Dr. Alison Elliott

Principal Investigator

Alison Elliott is a PhD geneticist and board certified genetic counsellor, having obtained her undergraduate degree in Life Sciences at Queen’s University in Kingston and her Master’s in Science in genetic counselling at the University of Cincinnati. Her doctoral and postdoctoral work was at the University of Manitoba on limb malformations. Her research interests include rare disease, skeletal disorders, health implementation science, genomics and genetic counselling. She has worked at McGill University, Cedars Sinai Hospital and was the Program Director of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics for the Provincial Health Authority in Winnipeg, where she established Canada’s most recent MSc training program in Genetic Counselling.

Alison relocated to Vancouver in October 2014 and was the Project Lead for two genomic sequencing initiatives (CAUSES and RAPIDOMICS) and is the current Project Lead for a Genome Canada LSARP grant “GenCOUNSEL – Optimization of Genetic counselling with implementation of genome-wide sequencing". As of 2024, Dr. Elliott is the Principal Investigator for a CIHR grant "Strengthening the Healthcare Workforce: Enhancing Genetic Counselling Access and Efficiency".

Alison is an Associate Professor in Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia and an Investigator at the BC Children’s and Women’s Health Research Institutes. In 2018, she was awarded the CAGC Professional Practice, Innovation and Advocacy Leadership national award

Dr. Tasha Wainstein

Research Genetic Counsellor

Tasha Wainstein is an experienced genetic counsellor originally from Johannesburg, South Africa. She practiced as a clinical genetic counsellor for several years, with an interest in cancer genetics. She was also involved in research and was a lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, responsible for teaching and supervising genetic counselling trainees.

Since moving to British Columbia, Canada in December 2018, Tasha has worked with the GenCOUNSEL study as a research genetic counsellor. She recently completed her PhD at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in the Department of Medical Genetics. The focus of her research was a mixed methods evaluation of the lived experiences, psychological adaptation, and identity development in adolescents with genetic conditions. Her research aims to optimize genetic counselling for the adolescent population. Her PhD was co-supervised by Dr. Alison M. Elliott and Dr. Jehannine (J9) Austin. Tasha’s research is highly acclaimed and she has been awarded prestigious national funding scholarships as well as best abstract and poster awards at local and international conferences. In 2023, she was awarded the James Miller Memorial Prize for leadership, collaboration, independence, originality, and creative thinking, the top PhD prize in the Department of Medical Genetics at UBC. She was also named as the recipient of the 2023/24 Outstanding Achievement by a Doctoral Student Award by the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. 

Tasha is interested in ethics and completed a clinical bioethics fellowship during her PhD. She has also developed a particular interest in qualitative research methods. Tasha teaches qualitative methods for genetic counsellors for graduate programs in Canada and the USA and currently serves as Deputy Editor of the Journal of Genetic Counseling

Courtney Cook

Research Genetic Counsellor

Courtney is a board-certified genetic counsellor. She received her BSc in Biology and English Literature from the University of British Columbia (UBC) followed by her MSc in Genetic Counselling from UBC.  

She has been a part of the Elliott lab since 2021 working as a research genetic counsellor on the GenCOUNSEL project. In her role with GenCOUNSEL she coordinated a study evaluating family-centered care at BC Children’s Hospital and has contributed to research exploring genetic counsellor’s role in utilization management initiatives.

Courtney is a co-investigator on the Workforce Transformation project exploring ways to strengthen the genetic counselling healthcare workforce by integrating genetic counsellors in novel practice areas and evaluating innovative service delivery models. Courtney also has experience working as a clinical cancer genetic counsellor at BC Cancer in the Hereditary Cancer Program. She is involved with the UBC Genetic Counselling MSc program as a lecturer, clinical supervisor and research supervisor.

