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Ramaswamy K. Iyer, PhD

Academic Title:

Associate Professor

Primary Appointment:

Medicine

Additional Title:

Executive Director, Clinical Genomics, Institute for Genome Sciences; Laboratory Director, Maryland Genomics Translational and Diagnostics Laboratory.

Email:

riyer@som.umaryland.edu

Location:

670 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201.

Phone (Primary):

(410)706-6493

Fax:

(410)706-0729

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Education and Training

  • University of Bombay (Mumbai), Mumbai, India; BSc, Microbiology, 1981.
  • University of Bombay (Mumbai), Mumbai, India; MSc, Microbiology, 1983.
  • University of Delaware, Delaware, USA; PhD, Biological Sciences, 1994.
  • University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA, Post-doctoral Study; Department of Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine, 1996-1998.
  • UCLA-Cedar Sinai Inter-Campus Medical Genetics Training program, Los Angeles, CA, USA, Fellow, Clinical Molecular Genetics, 1996-1998.
  • UCLA-Cedar Sinai Inter-Campus Medical Genetics Training program, Los Angeles, CA, USA, Fellow, Clinical Cytogenetics, 2000-2002.

Biosketch

Ramaswamy Iyer, Ph.D., D(ABMGG), FACMG is the Executive Director, Clinical Genomics at the Institute for Genome Sciences. Dr. Iyer has 20+ years of operation of CAP/CLIA-certified clinical diagnostic laboratories. Dr. Iyer directs the Maryland Genomics, Translational and Diagnostics Laboratory (MGTDL), a clinical genomics laboratory that develops and implements validated assays supporting delivery of high-quality, patient care, as well as basic and clinical research activities. Dr. Iyer brings to bear broad and deep scientific, clinical/diagnostic expertise, and operational management experience in academic, government and industrial settings. Significant previous positions held by Dr. Iyer include (a) VP, IGL, Research Lab and Biobanks at the Inova Translational Medicine Institute (ITMI), where as a founding member of ITMI, he operationalized a comprehensive, CAP/CLIA-certified core service that provided genomic and biobanking services for research, clinical trials and patient care, serving internal and external/commercial clients; (b) Program manager for the ‘The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)’ program at the National Cancer Institute coordinating centralized biorepositories that provided high-quality analytes for cancer genome sequencing; (c) Founding director of an esoteric genetic testing laboratory and an institute-wide biobank at the University of Michigan. Dr. Iyer has also directed clinical laboratories at UCLA, Myriad Genetics, and Nationwide (previously Columbus) Children's Hospital. Dr. Iyer was trained in Clinical Molecular Genetics and Clinical Cytogenetics at UCLA-Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles. He is board-certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics (ABMG) in Clinical Molecular Genetics and is a fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG).

Research/Clinical Keywords

Clinical Molecular Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Diagnostics, Inherited Disease Diagnostics, Oncology diagnostics. Pharmacogenomics

Clinical Specialty Details

ABMGG Board-certified Clinical Molecular Geneticist

  • Diplomate, Clinical Molecular Genetics; American Board of Medical Genetics & Genomics (ABMGG), 1999-present.
  • Diplomate, Clinical Cytogenetics; American Board of Medical Genetics Genomics (ABMGG), 2002-2012 (expired).

Clinical focus is genetics of disease, specifically the molecular genetic analysis of inherited and somatic disease, to aid diagnosis and prognosis.

Interests

  • Clinical testing for inherited disorders, and cancer.
  • Predictive testing, including Pharmacogenomics.
  • Development of novel genetic assays and technologies
  • Development and operation of biorepositories

Awards and Affiliations

  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Frontiers of Science Award, 2001
  • Health and Life Sciences Innovator of the year Award, Greater Washington Innovation Awards™, Presented by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce to Inova for the Medimap™ program, 2018.

Grants and Contracts

Completed Grants:

  • 2000 to 2003 (Co-PI, 20%); PI; W. Grody. “Construction of mutation samples for human molecular genetic testing” Center for Disease Control (CDC). Annual Direct Costs: $100,000, Total Direct Costs: $300,000.
  • 2001 to 2002 (PI, 20%). “Arginine decarboxylase and agmatinase - a novel, alternate pathway for polyamine biosynthesis in mammals: roles in cell proliferation and cancer.” Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Annual Direct Costs: $100,000, Total Direct Costs: $100,000.
  • 2000 (PI, 15%). “Ribozymes for DNA repair models”. Ataxia Telangiectasia Medical Research Foundation (ATMRF). Annual Direct Costs: $50,000, Total Direct Costs: $50,000.
  • 2003 to 2006 (Co-PI 15%; role ended May 2004) PI: W. Grody. “A novel proliferative determinant in prostate cancer”, DOD; PC020651. Annual Direct Costs: $115,000, Total Direct Costs: $345,000.
  • 2001 to 2006 (Co-I 25%; role ended May 2004) PI: Stephen Cederbaum. “Human arginase and arginase deficiency”, NIHCD; P01  HD006576. Annual Direct Costs: $242,837, Total Direct Costs: $1,092,766.50.
  • 2003 to 2008 (Key Personnel 5%) PI: J. Doe. “Children’s Oncology Group Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Reference Laboratory”. National Childhood Cancer Foundation/NIH/NCI; U10-CA98543. Annual Direct Costs: Not known to me. Total Direct Costs:             Not known to me.
  • 2008-2010 (Co-Inv 10%; Managing Director, Biorepository) PI: M. Russell. “PHN-SVR II Biorepository Laboratory”. Pediatric Heart Network, Single Ventricle Reconstruction Extension study (PHN-SVR II). Annual Direct Costs: $70,000 (+ supplies from a central facility), Total Direct Costs: $105,000 (+ supplies).
  • 2015 (Co-Inv 10%; Director, Genomics Core lab and biobank) PI: S. Shankar. “Pharmacogenetics of Tumor Response and Treatment Outcomes in Pediatric Osteosarcoma”. Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels. Annual Direct Costs: $150,000, Total Direct Costs: $150,000        

