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i’m philip hospitalized and imagine a
i’m philip hospitalized and imagine a deceased i would like to show you a
deceased i would like to show you a
deceased i would like to show you a picture and ask you how you feel
happiness we all feel happy when we look
happiness we all feel happy when we look at pictures of babies our minds are
at pictures of babies our minds are
at pictures of babies our minds are genetically programmed to reach in a
genetically programmed to reach in a
genetically programmed to reach in a positive manner when we look at pictures
positive manner when we look at pictures
positive manner when we look at pictures of babies this genetically programming
of babies this genetically programming
of babies this genetically programming makes us happy makes us want to have
makes us happy makes us want to have
makes us happy makes us want to have them and protect them so you can imagine
them and protect them so you can imagine
them and protect them so you can imagine if you have not been through this
if you have not been through this
if you have not been through this experience already pregnancy it’s a time
experience already pregnancy it’s a time
experience already pregnancy it’s a time of a profound happiness and joy there is
of a profound happiness and joy there is
of a profound happiness and joy there is a great excitement but also anxiety and
a great excitement but also anxiety and
a great excitement but also anxiety and nervousness about things that could go
nervousness about things that could go
nervousness about things that could go wrong can you imagine how the family
wrong can you imagine how the family
wrong can you imagine how the family feels when the pregnancy is lost
feels when the pregnancy is lost
feels when the pregnancy is lost especially if it is not their fault the
especially if it is not their fault the
especially if it is not their fault the time of happiness becomes times of
time of happiness becomes times of
time of happiness becomes times of sadness after doing my PhD and training
sadness after doing my PhD and training
sadness after doing my PhD and training in the United States in the emerging
in the United States in the emerging
in the United States in the emerging field of genetics I returned to Cyprus
field of genetics I returned to Cyprus
field of genetics I returned to Cyprus in the early 90s at that time prenatal
in the early 90s at that time prenatal
in the early 90s at that time prenatal diagnosis which is the examination of
diagnosis which is the examination of
diagnosis which is the examination of the fetus for genetic diseases before
the fetus for genetic diseases before
the fetus for genetic diseases before birth was not offered in Cyprus prenatal
birth was not offered in Cyprus prenatal
birth was not offered in Cyprus prenatal diagnosis was carried out through
diagnosis was carried out through
diagnosis was carried out through invasive procedure of amniocentesis and
invasive procedure of amniocentesis and
invasive procedure of amniocentesis and all samples from pregnant women were
all samples from pregnant women were
all samples from pregnant women were sent to England for testing so in 1993 I
sent to England for testing so in 1993 I
sent to England for testing so in 1993 I established a laboratory and a team at
established a laboratory and a team at
established a laboratory and a team at the newly found Cyprus institute of
the newly found Cyprus institute of
the newly found Cyprus institute of neurology and genetics and offered
neurology and genetics and offered
neurology and genetics and offered prenatal diagnosis as a centralized
prenatal diagnosis as a centralized
prenatal diagnosis as a centralized genetic service facility for the whole
genetic service facility for the whole
genetic service facility for the whole country a service which is offered until
country a service which is offered until
country a service which is offered until today we started offering services to
today we started offering services to
today we started offering services to pregnant women
pregnant women
pregnant women and at the same time we are carrying out
and at the same time we are carrying out
and at the same time we are carrying out research for advancing prenatal
research for advancing prenatal
research for advancing prenatal diagnosis with the development of new
diagnosis with the development of new
diagnosis with the development of new methodologies and technologies research
methodologies and technologies research
methodologies and technologies research has taken us to a beautiful path
has taken us to a beautiful path
has taken us to a beautiful path initially at the level of the
initially at the level of the
initially at the level of the chromosomes and then we started going
chromosomes and then we started going
chromosomes and then we started going smaller and deeper to the parts of the
smaller and deeper to the parts of the
smaller and deeper to the parts of the chromosome to the level of the gene to a
chromosome to the level of the gene to a
chromosome to the level of the gene to a single letter of a single gene we
single letter of a single gene we
single letter of a single gene we developed new ways that enable us to
