Speaker Profile
MS, CGC, Heidi Cope is a Senior Research Genetic Counselor at RTI International with expertise in genomic counseling and the use of genomic sequencing to diagnose rare diseases. Ms. Cope is the Associate Director of Early Check, a voluntary newborn screening program in North Carolina that uses genome sequencing to screen newborns for hundreds of genetic conditions. She is experienced in large-scale translational research implementation, including recruitment, consent, and return of results. Much of Ms. Cope’s career has been spent in multidisciplinary research groups seeking to use advanced technologies to find diagnoses for patients. Ms. Cope has experience utilizing genomic tools for variant annotation, prioritization, and interpretation. Before joining RTI, she was a genetic counselor at the Duke clinical site of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network. Ms. Cope is a Certified Genetic Counselor recognized by the American Board of Genetic Counseling. She is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, and the North Carolina Medical Genetics Association., RTI
Biography
Ms. Cope directs Early Check, a statewide genomic newborn screening research program in North Carolina conducted in partnership with the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has extensive experience evaluating genes for inclusion in genomic newborn screening, including assessing gene¬-disease validity and clinical actionability. Her expertise also includes variant interpretation, return of results, and genomic counseling. Prior to joining Early Check, she spent 17 years in genomics research at Duke University Medical Center, using advanced genomic technologies to help end diagnostic odysseys and identify diagnoses for patients.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2027 Silicon Valley
Track Chair:
Wendy Chung, Boston Children's / Harvard
PMWC Award Ceremony
• Wendy Chung, Boston Children's / Harvard (Pioneer)
• Eric Lander, Broad Institute (Pioneer)
Featured Speakers
• Wendy Chung, Boston Children's / Harvard
• Eric Lander, Broad Institute
• Zhanzhi (Mike) Hu, Project GUARDIAN / Columbia
• Tippi MacKenzie, UCSF
• Ryan Taft, Genetic Alliance
• Heidi Cope, RTI International
• Michele Caggana, NY State DOH Wadsworth Center
• Elad Ziv, UCSF
• Scott Grosse, University of Minnesota
• Mike Talkowski, Mass General / Harvard
• F. Sessions Cole, WashU
• Lee Hood, Phenome Health / ISB
• Trey Ideker, UC San Diego
• Ralph Snyderman, Duke
• Craig Mundie, Mundie & Associates
• George Church, Harvard
Beyond the Exome: Solving Undiagnosed Disease
The next layer of rare-disease diagnosis beyond standard sequencing.
Population Genomic Screening
From newborn sequencing to implementation, evidence, economics, and equity.
Structural Variants & Long Reads
Solving cases missed by conventional sequencing.
Launching the Human Phenome Initiative
From genome to phenome as a global health infrastructure challenge.
Data-Driven Health
AI, longitudinal data, and personalized clinical medicine.
Engineering the Future of Health
Genomes, cells, and engineering biology as precision medicine moves upstream.
PMWC Hall of Impact
Previous Speakers Include
Nobel laureates, technology founders, regulators, CEOs and scientific pioneers who have taken the PMWC stage.
