Evaluating the Family After Sudden Death in the Young

Understand the importance of postmortem genetic testing and the evaluation of other surviving family members after a sudden cardiac death. Identify the pathology and causes of sudden cardiac death in the young.

Only the live session qualifies for CEUs but when possible, we host the recordings on our website and NSGC recommends participants to use their personal email instead of work email addresses to ensure they receive their CEU certificates.

Ambry Genetics is approved as a provider for continuing education program by NSGC and ASCLS P.A.C.E ® Program.

Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D. | Presenter

Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics & Pharmacology, Mayo Clinic

Director, Long QT Syndrome Clinic and the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory

President of Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes Foundation Board of Trustees

Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., genetic cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, studies genomics and genotype-phenotype relationships in heritable cardiovascular diseases predisposing to sudden death.

In the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory, Dr. Ackerman’s research interests include genomics, mutational analysis and novel gene discovery related to the cardiac channelopathies such as long QT syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and sudden unexplained death, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and inherited sarcomere diseases.

In addition, as director of the Long QT Syndrome Clinic, Dr. Ackerman has active clinical and translational research efforts devoted to identifying individuals at greatest risk of sudden death.

Mary Sheppard, MD, FRCPath | Presenter

Head of Cardiovascular Pathology, Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's Medical School, University of London

Mary N. Sheppard is head of Cardiovascular Pathology in the Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's Medical School, University of London. Mary does research in cardiac pathology with a specific interest in sudden cardiac death. She also serves as president of pathology section at Royal Society of Medicine. Mary runs a national referral center in United Kingdom for pathologists seeking an expert opinion on a cardiac case. She has a national database which provides valuable research in this area. She has the largest research archive of cardiac pathology in the world.

Mary Hardies, RN | Presenter

Registered Nurse, Community Mental Health

Mary and her husband had 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls. September 2002, they lost their 13 year old son in what was initially deemed an accidental hunting accident, and December 25, 2007, their 21 year old daughter had a Torsades event, that eventually resulted in her death. These events began the Hardies family journey with Long QT Syndrome, Type 2 and genetic testing. Three of her grandchildren are also LQT2 positive.

Jessica Gage, MS, CGC | Moderator

Genomic Science Liaison, Ambry Genetics

Jessica Gage is a Specialty Genomic Science Liaison at Ambry Genetics for the West Coast Region. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Penn State University and her Master of Science in Genetic Counseling at California State University – Stanislaus. In her current role, she serves as a clinical liaison for the field team to educate health care providers and key opinion leaders on genetic testing and genomic medicine. Jessica is a licensed genetic counselor by the California Department of Health and is board-certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.