What does a Cytogeneticist do in their job?

Cytogenetic technologists are lab specialists who prepare, examine, and analyze chromosomes in patients’ DNA to learn about the relationship between genetics and health.

How are cytogenetics performed?

Cytogenetics involves testing samples of tissue, blood, or bone marrow in a laboratory to look for changes in chromosomes, including broken, missing, rearranged, or extra chromosomes. Changes in certain chromosomes may be a sign of a genetic disease or condition or some types of cancer.

What do cytotechnologists do?

Cytotechnologists are lab professionals who evaluate patients’ cell samples and are trained to notice subtle changes to accurately detect precancerous, malignant, and infectious conditions.

What is the field of cytogenetics?

Cytogenetics is a branch of biology focused on the study of chromosomes and their inheritance, especially as applied to medical genetics. Chromosomes are microscopic structures containing DNA that reside within the nucleus of a cell.

What is cytogenetic laboratory?

The Cytogenetics Laboratory provides comprehensive testing services including: Chromosome analysis for prenatal samples, peripheral blood, bone marrow, lymphomas and solid tumors. FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) assays and many probes that are available only at the Mayo Clinic Cytogenetics Laboratory.

What is cytogenetic mapping?

Definition. A cytogenetic map is the visual appearance of a chromosome when stained and examined under a microscope. Particularly important are visually distinct regions, called light and dark bands, which give each of the chromosomes a unique appearance.

Where does a cytotechnologist work?

Cytotechnologists work in hospital labs, private labs, and universities. Their schedule is typically eight hour days, five days a week. They spend most of their time sitting at a microscope, and the repetitive hand motions required to work with microscopes may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Who is a cytogenetic technologist?

Cytogenetic technologists are laboratory specialists who study normal and abnormal chromosomes in cells, and their relationship to disease and human development. These include birth defects, fertility problems, and blood disorders.

What is the role of cytogenetics in plant breeding?

Cytogenetic manipulation of the chromosome complements of crop plants continues to be one of the most important methods available to plant breeders for introducing new variation into varieties of crops (see e.g., Law 1981, Gale and Miller 1987).

What is cytogenetics in pathology?

Cytogenetics is a branch of pathology and genetics concerned with the study of normal chromosomes and chromosome aberrations. Classical cytogenetics allows microscopic visualization of whole chromosomes in order to assess their number and structure.

Why is cytogenetics important?

Cytogenetics plays a key role in the detection of chromosomal abnormalities associated with malignancies, as well as the characterization of new alterations that allow more research and increase knowledge about the genetic aspects of these diseases.

What are the topics in cytogenetics?

Cytogenetics is the study of chromosomal structure, location and function in cells. It includes the study of chromosome number and appearance (karyotyping), the physical location of genes on chromosomes, and chromosomal behaviour in processes such as cell division.