microarrays is the ideal technique to detect
1https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S176972 LOH, confirmed by Comparative Genome Hybridi-
1222001136?via%3Dihub zation (CGH). Occasionally, however, copy neutral
loss of heterozygosity are detected, resulting from
different mechanisms, such as mitotic recombination.
RARE VARIANTS IN DOMINANT GENES The homozygosity of a mutation in a TS gene can also
CAUSING MILD PHENOTYPIC result from gene conversion (Wikipedia).
CONSEQUENCES In a recent paper in Genome Research, Takahashi and
Innan1 report the development of an algorithm to
It is well known that monogenic variants can display detect somatic gene conversion from short-read
different effects in different individuals. sequencing data. They analyzed 6,285 cancer patient
In a paper which appeared in Nature Biotechnology in samples and found 4,978 instances in which the
2016 Chen et al.1 reported results of exome analysis homozygosity of the mutation of the TS gene had
6
E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
resulted from gene conversion. This figure represents A. Lindstrand, the leader of the group, undertook in
the 14.8% of the total LOH mutations detected in their 2019 (Genome Medicine2).
samples.
1
https://www.cell.com/trends/genetics/fulltext/S0168-
1 9525(22)00145-
https://genome.cshlp.org/content/32/6/1017
7?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com
%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0168952522001457%3Fshowall
%3Dtrue
LOSS OF CHROMOSOME Y AND HIGHER 2https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11
MORTALITY IN MEN 86/s13073-019-0675-1
Genomic differences between men and women lead to
differential susceptibility to some diseases. Lidia
X-CHROMOSOME GENE VARIANTS AND
Larizza, a former president of the E.C.A., outlined the
THEIR IMPACT ON SPERMATOGENIC
difference in susceptibility to Covid-19 (see NL 461).
FAILURE
One of the most debated differences is the lifespan,
which is higher in women than in men. Evolutionary
The authors of a study that appeared in 2013 (Mueller
pressures on grandmothers have been invoked,
et al. 2013, Nature Genetics1) showed that some
because they are more useful for the fitness of
ampliconic genes on the X chromosome are primarily
grandchildren.
expressed in testicular germ cells and are functionally
Now, an article in Science by Sano et al., 2022 pre-
connected to sperm production. These results sugges-
sents evidence that hematopoietic loss of the Y chro-
ted that the X-chromosome, like the Y-chromosome,
mosome leads to cardiac fibrosis and heart failure. The
is crucial for male fertility. Consequently, the X
results perfectly match the idea that heart failure is
chromosome has become a good candidate for disco-
more common in men than in women. It could also
vering new genetic causes of spermatogenic failure.
help explain the difference in lifespan.
Nevertheless, the current list of causes is not that long;
1
even with the use of high-throughput sequencing
https://www.e-c-a.eu/files/downloads/Newsletters/NL46-
technologies, the number of X-chromosome gene
July-2020.pdf
2 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn3100 variants associated with male infertility remains low
(reviewed by Houston et al. 2021, Human
Reproduction Update2).
In a recent article published in the American Journal
COMPLEX GENOMIC REARRANGEMENTS of Human Genetics (Riera-Escamilla et al. 20223), the
AND RARE DISEASES authors present an analysis of the whole set of X
chromosome protein-coding genes in a huge popu-
In the past, several Mendelian genetic diseases have lation of infertile patients. Specifically, a total of 2,354
been identified because the gene in question was men with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia
interrupted due to a chromosomal breakpoint. Recent (absence of sperm in the ejaculate) or cryptozoo-
developments in sequencing and mapping technolo- spermia (fewer than 100,000 sperm per milliliter of
gies have provided several new tools for analyzing ejaculate) have been screened using whole exome
complex genomic rearrangements, which can harbor sequence analysis. The main objective of the article
the etiology of rare diseases. was to identify new monogenic anomalies associated
A publication by Schuy et al.1 (Trends in Genet) speci- with severe spermatogenic defects.
fically analyzes the relationship between rare diseases This article makes one realize the importance of some
and complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs), crucial steps in this kind of study, such as variant
defined as "structural variants (SV) that host more than filtering and the application of different strategies of
one breakpoint junction and / or comprise structures gene selection and prioritization. The authors
consisting of several of a SV in cis ". CGRs "also identified 21 novel gene anomalies linked to severe
include structural rearrangements that have at least spermatogenic failure. Importantly, the 21 candidate
three cytogenetically visible breakpoints." The paper genes were found to be crucial for spermatogenesis-
lists pros and cons of different technological approach- related pathways.
es, aimed at implementation in a clinical cytogenomics The results presented in this paper emphasize the
laboratory. It also critically analyzes the data available importance of the X chromosome in the etiology of
in the literature. The article appears to be a further step male infertility by doubling the number of X chromo-
in the trend "from cytogenetics to cytogenomics" that some genes associated with severe spermatogenic
7
E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
defects. From a clinical perspective, these results will number in several populations, such as mice and other
contribute to the development of gene panels addres- mammals (e.g., sheep and goat with 54 and 60 chro-
sed to the diagnosis of male infertility. mosomes respectively). In Homo sapiens, chromo-
some 2 is the result of a telomere-telomere fusion of
1
https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.2705 two ancestral chromosomes, which correspond to
2
https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/28/1/15/636646 chromosomes 12 and 13 in chimpanzee.