developed new ways that enable us to
developed new ways that enable us to analyze the DNA of the fetus in greater
analyze the DNA of the fetus in greater
analyze the DNA of the fetus in greater detail the outcome of our research made
detail the outcome of our research made
detail the outcome of our research made it possible to offer prenatal diagnosis
it possible to offer prenatal diagnosis
it possible to offer prenatal diagnosis for unprecedented number of genetic
for unprecedented number of genetic
for unprecedented number of genetic diseases I curate and fast results allow
diseases I curate and fast results allow
diseases I curate and fast results allow us to provide timely counseling to
us to provide timely counseling to
us to provide timely counseling to future parents so that was the positive
future parents so that was the positive
future parents so that was the positive side on the negative side prenatal
side on the negative side prenatal
side on the negative side prenatal diagnosis was possibly only through an
diagnosis was possibly only through an
diagnosis was possibly only through an invasive procedure known as
invasive procedure known as
invasive procedure known as amniocentesis it required the insertion
amniocentesis it required the insertion
amniocentesis it required the insertion of a big needle
of a big needle
of a big needle into the womb of a pregnant woman to
into the womb of a pregnant woman to
into the womb of a pregnant woman to collect cells from the embryo
unfortunately this invasive procedure
unfortunately this invasive procedure comes with risk one in 200 pregnancy is
comes with risk one in 200 pregnancy is
comes with risk one in 200 pregnancy is lost amniocentesis might cause fetal
lost amniocentesis might cause fetal
lost amniocentesis might cause fetal death to otherwise completely normal
death to otherwise completely normal
death to otherwise completely normal fetuses and that has often discouraged
fetuses and that has often discouraged
fetuses and that has often discouraged the majority of pregnant women from
the majority of pregnant women from
the majority of pregnant women from having prenatal diagnosis and that is
having prenatal diagnosis and that is
having prenatal diagnosis and that is understandable because if the pregnancy
understandable because if the pregnancy
understandable because if the pregnancy is lost and Fiddle death happened to you
is lost and Fiddle death happened to you
is lost and Fiddle death happened to you it is 100% yours few years ago
it is 100% yours few years ago
it is 100% yours few years ago a woman very close to my heart got
a woman very close to my heart got
a woman very close to my heart got pregnant after several years of trying
pregnant after several years of trying
pregnant after several years of trying to conceive she and her husband decided
to conceive she and her husband decided
to conceive she and her husband decided to use amniocentesis to get a prenatal
to use amniocentesis to get a prenatal
to use amniocentesis to get a prenatal diagnosis I was in the room with them
diagnosis I was in the room with them
diagnosis I was in the room with them for emotional support when the procedure
for emotional support when the procedure
for emotional support when the procedure took place few hours later the mother to
took place few hours later the mother to
took place few hours later the mother to be in panic reported feeling her belly
be in panic reported feeling her belly
be in panic reported feeling her belly shrinking and she was leaking fluid the
shrinking and she was leaking fluid the
shrinking and she was leaking fluid the doctor found that the amniotic sac has
doctor found that the amniotic sac has
doctor found that the amniotic sac has ruptured and this precious pregnancy
ruptured and this precious pregnancy
ruptured and this precious pregnancy would be lost the story doesn’t end here
would be lost the story doesn’t end here
would be lost the story doesn’t end here the following days were tragic she was
the following days were tragic she was
the following days were tragic she was going to the doctor every day only to
going to the doctor every day only to
going to the doctor every day only to observe the embryos heartbeat falling
observe the embryos heartbeat falling
observe the embryos heartbeat falling day by day it took days of agony and
day by day it took days of agony and
day by day it took days of agony and desperation until the fetus passed away
desperation until the fetus passed away
desperation until the fetus passed away I was asked to examine the fetus for
I was asked to examine the fetus for
I was asked to examine the fetus for genetic abnormalities and I found it was
genetic abnormalities and I found it was
genetic abnormalities and I found it was normal a normal fetus of female gender
normal a normal fetus of female gender
normal a normal fetus of female gender who was lost because of the invasive
who was lost because of the invasive
who was lost because of the invasive procedure I was personally witnessing
procedure I was personally witnessing
procedure I was personally witnessing the negative side of prenatal diagnosis
the negative side of prenatal diagnosis
the negative side of prenatal diagnosis the field of science to which I have
