Dr Rich Scott and Adam Clatworthy: Reflecting on 2024 - A year of change and discovery

As 2024 comes to a close, we take a moment to reflect on what has been a busy year at Genomics England and in the wider genomics community. Throughout the year, guests have joined us to discuss groundbreaking research discoveries, important ethical considerations, and share their personal stories. It was also a year of transformation: we rebranded our podcast as Behind the Genes, welcomed Dr Rich Scott as our new Chief Executive Officer, and launched the Generation Study, in partnership with NHS England. The Participant Panel also saw changes, with Kirsty Irvine stepping into the role of Chair and Adam Clatworthy and Helen White becoming Vice Chairs.

In this special end of year episode, Adam Clatworthy, Vice-Chair of the Participant Panel, sits down with Dr. Rich Scott, CEO of Genomics England, to look back on the highlights of 2024. Together, they revisit key podcast moments, reflect on research discoveries, and share insights into the evolving world of genomics.

Below are the links to the podcasts mentioned in this episode, in order of appearance:

• Celebrating genomic breakthroughs - Insights from the Festival of Genomics
• Shining a light on rare conditions
• How has a groundbreaking genomic discovery impacted thousands worldwide?
• How can we work in partnership towards a new era of genomic medicine and research?
• How has design research shaped the Generation Study?
• How can we bridge the gap between diverse communities?
• Can Artificial Intelligence accelerate the impact of genomics?

"It's really important that we just continue to bring that patient and participant community on that journey, just to ensure that they really understand the full benefits. And we've talked about that on the episode today. I know that the panel has always encouraged the Genomics England team to look at its boots while shooting for the moon. I really like that phrase just to make sure, look, we can't forget where we've come from to make sure we're taking people on that journey"

You can download the transcript or read it below.

Adam: Welcome to Behind the Genes. 

Rich: Our vision at Genomics England is a world where everyone can benefit from genomic healthcare, thinking about how we ensure the lessons we’ve learnt through our diverse data programme is embedded across all of our work. So that word “everyone” applies to people in lots of different ways, different communities people come from, different socioeconomic backgrounds, making sure that equity is baked into all of our work. And there’s real opportunity for genomics to play a broader role than in rare conditions and in cancer, we’re proud of the impact we’re already having there, and we should really look to the future. 

Adam: My name is Adam Clatworthy, and I’m the Vice-Chair for rare conditions on the Participant Panel at Genomics England. On today’s episode, I’m going to be joined by Rich Scott, CEO of Genomics England. We’re going to be taking a look back at the key milestones from 2024 for Genomics England, and really discussing our hopes and aspirations for