The Centrum voor Medische Genetica (CMG - Centre for Medical Genetics) at UZ Brussel aims to help patients who have questions or problems concerning inheritance. They can access a clinical team of specialist doctors, community nurses and secretaries who work together to provide a service based on three key concepts: information,
consultation and guidance.
Our specialist genetics doctors assist our patients on the basis of analyses provided by
the laboratories. There are a large number of experts involved in making genetic diagnoses. In other words our laboratories spend their time carrying out analyses and making diagnoses for patients and also working on pure scientific research. The purpose of this is to extend and refine our knowledge and expertise in the field of inheritance.
With the same aim in mind, the CMG is constantly engaged in activities to
transfer and share knowledge: with students and trainee specialists and also with specialists from other centres in Belgium and internationally.
One specific collaboration framework is with the
PGD clinic at the Centrum voor Reproductieve Geneeskunde (CRG - Centre for Reproductive Medicine) at UZ Brussel. This offers genetic diagnoses for IVF embryos, thereby aiming to help people with inherited disorders (some of whom also have fertility problems) to have a baby that does not carry the inherited disease.
Our centre is one of eight centres in Belgium where genetic research is carried out (see Scientific network). The Centrum voor Medische Genetica (CMG) is one of the key activities at UZ Brussel university hospital (UZ Brussel), which is in turn linked to Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). | | Our mission comprises three main parts:
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Key activities
Scientific collaboration between the CMG's clinic and laboratories and other specialists at UZ Brussel has contributed towards the development of a number of our centre's specific areas of competency, which we call our key activities:
preimplantation genetic diagnosis (see above);
various forms of prenatal diagnosis;
various forms of prenatal diagnosis;
research into mitochondrial diseases;
research into mental retardation and developmental disorders;
research into inherited cancers;
research into inherited cardiac disorders;
stem cell research; and
research into methylation and imprinting in IVF embryos.