5?login=false Wang et al. (Science) have used DNA editing
3
https://www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltext/S0002- technology to create two types of heterozygous and
9297(22)00260-9 homozygous mice with terminal fusions of chromo-
somes.
The first type of the fusion is between chromosomes 1
LACTASE PERSISTENCE REVISITED and 2, and the second is between chromosomes 4 and
5. The fusions did not appear to affect chromatin con-
The lactase genomic domain is the region of the formation and stem cell differentiation. The deve-
human genome that shows the strongest selection lopmental trajectory in the two cases, however, was
pressure in northwestern European populations and in very different. Normal homozygous offspring were
the Maasai from Kenya (Schlebusch et al. 20131). The possible only in the second case (4/5 fusion).
peaks of homozygosity for lactase persistence are
impressive. The simple interpretation was that the con- 1
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm1964
tinued ability to digest lactose after weaning consti-
tutes a strong selective advantage for people who have
access to milk. PREIMPLANTATION EMBRYOS AND
A recent paper by Evershed et al.2 in Nature, reports GLUCOCORTICOIDS
that the situation is more complex. They looked at the
use of milk in Europe (analysis of milk fat residues in Glucocorticoids are used to improve the success rate
ceramics) and the mutations responsible for the in assisted reproductive technology (ART) cases.
persistence of lactase (ancient genomes) starting from Zhao et al.1 (Genome Res.) have done an in vitro study
~7000 years ago and found that the use of milk was of the effects of very early glucocorticoid treatment, in
widespread also among populations with intolerance 7-day human embryos.
to milk. Their interpretation is that positive pressure of The rationale for the study was that early embryonic
natural selection for lactase tolerance became very environments can have profound effect on
strong in periods of famine or pestilence, when development trajectories in the fetal period and in
lactose-intolerant individuals would have been more adult life. They found that glucocorticoid treatment
likely to die. produced no changes in morphology, blastocyst size
See also News & Views3 in the same issue of Nature. or cellular composition. However, they report pro-
found molecular changes at the level of gene
1
https://www.nature.com/articles/ejhg2012199 expression, DNA methylation and small RNAs. Their
2
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05010-7 obvious conclusion is that caution is recommended
3
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02067-2 because of the possible consequences associated with
the use of adjuvants and additives in ART and
infertility treatment.
ARTIFICIAL KARYOTYPE MODIFICATION 1
https://genome.cshlp.org/content/early/2022/09/16/gr.2766
65.122.long
YAC, Yeast Artificial Chromosomes, (later supplan-
ted by BACs) were popular at the very beginning of
the human genome project. While it is relatively easy
ENHANCER REDUNDANCY
to manipulate the yeast karyotype, it is much more
difficult to perform chromosome engineering in higher
The 1000 Genome Project1 found that in an analyzed
eukaryotes.
population of 2504 individuals, 240 genes were
Acrocentric (Robertsonian) fusions are not a rare event
inactivated, suggesting that these were "dispensable".
in humans, and, very occasionally, homozygous indi-
The most likely interpretation of these results is
viduals have been reported as a result of consangui-
redundancy, i.e. the existence of other genes with
neous marriages. In the wild, chromosomal fusions
identical or similar function.
during evolution have led to a reduced chromosome
8
E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
Lin et al. (Science2) analyzed the enhancers of the 1
https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2209139119?u
well-studied MYC locus as a model system. MYC rl_ver=Z39.88-
enhancers are organized in two clusters, one of which 2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub
is far away (~1Mb) from the other. ++0pubmed
The authors found that, when pairs of enhancers from
the same cluster were perturbed, the effect on MYC
expression (and, therefore, on cell proliferation) was ROLE OF 3D GENOME ANALYSIS IN THE
relatively mild. By contrast, when the perturbed pair DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY OF LEUKEMIA
contained one enhancer from each cluster, the re- AND CANCER
duction in MYC expression and cell proliferation was
much more drastic. In a recent paper in Nature1 Xu et al. explore the
The interpretation is that the system functions as a relationship between three-dimensional (3D) chro-
protection against mutations because the possibility matin structure and related methylation alterations in
that distant clusters are affected by the same acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The authors conclude
mutational event is low. A kind of well-designed that changes in DNA methylation and 3D genome
redundancy. structure may provide subtype-specific clues for
See also the comment in News&Views (Science understanding and treating the disease.
September 15, 2022). The study was based on a variety of approaches
through which profiles of chromatin organization
1
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26432246/ compartments, topologically associating domains, and
2
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk3512 chromatin loop features in the context of other
genomic alterations were analyzed in more than two
dozen AML cases.