Lauren Piers

Research Genetic Counsellor

Lauren Piers is a genetic counsellor with the RapidOmics 2.0 research project, which aims to investigate the clinical and personal utility of long read genome wide sequencing in a neonatal and pediatric cohort. She is a recent graduate of the UBC Genetic Counselling Program and worked as a cancer genetic counsellor prior to working with RapidOmics. Her previous research involves examining non-genetic healthcare providers (HCPs) experiences and perspectives of rapid genome wide sequencing in British Columbia NICUs with the goal of informing resources for non-genetic HCPs implementing rapid genome wide sequencing in NICUs

Carly Pistawka

Research Assistant

Carly is a BSc graduate of the UBC-BCIT Honours in Biotechnology program. As a disabled individual and lifelong patient, Carly is passionate about accessibility and equity in healthcare services in Canada. Carly is a Research Assistant in the Elliott lab, where she has been since 2022 when joining originally as a Work Learn student. She supports the lab in several capacities, including as a second author on recent scoping reviews.

Henry Okpaladigbo

Research Coordinator

Henry Okpaladigbo completed his Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences from Simon Fraser University. Through his academic education, Henry gained a thorough understanding of the complex interplay between social, behavioral, and biological factors in health. His studies in community health initiatives and health policy equipped him to apply his knowledge practically, addressing specific health challenges within diverse cultural contexts.

To further develop his research skills, Henry joined the Clinical Research Support Unit, supporting projects with various departments at BC Children’s Hospital; the Clinical Teaching Unit, Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology Division, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Health Bridge. Henry’s contributions in these departments surrounded patient engagement and study oversight, where he learned ethical practices on patient recruitment, study start-up, and engaging patient partners, fostering collaboration and ensuring research integrity.

Henry is excited to continue supporting research at BC Children's with the goal of advancing healthcare practices and ensuring compliance and ethical standards are met throughout research processes.

 

Sunu (Isabel) Kim

PhD Candidate

Sunu (Isabel) Kim (she/her) is a PhD candidate (supervisor Dr. Alison M. Elliott) in the Medical Genetics Department at the University of British Columbia. She graduated from McGill University with a BSc in Microbiology and Immunology. In 2022, Isabel joined the Elliott lab working on the GenCOUNSEL Study to focus on families undergoing genetic testing in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). She has recently published (as first author) a Scoping Review: “Genetic counselling considerations with genetic/genomic testing in Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units: A scoping review” (Clinical Genetics; doi: 10.1111/cge.14446).

Isabel's research aims to optimize the genetic testing experience for parents in critical care settings. She was awarded a CGS-M graduate scholarship (CIHR MSc) and a UBC MEDG Four Year Fellowship. Her prospective study includes developing and validating a tool to routinely measure parental empowerment in NICUs and PICUs with respect to genetic testing

Kennedy Austin

Master's Student 

Kennedy is a Masters student at the University of British Columbia in the department of Medical Genetics. Kennedy is originally from Ontario, where she also completed her Bachelor of Science at McMaster University in Molecular Biology and Genetics. Since moving to Vancouver in September of 2023, she has been conducting research in the Elliott Lab.

Kennedy’s thesis project aims to understand feelings of empowerment of adolescent patients (ages 10-19) with chronic medical conditions in the neurology and orthopedic clinics at BC Children's Hospital, which is being collected through validated surveys and interviews. She is hoping to identify concerns related to empowerment and disability in adolescents which will help to address areas in which to improve adolescent patient care. 

Natalia Bartlomowicz

Capstone Student

Natalia is in her fourth year of undergraduate studies at UBC, majoring in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience. As a capstone student in the Elliott lab, she is building a website to promote awareness and access of online support resources for pediatric chronic illness patients. Natalia is a strong advocate for mental health and wellbeing, aiming to make the world a more kind-hearted place for all.

Shirley Shi

Work Learn Student W25

Shirley is a third-year Honours Pharmacology student at UBC. She is interested in improving patient care by strengthening the health workforce. As a Work Learn student at the Elliott Lab, she assists graduate students with their research and contributes to the WorkForce Transformations project, with a particular focus on integrating genetic counsellors to empower multi-disciplinary healthcare teams in primary care settings.

