Professional bodies: how best to promote and support individuals working in human genetics and genomics
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Professional bodies are dedicated to the advancement of the knowledge and practice of professions through developing, supporting, regulating and promoting professional standards for technical and ethical competence [ 1 ]. They seek to maximise the public benefit of the work undertaken by their members and support the reputation of their professional members. In the UK, the Science Council defines a Professional Body as “ an organisation with individual members, practicing a profession or occupation in which the organisation maintains an oversight of the knowledge, skills, conduct and practice of that profession or occupation .” Some professional bodies are regulated by the executive at a national level to ensure that professional titles are only used by individuals who are registered and entitled to use these e.g. medical doctors. However, most professional bodies are independent membership organisations that coordinate the activities of a particular profession or a group of closely related professions and represent the interests of their members. It is into this latter group that human genetics and genomics professional bodies fall.
Authors: William G. Newman, on behalf of the International Federation of Human Genetics Societies, Majid Alfadhel, Fowzan S. Alkuraya, Martina C. Cornel, José Elías García-Ortiz, Poh-San Lai, Mariela Larrandaburu, Naomichi Matsumoto, Augusto Rojas-Martinez, Susan A. Slaugenhaupt, Sarah Tishkoff, Ambroise Wonkam, Danya Vears
Institutions: University of Manchester, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Salman Center for Disability Research, National Guard Health Affairs, Alfaisal University, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam Reproduction Development, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Mexican Social Security Institute, National University of Singapore, Universidad Católica del Uruguay, Yokohama City University, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, University of Cape Town, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Deakin University, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,790
OpenAlex ID: W7212321087