The analyses have highlighted that genetic subtypes of
AGING AND AGE REVERSAL
AML differ in chromatin organization features, with
recurrent chromatin loops showing specific enhancer
Yamanaha in 2006 (Cell) reported the induction of
or silencer activity on promoters in the diverse
pluripotent stem cells from mouse fibroblast. Since
myeloid tissue malignancies.
then, huge amount of resources have been invested in
The AML-related genome organization and expres-
finding remedies for aging. This article in MIT
sion effects appear to be somewhat reversed in the
Technology Review takes stock of the situation.
presence of hypomethylating agents, such as 5-
azacytidine or decitabine or in cells with lower-than-
1
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009286
usual levels of genes coding for DNA methyltrans-
7406009767?via%3Dihub
2
ferase enzymes. The results suggest that treatment
https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/10/25/1061644/
with an HMA may achieve therapeutic efficacy, at
how-to-be-young-
least partly, through restoring normal chromatin ar-
again/?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=1d7
3b0342c-briefing-dy-
chitecture and opening new mechanism-based thera-
20221026&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373 peutic approaches to improve treatment outcomes in
-1d73b0342c-44083589 AML and other cancers.
1
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05365-x
ANCESTRAL MAMMALIAN KARYOTYPE
POLYPLOIDY IN ANIMALS
The availability of data on a large number of mam-
malian species that have been sequenced has allowed
Redundancy in data storage is a safe rule that you learn
the computational reconstruction of the ancestral
when your computer breaks down (see RAID51). This
karyotype of mammals (Damas et al., PNAS 20221).
is also true in living organisms. The most likely
The hypothetical mammalian ancestor is supposed to
explanation for the fact that each of us has ~200 non-
have had 19 pairs of chromosomes. Some syntenic
functional (homozygous) genes is that they are
regions were very large, as large as an entire chromo-
redundant2. Polyploidy can be considered a redundant
some. These data suggest that the synteny
state of the genome. It is relatively common in plants
conservation was subject to a strong evolutionary
and "Plants with double genomes might have had a
constraint that lasted for over 300 million years.
better chance to survive the Cretaceous–Tertiary
9E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
extinction event" (PNAS)3. A larger quiver of arrows in the post-reproductive stages, i.e. it is immortal. Its
certainly comes in handy. congener Turritopsis rubra is not immortal.
Polyploidization is much rarer in animals than in Pascual-Torner et al.1 (PNAS) compared the genomes
plants. Kyle T. David, in PNAS4, analyzes the biogeo- of these two species in search of an explanation for the
graphical dataset distribution of polyploidy in difference. They have not come up with a definitive
amphibians, ray-finned fishes, and insects. He found answer, but they have identified a number of genes and
that polyploidy correlates with newer and more a number of differences in their expression that will
extreme environments and may indicate the role of help solve the problem.
genome duplication in facilitating adaptation. As In this context, see also the post of November 16,
mentioned, a larger quiver of arrows is definitely 2022, Aging and Age reversal.
beneficial.
1
https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2118763119?u
1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID rl_ver=Z39.88-
2
https://www.nature.com/articles/nature15394 2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub
3
https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.0900906106 ++0pubmed
4
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2214070119
NUCLEAR LOCATION FORETELLS
CHROMOSOME ANOMALIES
MICRODELETION-MICRODUPLICATION
SYNDROMES
It is well known that chromosomes occupy distinct
territories inside the nucleus, and that this arrangement
Microdeletion and microduplication syndromes
is not random. However, the origin and the biological
(MMS) often involve intellectual disability, autism
impact of this topographic setting is far from being
spectrum disorders, dysmorphic features and/or multi-
fully understood.
ple congenital anomalies. The recurrent ones have
The study by Sjoerd Lkaaseen et al.1: “Nuclear chro-
been characterized quite well. However, there is no
mosome locations dictate segregation error
available comprehensive resource for the many rare
frequencies” published in Nature sheds light on the
non-recurrent MMS.
consequences of the topographic location inside the
In their paper in BMC Genomic Data, Wetzel and
nucleus on chromosome segregation. The authors
Darbro provide a comprehensive list of MMS that
nicely demonstrate that peripheral chromosomes need
have been reported in the medical literature to date,
more time to congress to the metaphase plate, and that
sorted by their genomic location.
this delayed timing is correlated to an increase in
This centralized and well detailed resource could be of
frequency of non-disjunction.
help to those who are involved in clinical genomic
Hence, they provide evidence linking 3D positioning
testing.
of chromosome territories and frequency of segrega-
1 tion error for different chromosome pairs which may
https://bmcgenomdata.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186
/s12863-022-01093-3
play a role in genome evolution during development
and tumorigenesis.
These results are in line with the observation that
absence of clustering of chromosomes at the interface
REJUVENATION
between the two pronuclei after fecundation is
associated with a delayed congression because of
It is difficult to understand the causes of aging. Accu-
greater distance to the metaphase plate, an increase in
mulation of mutations appears to be the most valid
the number of lagging chromosomes, segregation
explanation. An indirect proof is provided by the
errors and micronuclei formation (T. Cavazza et al2.,
observation that the difference in lifespan between
Cell 184, 2860 (2021).
different species is correlated to the difference in their
mutation rate (see post of July 13, 2022, Mutation Rate 1
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04938-0
and Lifespan). 2
It is known that the Cnidarian Turritopsis dohrnii
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009286
maintains its high rejuvenation potential (up to 100%)
742100492X
10E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
Educational External Quality Assessment (EQA) and competency programs
for the global genetics community
Ros Hastings, Fiona Morgan, Mark Sales, Katrina Rack, Melody Tabiner, Sandi Deans.
