#374 The Eras of Genetic Testing: From the Human Genome Project to Precision Medicine
What if we looked at genetic testing not just as a tool, but as a story unfolding through eras of innovation, access, and personal meaning?
To explore the genetic testing landscape over the last couple decades we are joined by a fellow podcaster Rome Madison, who is also a precision medicine expert and longtime industry leader with extensive experience working in diagnostics and precision medicine.
Rome has trained sales teams, helped launch groundbreaking cancer diagnostics, and now hosts Genetics for Healthcare: A Podcast for Patients. He’s here to share not only how genetic testing has evolved across different eras, but also his personal connection to the field and why he’s committed to ensuring patients benefit from the genomic revolution.
On This Episode, We Discuss:
Setting the Stage: Rome’s Personal Journey
How Rome entered the genetics and diagnostics space shortly after the Human Genome Project
What motivates his continued work at the intersection of innovation, patients, and access
Why confidence, curiosity, and communication matter in fast-changing scientific fields
The Early Era: Post–Human Genome Project
What diagnostics felt like in the early 2000s
Early pharmacogenomics and predicting chemotherapy response
Barriers to adoption, including cost, infrastructure, and skepticism
The Growth Era: Expansion of Genetic Testing
How cancer diagnostics and precision medicine began shaping standard care
Shifts in how clinicians and patients talked about risk and prevention
Lessons learned about equity, access, and unmet expectations
The Current Era: Precision Medicine Goes Mainstream
What distinguishes today’s genetic testing landscape from earlier eras
Ongoing challenges around affordability, access, and education
The role of podcasts and science communication in empowering patients
Looking Ahead: The Next Era of Genetic Testing
What might define the next wave: RNA, epigenomics, microbiome, multi-omics
Where AI and advanced data analytics fit into future care models
Why collaboration across pharma, diagnostics, advocacy groups, and patients is essential
Whether population-wide genetic testing could become routine in the years ahead
About the Guest
Rome Madison helps people and organizations in the life science industry increase confidence, embrace uncertainty and navigate chaos to rise and win in the market. With over 20 years of experience leading sales teams and go-to market strategy for successful start-ups and new products, Rome has Unreasonable Confidence that cancer and other chronic genetic diseases can be prevented, detected early, treated effectively and cured.
Rome has given more than 500 live speeches and is a charismatic virtual presenter that keeps your audience glued to the screen and engaged with his content. He has appeared on more than 50 TV and radio shows across the US as a precision medicine expert, and has been a featured speaker at the Consumer Electronics Show on The Future of Healthcare.
Rome’s podcast, Genetics for Healthcare: A Podcast for Patients, unites major healthcare stakeholders to close the gap of innovation and patient access to precision medicine. He is co-creator and host of the award-winning Precision Medicine Podcast, Google’s #1 rated podcast on the topic of next-generation cancer care, with listeners in over 108 countries.
Relevant Resources:
Genetics for Healthcare Podcast Hosted by Rome Madison
Breast Cancer Research Foundation; HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Testing, Treatment, Research
Fierce Biotech; Labcorp picks up Invitae portfolio for $239M in bankruptcy sale
The Guardian; 23andMe’s founder wins bid to regain control of bankrupt DNA testing firm
The Patient Will See You Now Book by Dr. Eric Topol (Kira was right, it was published 10 years ago!)
Relevant DNA Today Podcast Episode:
#358 AGBT Precision Health 2025 Meeting Recaps and Reflections
#361 The Economics of Genetic Counseling: Policy, Industry & Career Advice
#362 Optical Genome Mapping: Detecting Structural Variants Missed by Traditional Tests
#363 ASHG 2025 Recap: AI Diagnostics, Genetics Publications & Losing NIH Funding
#364 Breast Cancer Genetic Testing in Italy: A Curated Gene Panel
#370 Genetics Wrapped: 2025 Top Advances in Genomic Medicine
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