 

2025

Kolar T,  Cook CB, Cooper A, Blydt-Hansen T, Connolly MB, Boelman C, Chhina H, Datta A, Demos M, Hildebrand K, Selby K, Shen Y, Wenderfer S, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM. Evaluating Family-Centred Care at BC Children’s Hospital: Healthcare Providers’ Perspectives. Journal of Evaluation of Clinical Practice. [link] 

Austin K, Pistawka C, Ross CJD, Selby KA, Virani A, Kitchin V, Elliott AM. Empowerment in Adolescent Patients with a Disability/Chronic Condition: A Scoping Review. Children. [link]

Cook CB, Pistawka C, Elliott AM. The impact of genetic counselor involvement in genetic and genomic test order review: A scoping review. Genetics in Medicine. IN PRESS

 

 

2024

Wainstein T, Yeung D, Jennings L; GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM. Adolescents' implicit and explicit attitudes toward their peers with genetic conditions. J Adolescence. [link]

Blanche E, Wainstein T, Dey A; GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM. (2024). Genetic counselors' research dissemination practices and attitudes. Journal of Genetic Counseling. 33(2):413-424. [link]

Wainstein T, Yeung D, Jennings L; GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM. (2024). Adolescents' implicit and explicit attitudes toward their peers with genetic conditions. Journal of Adolescence. [link]

Birch P, Beauchesne R, Bansback N, Boelman C, Connolly M, Demos M, Friedman JM, Race S, Stockler S, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM, Adam S. (2024). Where there is no genetic counsellor: An online decision-aid supports patients’ diagnostic genomic testing choices. Genetics in Medicine. [link]

Rojas SK, Adam S; GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM, Zawati MH. Genetic counselors outside of the genetics clinic: Roles, practices, and ethico-legal implications in light of lagging legal recognition across Canada. Journal of Genetic Counseling. [link]

Piers L, Wainstein T, Pelligra G, Osiovich H, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM. Non-Genetic Healthcare Providers’ Experiences and Perspectives with Rapid Genome-Wide Sequencing in Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Children. [link]

 

2023

Kim S, Pistawka C, Langlois S, Osiovich H, Virani A, Kitchin V, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM. Genetic counselling considerations with genetic/genomic testing in Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units: A scoping review. Clinical Genetics [link]

Wainstein T, Elliott AM, Austin J. Promoting methodological integrity in qualitative genetic counseling research: Insights arising from the commentary by Lynch, Gillam, and Vears. J Genet Couns [link]

Beauchesne R, Birch P, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM. Genetic Counselling Resource in non-English Languages: A scoping review. PEC Innovation. [link]

Grant P, Cook CB, Langlois S, Nuk J, Mung SW, Zhang Q, GenCOUNSEL Study, Lynd LD, Austin J, Elliott AM. Evaluation of out-of-pocket pay genetic testing in a publicly funded healthcare system. Clinical Genetics [link]

Wainstein T, Ellliott AM, Austin J. Considerations for the Use of Qualitative Methodologies in Genetic Counseling Research. J Genet Couns [link]

Wainstein T, Campbell T, Jonoska B, Lavoie PM, Elliott AM. Implementing genomics in the neonatal period: An assessment of parental decision making and anxiety. J Genet Couns [link]

Heaton, J., Wainstein, T.; CAUSES Study; GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott, A. M., & Austin, J. (2023). The experiences of adolescent siblings of children with rare genetic conditions: “It's made me who I am”. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 32, 224– 234. [link]

Grant, P, Cook, CB, Langlois, S, et al. Evaluation of out-of-pocket pay genetic testing in a publicly funded healthcare system. Clinical Genetics. 2023; 103( 4): 424- 433. [link]

Rodriguez Llorian E, Kopac N, Waliji LA, Borle K, Dragojlovic N, Elliott AM, Lynd L. (2023). A Rapid Review on the Value of Biobanks Containing Genetic Information. Value Health. [link]

Dragojlovic N, Borle K, Kopac N, Nisselle A, Nuk J, Jevon M, Friedman JM, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM, Lynd LD. (2023). Workforce implications of increased referrals to hereditary cancer services in Canada: a scenario-based analysis. Current Oncology. [link]