the field of science to which I have
the field of science to which I have devoted my life and despite my years of
devoted my life and despite my years of
devoted my life and despite my years of training and experience it shocked me to
training and experience it shocked me to
training and experience it shocked me to the core another way had to be found for
the core another way had to be found for
the core another way had to be found for parents to get to know their child
parents to get to know their child
parents to get to know their child before birth safer easier accurate a new
before birth safer easier accurate a new
before birth safer easier accurate a new beginning I started focusing my research
beginning I started focusing my research
beginning I started focusing my research in developing a non-invasive prenatal
in developing a non-invasive prenatal
in developing a non-invasive prenatal diagnosis that will constitute
diagnosis that will constitute
diagnosis that will constitute zero risk for the pregnancy laws and
zero risk for the pregnancy laws and
zero risk for the pregnancy laws and make the widespread use of prenatal
make the widespread use of prenatal
make the widespread use of prenatal diagnosis safe for all pregnant women
diagnosis safe for all pregnant women
diagnosis safe for all pregnant women worldwide the objective of our research
worldwide the objective of our research
worldwide the objective of our research was to make the testing non-invasive to
was to make the testing non-invasive to
was to make the testing non-invasive to make it accurate to make it reliable and
make it accurate to make it reliable and
make it accurate to make it reliable and most importantly to make it safe for
most importantly to make it safe for
most importantly to make it safe for both the mother and the fetus and
both the mother and the fetus and
both the mother and the fetus and eventually to advance it for all
eventually to advance it for all
eventually to advance it for all pregnancies and for all pregnant women
attest that all women can take without
attest that all women can take without any fear these was the goal that not
any fear these was the goal that not
any fear these was the goal that not just my team but several other research
just my team but several other research
just my team but several other research groups in the world were actively
groups in the world were actively
groups in the world were actively working on today after several years of
working on today after several years of
working on today after several years of intensive research we have made it we
intensive research we have made it we
intensive research we have made it we have developed innovative technologies
have developed innovative technologies
have developed innovative technologies that carry out non-invasive prenatal
that carry out non-invasive prenatal
that carry out non-invasive prenatal testing for prenatal diagnosis to
testing for prenatal diagnosis to
testing for prenatal diagnosis to describe it in brief the placenta of the
describe it in brief the placenta of the
describe it in brief the placenta of the fetus releases DNA from the cells that
fetus releases DNA from the cells that
fetus releases DNA from the cells that go through apoptosis to the blood stream
go through apoptosis to the blood stream
go through apoptosis to the blood stream of the pregnant woman these residual
of the pregnant woman these residual
of the pregnant woman these residual amounts of fetal DNA is called cell free
amounts of fetal DNA is called cell free
amounts of fetal DNA is called cell free fetal DNA and flows into the mother’s
fetal DNA and flows into the mother’s
fetal DNA and flows into the mother’s blood we collect a blood sample from the
blood we collect a blood sample from the
blood we collect a blood sample from the arm without any risk to the mother and
arm without any risk to the mother and
arm without any risk to the mother and the fetus and then from the blood sample
the fetus and then from the blood sample
the fetus and then from the blood sample we extracted this cell free DNA we get
we extracted this cell free DNA we get
we extracted this cell free DNA we get the desirable results by doing
the desirable results by doing
the desirable results by doing innovative genetic tests which analyzes
innovative genetic tests which analyzes
innovative genetic tests which analyzes these residual amounts of cell-free DNA
these residual amounts of cell-free DNA
these residual amounts of cell-free DNA using complex genetic technology and
using complex genetic technology and
using complex genetic technology and bioinformatics therefore a non-invasive
bioinformatics therefore a non-invasive
bioinformatics therefore a non-invasive prenatal testing requires a small amount
prenatal testing requires a small amount
prenatal testing requires a small amount of blood from the arm of a pregnant
of blood from the arm of a pregnant
of blood from the arm of a pregnant woman very early in pregnancy and has up
woman very early in pregnancy and has up
woman very early in pregnancy and has up absolutely no risk for the fetus it can
absolutely no risk for the fetus it can
absolutely no risk for the fetus it can be used without hesitation by all
be used without hesitation by all