           

Professional Activity

Institutional Service

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

  • Member, Outreach Committee, Dept. Pathology and Lab Med, UCLA School of Medicine, 2002-2004.
  • Member, Equipment Sub-Committee, Dept. Pathology and Lab Med, UCLA School of Medicine, 2003-2004

University of Michigan

  • Member, Rare Disease Initiative, Clinical Research Sub-Committee, 2007-2008.
  • Member, Steering Committee, Center for Genetics and Human Medicine, University of Michigan, 2007-2009.
  • Alternate Member, Institutional Review Board, University of Michigan, 2008-2010.
  • Member, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, University of Michigan, 2009-2010.
  • Member, Expert Advisory Panel, for the “Presenting Diagnostic Results from Large-Scale Clinical Mutation Testing" study; PI: Dr. Richard Sharp, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 2009-2010.

National Cancer Institute

  • Member, Technologies International Working Group, International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), 2010-2011

Inova Health System

  • Alternate/Ad-Hoc Member, Institutional Review Board, Inova Health System, 2012-2019.
  • Member, Biobank Task Force, Inova Center for Personalized Health (ICPH), 2014-2015.
  • Member, Research Oversight Committee, Inova Schaar Cancer Institute (ISCI), 2014-2019.
  • Member, Personalized Health Task Force # 4; responsible for defining the personalized health aspects at ICPH, 2016.
  • Member/Participant, Molecular Tumor Board, ISCI, 2016-2019.
  • Member, Biorepository Working Group, Inova Fairfax Hospital, 2017-2019.
  • Member, Research Operations and Business Committee, Inova Research Center (IRC), 2018-2019.

College of American Pathologists (CAP)

  • Inspection team Leader & Laboratory Inspector for Molecular Pathology, 2017-2019.
  • Laboratory Inspector for Molecular Pathology, 2023.

Joint Pathology Center, Defense Health Agency

  • SME & Member, Working Group that developed a ‘Rare cancer and personalized medicine’ report for the US Congress, 2020-2021.
  • Member, Planning group for a Molecular Tumor Board at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), 2021

Previous Academic Appointments

  • Assistant Researcher (junior faculty), Department of Pathology & and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 1998-2000.
  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology & and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2000-2004.
  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Departments of Pediatrics & Communicable Diseases, and Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, 2006-2010.
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology; Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), School of Medicine (Inova Campus), Fairfax, VA, USA, 2013-2019.

Other Professional Appointments/Employment

  • Quality Control Technician; Bharat Serums and Vaccines, Bombay, India, 1983-1984.
  • Research Associate; Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Bombay, India, 1984-1985.
  • Co-founder & Research Director; ProteinGenesis Inc, Newark, DE, USA, 1984-1985.
  • Assistant/Associate Director, Molecular Pathology Laboratory; UCLA Healthcare, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2000-2004.
  • Assistant Director, Clinical & Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratory; UCLA Healthcare, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2000- 2004.
  • Associate Laboratory Director & Program Director, Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory/Clinical Operations; Myriad Genetics Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 2004-2005.
  • Associate Director, Molecular Genetics & Cytogenetics Laboratories; Nationwide (formerly Columbus) Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 2005-2006.
  • (Founding) Director, Molecular Genetics; Michigan Medical Genetic Laboratories (MMGL), University of Michigan Healthcare, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 2006-2010.
  • (Founding) Managing Director, Pediatric Heart Network, Single Ventricle Reconstruction Extension study (PHNSVRII) Biorepository (NIH funded); University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 2008-2010.
  • (Founding) Director, Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR), Biorepository; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 2009-2010.
  • Program Manager, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Project; National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA, 2010-2011.
  • Director, Clinical Molecular Genetics & Biobanks; (a member of the founding team at) Inova Translational Medicine Institute (ITMI), Inova Fairfax Hospital, Inova Health System, Fairfax, VA, USA, 2011-2017.
  • Director, Inova Genomics Laboratory (IGL), Inova Health System, Fairfax, VA, USA, 2014-2019.
  • Vice-President; Inova Translational Medicine Institute, Inova Health System, Fairfax, VA, USA, 2017-2019.
  • Clinical Consultant; BODETECH Inc, Lorton, Virginia, USA, 2020.
  • Clinical Consultant; Dept of Pathology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD USA. 2020.
  • Molecular Scientist, Molecular Pathology Laboratory; Joint Pathology Center (JPC), Defense Health Agency (DHA), Bethesda, MD, USA, 2020-2021.
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