Medical Genetics clinical staff profiles

Robin Bennett , M.S., C.G.C.

Genetic Counselor & Manager,
Medical Genetics Clinics

Box 357720, CHDD 411
Phone: 206 598-4030
FAX: 206 598-3296
Email: robinb@u.washington.edu

Since graduating in 1984 from the Sarah Lawrence Human Genetics Program, Ms. Bennett has served as Senior Genetic Counselor and Clinic Manager for the University of Washington Medical Genetics Clinics. She is certified in genetic counseling by the American Board of Medical Genetics and the American Board of Genetic Counseling. She is a nominee for the 2003 University of Washington Distinguished Staff Award.

In 1995 Ms. Bennett was honored with the Regional Leadership Award of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. In 2001 her work on developing genetic counseling practice guidelines for consanguinity received the NSGC award for the best abstract, and the publication of this work in the April 2002 issue of the Journal of Genetic Counseling received world-wide acclaim. Ms. Bennett has been a forerunner in the development of genetic counseling practice recommendations including developing criterion for pedigree nomenclature that are now the world standard and they are included in the American Medical Association Manual of Style.

She is a popular speaker and has extensive publications related to her work in Huntington disease, consanguinity, neurogenetics, cancer genetics, inborn errors of metabolism, genetic family history, and ethical issues in genetic counseling and genetic testing. She has authored two books including the recent release, The Practical Guide to the Genetic Family History.

Ms. Bennett is President of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (www.nsgc.org) and serves on the Steering Committees of the Coalition for Genetic Fairness as well as the Board of the NCHPEG—the National Coalition for Health Care Professional Education in Genetics (www.nchpeg.org) where she is Chair of the Family History Working Group. She was a member of the Genetics Privacy, Discrimination and Research Legislative Task Force (GTF) of the Washington State Board of Health (www.doh.wa.gov/sboh/).

Representative Articles

Kayes LM, Riccardi VM, Burke W, Bennett RL, Stephens K (1992) Large de novo DNA deletion in a patient with sporadic neurofibromatosis I, mental retardation and dysmorphism. J Med Genet 29:686-690.

Bennett RL, Bird TD, Teri L (1993) Offering predictive testing for Huntington disease in a medical genetics clinic: Practical applications. J Genet Couns 2:123-138.

Bennett RL, Steinhaus KA, Uhrich SB, O'Sullivan C (1993) The need for developing standardized human pedigree nomenclature. J Genet Couns 2:261-273.

Bird TD, Bennett RL, Lipe HP (1993) The consequences of testing for Huntington's disease (letter;comment). N Engl J Med 328:1046.

Kayes LM, Burke W, Riccardi VM, Bennett R, Ehrlich P, Rubenstein A, Stephens K (1994) Deletions spanning the neurofibromatosis 1 gene: Identification and phenotype of five patients. Am J Hum Genet 54:424-436.

Wildin RS, Antush MJ, Bennett RL, Schoof JM, Scott CR (1994) Heterogeneous AVPR2 gene mutations in congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Am J Hum Genet 55:266-277.

Bennett RL, Steinhaus KA, Uhrich SB, O'Sullivan C, Resta RG, Doyle DL, Markel D, Vincent V, Haminishi J (1995) Recommendations for standardized human pedigree nomenclature. Am J Hum Genet 56:745-752. Reprinted in J Genet Couns (1996) Japanese J Hum Genet 1996

Steinhaus KA, Bennett RL, Uhrich SB, Resta RG, Doyle DL, Markel D, Vincent V
(1995) Inconsistencies in pedigree symbols in human genetics publications:
A need for standardization. Am J Med Genet 56 (5):291-295.

Bird TD, Bennett RL (1995) Why Do DNA testing? Practical and ethical implications of new neurogenetic tests. Annals of Neurology 38(2):141-146.

Evans JP, Burke W, Chen R, Bennett RL, Schmidt RA, Dellinger EP, Kimmey M, Crispin D, Brentall

TA, Byrd DR (1995) Familial pancreatic adenocarcinoma: association with diabetes and early molecular diagnosis. J Med Genet 32:330-335.

Leggett ME, Unger TA, O'Sullivan CK, Zwink TR, Bennett RL, Byers PH, Otto CM
(1996) Aortic root complications in Marfan syndrome: identification of a lower risk group. Heart. 75:389- 395.

McKinnon WC, Baty B, Bennett RL, Magee M, Neufeld-Kaiser W, Paters K, Sawyer
J, Schneider K (1997) Predisposition genetic testing for late-onset
disorders in adults: A points to consider document of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. JAMA 278:1217-1220

Bennett RL, Karayiorgou M, Sobin CA, Norwood TH, Kay MA (1997) Identification of an interstitial deletion in an adult female with schizophrenia, mental retardation, and dysmorphic features: further support for a putative schizophrenia susceptibility locus at 5q21.23.1. Am J Hum Genet 61:1450-1454.

Nance MA, Seltzer W, Ashizawa T, Bennett R, McIntosh N, Myers RH, Potter NT, Shea DK (1997) Laboratory guidelines for Huntington disease genetic testing. The American College of Medical Genetics Working Group on Genetic Testing. Am J Hum Genet 62:1243-1247.

Marymee K, Dolan CR, Pagon RA, Bennett RL, Coe S, Fisher N (1998) Development of the Critical Elements of Genetic Counseling for genetic professionals and perinatologists in Washington State. J Genet Couns 7:133-165.

Bennett RL, Hudgins, Louanne, Smith CO, Motulsky AG (1999) Inconsistencies in genetic counseling and screening for consanguineous couples and their offspring: a need for practice guidelines. Genet Med 1:286-292.

Bennett RL (1999) The family tree. Genet Med 1(3):119-120.

McIntosh N, Gane LW, McConkie-Rosell A, Bennett RL (2000) Genetic counseling for fragile X
syndrome: recommendations of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. J Genet Couns 9(4):303-326. Also on National Guideline Clearinghouse Website, www.guideline.gov

Linenberger ML, Kindelan J, Bennett RL, Reiner AP, Cote HCF (2000) Fibrinogen Bellingham: A gamma-chain R275C substitution and a beta-promotor polymorphism in a thrombotic member of an asymptomatic family. Am J Hemat 64:242-250. Bennett RL (2000) Pedigree parables. Clin Genet 48:241-249 (invited editorial).

Bennett RL, Motulsky AG, Bittles AH, Uhrich SA, Doyle DL, Silvey KA, Cheng E, Steiner RA, McGillivray B (2002) Genetic counseling and screening of consanguineous couples and their offspring: recommendations of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. J Genet Couns 11(2):97-119. Letter to the Editor, Reply to Becker and Morgan, J Genet Couns, Oct. 2002

Bennett RL, Hart K, O'Rourke E, Johnson J, Barranger JA, Pastores G, Steiner RA, Thadhani R (2002) Fabry disease in genetic counseling practice: recommendations of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. J Genet Couns 11(2):121-146.

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