After the unprecedented last two years dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, GenQA
continues to respond to participant demand and the global expansion of genomic testing. There is so much
work undertaken behind the scenes at GenQA that we thought we would share some of it with you.
Background
GenQA is the sole global external quality bility in providing genomic EQAs to both small
assessment provider to cover the entire clinical specialist laboratories and larger facilities, whilst
genomics service, from patient counselling, also catering for clinical geneticists and labora-
sample preparation, testing processes, results tory-based staff with our individual competency
interpretation, and reporting. We also offer assessments. Wherever you or your laboratory/
individual competency testing. clinical genetics centre is based, we can support
you by providing relevant EQAs reflecting the
With our extensive level of expertise, we are able rapidly expanding repertoire of genomic tests.
provide 119 unique EQAs during 2023 encom- We are proud to be meeting the needs of the
passing all aspects of the sample/patient journey, genomics community across the world with
from sample reception through to reporting, and currently 87 countries participating and sub-
even genetic counselling for a vast range of missions in English, French, German, Italian,
genomic disciplines. This gives us greater flexi Polish, Portuguese and Spanish supported.
Updating our comprehensive repertoire
Genomic medicine is evolving at a rapid pace and technologies such as liquid biopsy testing, non-
our comprehensive range of EQAs and individual invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), large gene next
competency assessments are continuously deve- generation sequencing (NGS) panels, optical
loped to ensure delivery of a service that is fit for genome mapping (OGM) and whole genome/
purpose. EQAs are continuously modified to exome sequencing. Our vast scientific know-
follow clinical pathways for specific clinical ledge, with the support of our expert assessors,
indications to reflect the change to testing ensures that we encourage best practice and
strategies in laboratories. We are keeping pace improvements with the clinical laboratory sector
with the implementation of new and evolving at all levels.
11E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
EQAs cover 13 different disciplines, and have findings from the EQA, guidance on improve-
been expanded to address the challenge of variant ments to their testing processes and/or clinical
interpretation (SNVs and CNVs in the reports (if required) and reference to current
pre/postnatal and somatic setting). The ISCN professional guidelines and standards. EQAs
Accuracy EQA is another example of a new often include educational cases to raise awareness
development which addresses the challenges of of challenges which maybe encountered by
using standardised nomenclature for constituti- laboratories. These cases are discussed in depth
onal, neoplasia, FISH, region-specific, array and in the EQA Summary report.
NGS case scenarios. Following both the variant
classification and ISCN EQAs, a unique GenQA We also provide several participant scientific
workshop or FOCUS is webinar was provided to meetings and workshops throughout the year, as
discuss the expected results and inform partici- well as presenting our work at many international
pants which parameters or rules are appropriate conferences. Throughout 2022 GenQA provided
when interpreting the results. The next ISCN 11 free online FOCUS ON webinars, which cove-
workshop will be held in London, UK in March red many different aspects of genomic diagnos-
2023. Attendance is free for GenQA ISCN tics including:
Accuracy participants. To register your interest, Meiotic segregation,
please email info@genqa.org. Genomic testing for chronic
lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL),
New pilot EQAs Variant classification,
GenQA continuously strive to expand their EQA
NIPT,
repertoire, by introducing new pilot EQAs and
ISCN,
updating the format of current EQAs, in response
to advances to genomic testing strategies. Pilot Reporting guidelines,
EQAs are generally focussed on new and Quality.
upcoming tests that laboratories are introducing Participants who attend a FOCUS ON webinar
and GenQA acts on participant feedback. There receive an attendance certificate for their own
will be ten new pilots offered in 2023 covering continued professional development records, and
preconception carrier screening, endometrial our webinars are also made available at a later
tumour testing, Optical genome mapping, date via our GenQA YouTube channel.
extended pharmacogenomics testing and NIPT (www.youtube.com/GenQA)
for RHD status to name a few. For a complete list
of EQAs currently available go to We have an enormous amount of scientific and
www.genqa.org/EQA diagnostic laboratory experience within the team
which is reflected in the number of our peer
Education and Scientific support reviewed publications, poster and platform
GenQA provide individual educative feedback presentations at many international conferences,
tailored to your laboratory, as well as general workshops, participant meetings and the standard
recommendations to improve your performance of the EQA Summary Reports provided. GenQA
and quality. Our participants receive a detailed staff present at these events both in the UK and
EQA Summary report for each EQA in which abroad, to further educate scientists, laboratory
they participate. This includes a summary of the staff, and clinicians regarding the importance of
12E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
external quality assessment. We often have a viewed to take into account the actual cost of
GenQA stand at conferences and we always delivery of the service and are often decreased in
welcome attendees to come and say ‘hello’. More response to changes in the EQA format e.g., if the
details can be found at www.genqa.org/events or number of samples are reduced per distribution.
www.genqa.org/publications GenQA is fully aware of financial constraints
within participating laboratories and endeavours
About GenQA to minimise the cost of EQA participation.
