Genetics

The ULB's Human Genetics Centre is organised in 5 sectors: 

• Preconception genetics aims to determine the risk of transmitting a genetic disease to descendants. In the case of in vitro fertilization (IVF), the preimplantation diagnosis makes it possible to select and implant embryos that do not carry the said disease (examples: cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, sickle cell anaemia, etc.)   
•  Prenatal genetics makes it possible to confirm or specify certain pathologies with which a foetus is already infected. Examples: Down syndrome, malformations, intellectual deficiency, etc.  
• Paediatric genetics: More than 70% of rare diseases are paediatric. Genetics makes it possible to make or refine a diagnosis, to avert the development and/or complications of the disease or to propose a treatment.   
• Adult genetics: A growing number of medical specialities have increasing recourse to genetic tests when treating certain diseases.   
• Oncogenetics has two principal fields of action:  

1. Predictive genetics aims to detect and quantify hereditary risks of cancer, in particular within the same family. Example: mutations of BRCA-1 and -2 that predispose women to breast and ovarian cancer.   
2. Pharmacogenetics involves checking whether a patient carries a gene that would respond positively to (cancer) treatment.   

The ULB's Human Genetics Centre analyses samples collected within the  CHORUS network (that brings together the hospitals of the Brussels University Hospital (HUB), the Iris network and the CHIREC group) and the Tivoli and Ambroise Paré University Hospitals with a view to genetic testing. The department cooperates with each of the 7 Belgian genetic centres for certain tests.   

• sequencing of the entire genome; 
• methylome sequencing, which can reveal certain rare diseases;   
• transcriptome analysis to identify what genes use what kind of cell;   
• very long genome sequences to characterise complex zones and variants in the DNA.