Miriam G. Blitzer, PhD

• B.A. in Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, 1974
• M.S. in Human Genetics, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, 1980
• Ph.D. in Human Genetics, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, 1981
• Fellowship in Clinical Biochemical Genetics, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1981-1983

Dr. Blitzer is Professor Emerita in the Division of Genetics in the Pediatrics, with secondary appointment in Pathology.   She served as Division Head from 1998-2018.  In addition, she was CEO of the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) from 2009-2024.   After receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, she completed fellowships in clinical biochemical genetics and PhD medical genetics  at Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Blitzer is board-certified in clinical biochemical genetics and PhD medical genetics.  She has been an author of 75 publications and over 110 abstracts.

Dr. Blitzer is recognized as a leader in medical genetics education and training,  including teaching in and directing medical school courses, graduate student programs, and resident education.  She is an awardee of the Carolyn J Pass, MD ‘66 and Richard J. Susel ’66 Academy of Education Excellence at UMSOM in recognition of her key educational roles.  

Nationally, Dr. Blitzer has served on boards of the ABMGG (1996-2001, including term as president), the American Society of Human Genetics (2006-2009) the National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics (2002-2006), and the Association of Professors in Human and Medical Genetics (2008-2013, including as president).  In 2000-2001, she was a fellow in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program for Women (ELAM). She served on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Medical Specialties from 2012-2024. 

Biochemical and metabolic genetic disorders; medical genetics and genomics education and training

Hoffman JD, Greger V, Strovel ET, Blitzer MG, Umbarger MA, Kennedy C, Bishop B, Saunders P, Porreca GJ, Schienda J, Davie J, Hallam S, Towne C. Next-Generation DNA Sequencing of HEXA: a step in the right direction for carrier screening. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine 1(4):260-268, 2013

Bowdin S, Gilbert A, Bedoukian E, Carew C, Adam M, Belmont J, Bernhardt B, Biesecker L, Bjornsson H, Blitzer M, D’Alessandro L, Deardorff MA, Demmer L, Elliot A, Feldman G, Glass I, Hardy M, Herman G, Hindorff L, Hisama F, Hudgins L, Innes M, Jackson L, Jarvik G, Kim R, Korf B, Kovalski B, Kovalski H, Ledbetter D, Li M, Liston E, Marshall C, Meyn S, Monfared N, Morton C, Mulvihill J, Plon S, Rehm H, Roberts A, Shuman C, Siciliano D, Spinner N, Stoopa T, Stavropoulos J, Strautnieks J, Valverde K, Waggoner D, Wilkens A, Cohn R, Krantz ID: Overview and Recommendations for the Integration of Genomics into the Clinical Practice of Medical Genetics. Genet Med. 18(11): 1075-1084. 2016.

Seravalli V, Miller JL, Blitzer MG, Baschat AA. A comparison of first trimester blood pressures obtained at the time of first trimester pre-eclampsia screening and those obtained during prenatal care visits. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2020 May;248:77-80.  doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.03.018.

Waggoner DJ, O’Donnell F, Ligon AH, Robin NH, McAllister KT, Blitzer MG: The relationship between performance on the medical genetics and genomics in-training and certifying examinations. Genet Med. 2022 Jan;24(1):225-231.  

Niehaus AD, Stevenson DA, Blitzer M: Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency Programs: Trends in Applications, Match Rates, and Matriculation from 2015 to 2024. Genetics in Medicine. (2025), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gim.2025.101635