GenQA is a member of the UK NEQAS Con-
sortium, which with over 50 years international Additional support
quality expertise, offers EQAs in all aspects of For laboratories who are new to external quality
medical testing. GenQA itself, operates under the assessment or have received a poor performance
legal entity of Oxford University Hospital status in an EQA, GenQA are able to offer
National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust tailored support to ensure the laboratory can
and is provided from two sites (Edinburgh and provide the highest quality of testing. This may
Oxford). GenQA’s EQAs are accredited to ISO/ take the form of providing additional samples for
IEC 17043:2010 by United Kingdom Accre- testing, or review of their testing methodologies.
ditation Service (UKAS) proficiency testing, and GenQA also offers additional financial support
a current list of accredited EQAs can be viewed for laboratories from Evolving Economies.
on our UKAS scope (www.ukas.com.find-an-
organisation/) or on our website We would be delighted to assist you in your
(www.genqa.org). Our 19 pilot EQAs are not provision of high quality genomic diagnostic
accredited while the logistics and marking criteria testing, so if you require further information re-
are robustly scrutinised. garding any aspect of our EQAs and educational
provision, please, please email us on
The UK NEQAS consortium is the commis- info@genqa.org,
sioned EQA supplier for NHS England funded or visit our website (www.genqa.org). We are
genomic tests included in the 'National Genomics also active via our social media platforms
Testing Directory' since 2019. GenQA provides including Twitter (www.twitter.com/GenQA)
the majority of these EQAs. and Linkedin
(https://www.linkedin.com/company/genqa/)
GenQA is a not-for-profit organisation and there- where we provide updates and highlights of
fore the fee structure is set to cover costs of interesting developments and news in the
running the Scheme. Such fees are annually re- genomics world.
Call for suggestions for the next version of ISCN
Dear all
The ISCN Standing committee is inviting the genetics community to send their suggestions for required
changes to ISCN 2020. All suggestions should be placed on the Forum https://iscn.karger.com (you will
need to sign in first) or alternatively you can send them by email to ros.hastings@genqa.org
The ISCN Standing Committee (ISCN SC) is preparing nomenclature for Optical Genome Mapping (OGM)
which will be sent out for consultation to the wider genetic community prior to incorporation within the
next version of ISCN.
The deadline to submit any changes or additions to ISCN required is the 31st January 2023.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Ros Hastings
ISCN SC Chair
13E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
E.C.A. STRUCTURES
E.C.A. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sevilhan ARTAN P.F.R. (Ron) HOCHSTENBACH Maria Rosario PINTO LEITE
Eskisehir Osmangazi University Department of Clinical Genetics Cytogenetics Laboratory
Medical Faculty Amsterdam UMC Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-
Department of Medical Genetics Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Montes e Alto Douro
Meselik De Boelelaan 1117 Av. da Noruega
26480 ESKISEHIR 1081 HV AMSTERDAM 5000-508 VILA REAL
TURKEY THE NETHERLANDS PORTUGAL
Tel.: +90 22 22 39 37 71 Tel.: +31 20 44 40 932 Tel.: +35 1 25 93 00 500
Fax : +90 22 22 39 29 86 E-mail : Fax: +35 1 25 93 00 537
E-mail: sartan@ogu.edu.tr p.hochstenbach@amsterdamumc.nl E-mail:
mlleite@chtmad.min-saude.pt
Joan BLANCO RODRIGUEZ Thierry LAVABRE-BERTRAND Harald RIEDER
Unitat de Biologia Celꞏlular Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire Institut fuer Humangenetik und
Dept de Biologia Celꞏlular, de et Cytogenetique Moleculaire Anthropologie
Fisiologia i d'Immunologia Faculté de Médecine Universitaetsstraße 1
Facultat de Biociències (Edifici C) Avenue Kennedy 40225 DUESSELDORF
Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona 30900 NÎMES GERMANY
08193-BELLATERRA SPAIN FRANCE Tel.: +49 211 8110689,
Tel. : +34 93 58 13 728 Tel.: +33 4 66 68 42 23 Fax : +49 211 8112538
E-mail: joan.blanco@uab.cat Fax: +33 4 66 68 41 61 E-mail:
E-mail: tlavabre@univ-montp1.fr harald.rieder@uni-duesseldorf.de
Jean-Michel DUPONT Kamlesh MADAN Mariano ROCCHI
Laboratoire de Cytogénétique Dept. of Clinical Genetics Emeritus Professor
Hôpitaux Univ. Paris Centre Leiden Univ. Medical Center Dip. di Biologia
Hôpital Cochin - P.O.Box 9600 Campus Universitario
Bât Jean DAUSSET 4e 2300 RC LEIDEN Via Orabona 4
27 rue du Fbg St Jacquesl THE NETHERLANDS 70125 BARI
75014 PARIS Tel.: +31 72 51 28 953 ITALY
FRANCE E-mail: k.madan@lumc.nl Tel.: +39 080 544 3371
Tel.: +33 1 58 41 35 30 E-mail: mariano.rocchi@uniba.it
