#29-Cancer Genetic Testing Access: Lessons from Point-of-Care & Primary Care

In this episode of DNA Dialogues, we explore two innovative approaches to improving access to genetic testing and hereditary cancer care. First, Daniella Kamara and Mariana Niell Swiller discuss UCLA's GENETECA™ program, a point-of-care genetic testing model that integrates cancer genetic services directly into oncology clinics. In the second half of the episode, Tesla Theoryn discusses research examining why many people who express interest in genetic testing never complete the process. The conversation explores how life circumstances, privacy and insurance concerns, changing readiness, and healthcare system barriers influence decision-making over time.

Segment 1: From the ground up: Launching GENETECA™ (GENetic education and TEsting for CAncer) a point-of-care cancer genetics service at an academic medical center

Guest Bios:

Daniella Kamara, MS, LCGC is a cancer genetic counselor at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She has been a cancer genetic counselor for over 10 years and works both in the clinical and research settings helping individuals and families who face a hereditary predisposition to cancer. She has contributed to various research studies over the years aiming to increase access to hereditary cancer testing, creating novel models for support for individuals and their family members, and exploring population-based testing models. She is passionate about supporting patients and their family members to feel empowered by their genetic test results and finding ways to make it easier to navigate healthcare for those facing a hereditary predisposition to cancer.

Mariana Niell-Swiller, MS, CGC, is a board-certified genetic counselor with 20 years of

experience specializing in hereditary cancer risk assessment. She holds a BS in Biology

from Cornell University and an MS in Genetic Counseling from Brandeis University, and

began her clinical career after working as a molecular genetics laboratory technician in

neurogenetics. She has since held clinical and leadership roles across a range of

settings, from community hospitals to academic medical centers.

In her current role as Director of Cancer Genetics at UCLA Health, Mariana leads both

clinical program development and innovative IT infrastructure to expand access to