 

2022

Borle K, Kopac N, Dragojlovic N, Rodriguez Llorian E, Friedman JM, Elliott AM, & Lynd LD. (2022). Where is genetic medicine headed? Exploring the perspectives of Canadian genetic professionals on future trends using the Delphi method. European Journal of Human Genetics. [link]

Wainstein T, Marshall SK, Ross CJD, Virani A, GenCOUNSEL Study, Austin JC, Elliott AM. (2022). Experiences With Genetic Counseling, Testing, and Diagnosis Among Adolescents With a Genetic Condition: A Scoping Review. JAMA Pediatrics. [link] 

Handra J, Guimond C, Jordan I, Lenahan B, Ohs K, Beauchesne R, Adam S, Friedman JM, Birch P. (2022). A personalized genomic results e-booklet, co-designed and pilot-tested by families.  Patient Education and Counselling – Innovation. [link] 

Cheung F, Birch P, Friedman JM, CAUSES Study, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM,  Adam S. The long-term impact of receiving incidental findings on parents undergoing genome-wide sequencing. (2022). Journal of Genetic Counseling. [link]

Slomp C, Morris E, GenCOUNSEL Study, Price M, Elliott AM, Austin J. The stepwise process of integrating a genetic counsellor into primary care. (2022) European Journal of Human Genetics. [link]

 

2021

Grant P,  Langlois S, Lynd L; GenCOUNSEL Study, Austin J, Elliott AM. Out-of-pocket pay in clinical genetic testing: a scoping review. Clinical Genetics. [link]

Enns EA, Wainstein T, Dragojlovic N, Kopac N, GenCOUNSEL Study, Lynd LD, Elliott AM. (2021). Far and Wide: Exploring provider utilization of remote service provision for genome-wide sequencing in Canada. Molecular Genetics and Genomic Medicine. [link]

Borle K, Dey A, Carrion P, Slomp C, GenCOUNSEL Study, Austin J, Elliott AM. (2021). COVID-19 and Genetic Counselling Research: A Lesson in Resiliency. Journal of Genetic Counseling. [link]

Lambert DM, Patrinos D, Knoppers BM, Zawati MH. (2021). Genetic counselors and legal recognition: A made-for-Canada approach. Journal of Genetic Counseling. [link]

Liang N, Adam S, Elliott AM, Siemens A, du Souich C, CAUSES Study, GenCOUNSEL Study, Friedman JM, Birch P. (2021). Beyond the Diagnostic Odyssey: After Genomic Results: Parents’ Long-Term Views. Journal of Genetic Counseling. [link]

Dragojlovic N, Kopac N, Borle K, Tandun R, Salmasi S, Ellis U, Birch P, Adam S, Friedman J, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM, Lynd LD. (2021). Utilization of clinical genetics services in high-income countries: A scoping review. Health Policy. [link]

 

2020

Dragojlovic N, Borle K, Kopac N, Ellis U, Birch P, Adam S, Friedman JM, Nisselle A, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott AM, Lynd LD. (2020). The composition and capacity of the clinical genetics workforce in high-income countries: a scoping review. Genetics in Medicine. [link]

Patrinos D, Caron R, Knoppers BM, GenCOUNSEL Study, Zawati MH, “Genetic Counsellors, Legal Recognition and the Road Less Travelled.” (2020) McGill Journal of Law and Health. [link]

Aldridge CE, Osiovich H, Siden H, RAPIDOMICS Study, GenCOUNSEL Study,  Elliott AM. Rapid genome‐wide sequencing in a neonatal intensive care unit: A retrospective qualitative exploration of parental experiences. (2020). Journal of Genetic Counseling. [link]

Cook C, Dragojlovic N, Siemens A, Adam S, du Souich C, van Karnebeek C, Lehman A, Nelson TN, Friedman JM, Lynd LD, Elliott AM, Integration of genetic counsellors in genomic testing triage: Outcomes of a Genomic Consultation Service in British Columbia, Canada. (2020). European Journal of Medical Genetics. [link]