Fax : +33 1 58 41 19 95
E-mail.:
jean-michel.dupont@ aphp.fr Konstantin MILLER
Institut für Humangenetik Elisabeth SYK LUNDBERG
José M. GARCIA-SAGREDO Medizinische Hochschule Dept. of Clinical Genetics
Pabellón Docente, Med. Genetics 30623 HANNOVER Karolinska Hospital
Univ. Hospital Ramon y Cajal GERMANY 17176 STOCKHOLM
Carretera de Colmenar Km 9.100 Tel.: +49 511 532 6538 SWEDEN
28034 MADRID E-mail: Tel.: +46 85 17 75 380
SPAIN miller.konstantin@mh-hannover.de Fax : +46 83 27 734
Tel.: +34 91 33 68 550 E-mail:
Fax : +34 91 33 68 545 elisabeth.syk.lundberg@ki.se
E-mail:
jgarcias.hrc@salud.madrid.org Felix MITELMAN
Department of Clinical Genetics Roberta VANNI
J.S. (Pat) HESLOP-HARRISON University of Lund, BMC C13 Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
Genetics and Genome Biology 22185 LUND Biochemistry, Biology and
University of Leicester SWEDEN Genetics Unit
LEICESTER LE1 7RH Tel.: +46 46 17 33 60 University of Cagliari
UK Fax: +46 46 13 10 61 09142 MONSERRATO (CA)
Tel.: +44 116 252 5079 E-mail: felix.mitelman@med.lu.se ITALY
Fax.: +44 116 252 2791 Tel.: +39 07 06 75 41 23
E-mail: phh4@le.ac.uk Fax : +39 07 06 75 41 19
E-mail: vanni@unica.it
14E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
COMMITTEE
President M. Rocchi
General Secretary J.-M. Dupont
1st Vice President K. Madan
Treasurer T. Lavabre-Bertrand
2nd Vice President P. Heslop-Harrison
ECC SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME COMMITTEE
Joris Vermeesch
Mariano Rocchi (Chair)
Emanuela Volpi
Franck Pellestor
Orsetta Zuffardi
Damien Sanlaville
E.C.A. News
As required by the statutes, a new committee was elected during the Board meeting in Goldrain
in August 2022 (see minutes on page 16).
The 2023 General Assembly of the E.C.A. with Board elections will take place on 3 July 2023,
at 6:30 pm at Montpellier, France.
Renewal of the Board in 2023: the following members are due for replacement or re-election in 2023 at
the General Assembly: S. Artan (Turky), Joan Blanco Rodriguez (Spain), R. Hochstenbach (The
Netherlands), K. Miller (Germany), F. Mitelman (Sweden).
According to the statutes, lists for the board election may be sent to the President until 3 May 2023.
The E.C.A. has a new address:
European Cytogeneticists Association, 32 rue Guy Môquet, 92240 Malakoff, FRANCE
E.C.A. Fellowships
The E.C.A. offers two Fellowships for each of the following courses:
European Advanced Postgraduate Course in Classical and Molecular Cytogenetics
to be held in Nîmes (France) March 2023 (see pages 18-19)
Goldrain Course in Clinical Cytogenetics
to be held in Goldrain Castle (South Tyrol, Italy) 22-28 August 2023 (see page 21)
The fellowships include the course fees and the accommodation during the lectures in Nîmes or in
Goldrain but do not include travel expenses for either of the courses or for accommodation during the
practical training for the Nîmes course. Applications with CV, list of publications and a letter of support
should be addressed to the appropriate course organizer. The Educational Advisory Council of the
E.C.A. will select the successful candidates.
European Cytogenomics Conference 2023 in Montellier: Five poster prizes will be awarded to
participants who present the best posters on work derived from a thesis or from a degree awarded
between 2021 and 2023. In addition, the E.C.A. offers five Fellowships and free registration for early-
career researchers presenting posters or talks at the Conference.
15E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
MINUTES OF THE E.C.A. GENERAL ASSEMBLY, GOLDRAIN, AUGUST 2022
Minutes of the E.C.A. General Assembly held on The Treasurer reviewed the finances of the ECA.
25th August 2022 in the Goldrain Castle, Italy. for 2021 and presented working figures showing a
All active members were invited to the General modest surplus. The exigencies of the pandemic
Assembly. Six members of the Association were had not had a serious adverse effect. The reserves
present. of the Association were sufficient to ensure the
The President Mariano Rocchi opened the stability of the Association and in line with the
Assembly at 18.30 and welcomed those attending. financial policy to cover meetings, courses, and
The voting for board members was closed and the other activities. The General Assembly approved
Treasurer and a member of the Association, Dr the accounts as presented.
Soley Bjornsdottir, neither associated with the The General Secretary and President thanked the
candidates, were appointed to count the ballots. Treasurer for the presentation and for his excellent
The Minutes of the General Assembly meeting work as Treasurer noting he had served since 2009
held Wednesday 1st September 2021 in the Grand and will not be standing for re-election as
Rosa Hotel, Milan, Italy, and published in the Treasurer.