be used without hesitation by all pregnant women who wish to do prenatal
pregnant women who wish to do prenatal
pregnant women who wish to do prenatal diagnosis it provides results fast three
diagnosis it provides results fast three
diagnosis it provides results fast three to four days very accurate higher than
to four days very accurate higher than
to four days very accurate higher than 99% and the less expensive as it cost
99% and the less expensive as it cost
99% and the less expensive as it cost less than the invasive procedure
non-invasive prenatal testing is now
non-invasive prenatal testing is now made available to millions of pregnant
made available to millions of pregnant
made available to millions of pregnant women worldwide and is widely accepted
women worldwide and is widely accepted
women worldwide and is widely accepted by the public and the health care
by the public and the health care
by the public and the health care professionals all around the world with
professionals all around the world with
professionals all around the world with zero risks nowadays and with these new
zero risks nowadays and with these new
zero risks nowadays and with these new technology every mother can get to know
technology every mother can get to know
technology every mother can get to know their child your child before birth this
their child your child before birth this
their child your child before birth this is a new beginning in the 21st century
is a new beginning in the 21st century
is a new beginning in the 21st century you don’t have to stick a needle into a
you don’t have to stick a needle into a
you don’t have to stick a needle into a woman’s belly to get the data in this
woman’s belly to get the data in this
woman’s belly to get the data in this new year of genetic testing we moved
new year of genetic testing we moved
new year of genetic testing we moved from the dimensions of asking for more
from the dimensions of asking for more
from the dimensions of asking for more and better prenatal diagnosis to another
and better prenatal diagnosis to another
and better prenatal diagnosis to another dimension for asking for safer more
dimension for asking for safer more
dimension for asking for safer more effective and holistic prenatal
effective and holistic prenatal
effective and holistic prenatal diagnosis back in the 90s people in
diagnosis back in the 90s people in
diagnosis back in the 90s people in Cyprus had to ship their blood samples
Cyprus had to ship their blood samples
Cyprus had to ship their blood samples to another country for testing now not
to another country for testing now not
to another country for testing now not only we do prenatal diagnosis for all
only we do prenatal diagnosis for all
only we do prenatal diagnosis for all the samples in Cyprus but we receive and
the samples in Cyprus but we receive and
the samples in Cyprus but we receive and test thousands of samples from many
test thousands of samples from many
test thousands of samples from many countries around the world in this
countries around the world in this
countries around the world in this journey of improving prenatal diagnosis
journey of improving prenatal diagnosis
journey of improving prenatal diagnosis I’m privileged to work with a group of
I’m privileged to work with a group of
I’m privileged to work with a group of brilliant scientists we continue to
brilliant scientists we continue to
brilliant scientists we continue to share our knowledge knowledge our
share our knowledge knowledge our
share our knowledge knowledge our experience our ideas our commitment and
experience our ideas our commitment and
experience our ideas our commitment and focus is to come up with the technology
focus is to come up with the technology
focus is to come up with the technology to offer non-invasive prenatal testing
to offer non-invasive prenatal testing
to offer non-invasive prenatal testing for all genetic diseases
for all genetic diseases
for all genetic diseases to expand it in the field of cancer
to expand it in the field of cancer
to expand it in the field of cancer offering better diagnosis prevention
offering better diagnosis prevention
offering better diagnosis prevention therapy selection better clinical
therapy selection better clinical
therapy selection better clinical management with a simple and safe
management with a simple and safe
management with a simple and safe non-invasive blood test rather than
non-invasive blood test rather than
non-invasive blood test rather than complicated and painful biopsies and
complicated and painful biopsies and
complicated and painful biopsies and surgeries to expand in the field of
surgeries to expand in the field of
surgeries to expand in the field of personalized medicine the end goal is to
personalized medicine the end goal is to
personalized medicine the end goal is to move towards 100% non-invasive we
move towards 100% non-invasive we
move towards 100% non-invasive we another brilliant scientific teams in
another brilliant scientific teams in
another brilliant scientific teams in the world we will certainly get there
the world we will certainly get there
the world we will certainly get there thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
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