Newsletter NL49 page 14 were approved. The impact of the Social Media activity organized
The General Secretary presented the state of the through the President was recognized and agreed
society. Membership was very satisfactory with to be valuable. The Facebook page, named
new members joining. The ECA European Cyto- Cytogeneticists (https://www.facebook.com/Cyto
genomics Congress ECC2021 (held before the geneticists) is very active with regular posts of
2021 General Assembly) online was well-attended interest to members. The Association Website
and attracted 358 people from 52 countries (86% www.e-c-a.eu with announcements and news-
from Europe), with 146 posters, 9 oral presen- letters has also been kept updated. The outgoing
tations and 17 invited lectures. General Secretary agreed to continue as Editor of
The President announced the results of the ballot the Newsletter, and was thanked.
for election of Board Members. A total of 47 votes The Association greatly appreciated the 22 years
(including those received by mail) were received; of service from the General Secretary who will not
47 voted ‘yes’ and the list comprising Heslop- be standing for re-election.
Harrison, Lavabre-Bertrand, Madan, Pinto Leite There being no other business, the President
and Rieder was duly elected. closed the General Assembly at 19.00.
MINUTES OF THE E.C.A. BOARD MEETING, GOLDRAIN, AUGUST 2022
Minutes of the E.C.A. Board meeting held on 25th Apologies and delegations of votes were received
August 2022 in the Goldrain Castle, Italy. from Rosário Pinto Leite, Harald Rieder, Ron
The Board Members present were: Hochstenbach, Thierry Lavabre-Bertrand, Elisa-
In person: Jean-Michel Dupont (Outgoing beth Syk-Lundberg.
Treasurer), Konstantin Miller (Outgoing General The President Mariano Rocchi opened the
Secretary), Mariano Rocchi (President), Kamlesh meeting at 19:05 and welcomed those attending.
Madan (First Vice-President), Pat Heslop- 1. Minutes
Harrison (Second Vice-President); Via Zoom The Minutes of the Board meeting held Wednes-
Videoconference: José M. Garcia-Sagredo, day 1st September 2021 in the Grand Rosa Hotel,
Roberta Vanni, Sevilhan Artan, Juan Blanco, Milan, Italy, and published in the Newsletter
Felix Mitelman. NL49 page 14 were approved.
16E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
2. Reports the options with respect to costs, commitment/
The General Secretary reviewed the outcome of time to change, and locality. The Board agreed to
the General Assembly held immediately prior to delegate the decision to the Treasurer, taking into
the Board meeting. The Board was informed account the legal and financial implications.
about the outcome of the Board Election. The 5. 14th European Cytogenomics Congress
General Secretary presented figures for the ECC2023
Association membership and outcome of the Possible venues for the ECC2023 conference
ECC Online Congress. were discussed, with seven sites in contention.
The list of new members was approved. There were considerable differences in costs and
3. Committee election accessibility of the various Centres. Two were
The positions of Officers had been extended from considered as “front-runners” and will be
2021 to 2022 because of the pandemic. followed up bearing in mind complementation
The President, First and Second Vice-Presidents with other meetings, local support, accessibility,
were eligible and willing to be re-elected. The venues and costs.
General Secretary reported that he will not be 6. Miscellaneous
standing for re-election. The Treasurer had The Board recognized the outstanding contri-
agreed to be nominated as General Secretary and bution of the outgoing General Secretary and
would therefore not continue as Treasurer. thanked him for his remarkable contribution to
Thierry Lavabre-Bertrand agreed to be nomina- the Association over the past 22 years. He has
ted as Treasurer. The Board elected the Officers guided the Association to become the leading
of the Association as follows: professional society for Cytogeneticists across
Mariano Rocchi President the world, with enormous impact to all members
Kamlesh Madan First Vice-President from all different specialization. His dedication
Pat Heslop-Harrison Second Vice-President has allowed the Association to prosper with such
Jean-Michel Dupont General Secretary successful Congresses, courses and Newsletters,
Thierry Lavabre-Bertrand Treasurer and ensured the Governance has met the highest
Those elected and re-elected accepted the standards.
positions and were thanked. The next Board meeting is planned in Nimes,
4. ECA registered headquarters France in March 2023 in conjunction with the
The E.C.A. is a registered Association in France. E.C.A. European Advanced Postgraduate Course
The Board discussed a change in the registration in Classical and Molecular Cytogenetics. The
address within France (domiciliation of the next General Assembly will be organized in
E.C.A.) due to the much increased cost at the conjunction with ECC2023.
present address. The Treasurer Jean-Michel
Dupont presented a comprehensive analysis of The President closed the Board meeting at 20.10.
17EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION (E.C.A.)
European Advanced Postgraduate Course
in Classical and Molecular Cytogenetics
Director: Professor Jean-Michel Dupont, Paris - France
This course was started by Professor Jean Paul Bureau 25 years ago and has been held in Nîmes under his directorship until 2017. It is designed
to provide advanced training in constitutional, haematological, and oncological cytogenetics to medical graduates, pharmacists, pathologists,
biologists, health professionals and researchers, with an academic qualification. The students will be trained to identify genetic abnormalities for
diagnosis and prognosis, and for fundamental and applied research using both classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques. The course is co-
organized by E.C.A. and two French Universities.
Registration
You can select either
• Basic diploma : only the lectures and a final online examination
• Advanced diploma : same lectures + 2 months training in a cytogenetic laboratory, and onsite final examination in Paris
For registration, please send a letter of application with your CV to the organizers, Prof. Jean-Michel DUPONT (jean-
michel.dupont@aphp.fr) or to Prof. Thierry LAVABRE-BERTRAND (thierry.lavabre-bertrand@umontpellier. fr).
The registration fee to be paid by participants is €884. For payment by institutions and for more information, please contact the organizers.
Accommodation
A special price is available for participants in the 4* Vatel hotel close to the course venue (https://www.hotelvatel.fr/en/nimes) . We highly
recommend that all participants stay in this hotel where all the lecturers will be hosted in order to promote interactions during the course.
Scholarships
E.C.A. will award two scholarships covering the registration and accommodation fees. The Education Committee of the E.C.A. will select the
suitable candidate.
Scholarship will not be awarded to students whose registration is paid by a third party institution
Topics
Technical Aspects: Classical Cytogenetics: Cell culture techniques; Chromosome staining methods (Q-, G-, C-, R- banding and high resolution banding);
Molecular Cytogenetics: Methods and principles of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) and MFISH; Array CGH; Application of Massively Parallel
Sequencing to Cytogenetics; Production and use of molecular probes; Database use in Cytogenetics; Laboratory quality assessment.
Clinical cytogenetics: Basics: Frequency of chromosome disorders; Cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis, gametogenesis; Heterochromatic and euchromatic
variants; Numerical chromosome abnormalities; Structural abnormalities: translocations, inversions, insertions, deletions, rings, markers; Risk assessment
for balanced abnormalities; X inactivation; numerical and structural abnormalities of the X and the Y; Mosaicism; Chimaeras; ISCN 2020; Clinical: Phenotype
of common autosomal and gonosomal aneuploidies; Chromosome abnormalities in recurrent abortions; Cytogenetics and infertility; Microdeletion
syndromes; Uniparental disomy and its consequences; Genomic imprinting; Genetic counselling and ethical issues in cytogenetics; Prenatal diagnosis:
Indications, methods and interpretation; Risk assessment for chromosomal abnormalities; Non-invasive methods using foetal nucleic acids and foetal cells
in maternal blood; Pre-implantation diagnosis; Cancer Cytogenetics: Molecular approach to cancer cytogenetics; Predisposition to cancer, Chromosome
instability syndromes; Chromosome mutagenesis; Solid tumors; Clinical application in onco-haematology.
Other topics: Genome architecture; Structure of chromatin; Structure of metaphase chromosomes, Mechanisms of chromosome abberations; Origin of
aneuploidy; Evolution and plasticity of the human genome; Animal cytogenetics; Plant cytogenetics.E.C.A. - EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No. 51 January 2023
EUROPEAN CYTOGENETICISTS ASSOCIATION (E.C.A.)
European Advanced Postgraduate Course
in Classical and Molecular Cytogenetics
Director: Professor Jean-Michel Dupont, Paris – France
The course is scheduled to be held in Nîmes, France 20-26 March 2023.
2023 Course provisional programme
This approximately 55-hour theoretical part of the course attempts to cover the field of
cytogenetics in the broadest sense. The topics can be divided into the following categories:
Technical aspects:
Classical Cytogenetics: Cell culture techniques; Chromosome staining methods (Q-, G-, C-, R-
banding and high-resolution banding);
Molecular Cytogenetics: Methods and principles of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH)
and MFISH; Array CGH; Application of Massively Parallel Sequencing to Cytogenetics;
Production and use of molecular probes; Database use in Cytogenetics;
Laboratory quality assessment.
Clinical cytogenetics:
Basics: Frequency of chromosome disorders; Cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis, gametogenesis;
Heterochromatic and euchromatic variants; Numerical chromosome abnormalities; Structural
abnormalities: translocations, inversions, insertions, deletions, rings, markers; Risk assessment for
balanced abnormalities; X inactivation; numerical and structural abnormalities of the X and the Y;
Mosaicism; Chimaeras; ISCN 2020.
Clinical: Phenotype of common autosomal and gonosomal aneuploidies; Chromosome
abnormalities in recurrent abortions; Cytogenetics and infertility; Microdeletion syndromes;
Uniparental disomy and its consequences; Genomic imprinting; Genetic counselling and ethical
issues in cytogenetics.
Prenatal diagnosis: Indications, methods and interpretation; Risk assessment for chromosomal
abnormalities; Non-invasive methods using foetal nucleic acids and foetal cells in maternal blood;
Pre-implantation diagnosis.
Cancer Cytogenetics: Molecular approach to cancer cytogenetics; Predisposition to cancer,
Chromosome instability syndromes; Chromosome mutagenesis; Solid tumors; Clinical application
in onco-haematology.
Other:
Genome architecture; Structure of chromatin; Structure of metaphase chromosomes, Mechanisms
of chromosome abberations; Origin of aneuploidy; Evolution and plasticity of the human genome;
Animal cytogenetics; Plant cytogenetics.
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