Ocular Genomics
243 Charles Street Boston, MA 02114 Contact us
Diagnostic Testing
Support our research
Explore our labs
Ocular Genomics MENU
Ocular Genomics
  • Meet the Team
  • Services
    • Biobank Core Services
    • Bioinformatics and Statistics Core
    • Functional Genomics (Zebrafish) Core
    • Gene Transfer Vector
      • Rates
      • Order Information
      • Contact Us
    • Genetic Diagnostic Testing Service
      • Pricing
    • Genomics Core Services
      • Additional Genomics Services
      • Sanger Sequencing
      • Array Analysis
      • Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)
  • Labs
    • Biobank Core
    • Bujakowska Lab
      • Lab Members
      • Publications
    • Comander Lab
      • Lab Members
      • Publications
    • Engle Lab
    • Functional Genomics Core (Zebrafish Facility)
      • Lab Members
    • Genetic Counseling Team
      • Team Members
    • Genomics Core Lab
      • Lab Members
    • Liu Lab
      • Lab Members
      • Publications
      • Projects
    • MEEI Bioinformatics Center (MBC)
      • Lab Members
    • Pierce Lab
      • Lab Members
      • Publications
      • Projects
    • Segrè Lab
      • Selected Publications
    • Vandenberghe Lab
      • Lab Members
    • Wiggs Lab
      • Lab Members
    • Mary Whitman
      • Lab Members
    • iPS Research Lab
      • Lab Members
      • Grant support
      • Publications
  • News & Publications
    • RETINAL Transcriptome
  • Affiliates
  • Careers
  • Home
  • Labs
  • Genetic Counseling Team
  • Team Members

LABS

  • Biobank Core
  • Bujakowska Lab
    • Lab Members
    • Publications
  • Comander Lab
    • Lab Members
    • Publications
  • Engle Lab
    • Publications
  • Functional Genomics Core (Zebrafish Facility)
    • Lab Members
  • Genetic Counseling Team
    • Team Members
  • Genomics Core Lab
    • Lab Members
  • iPS Research Lab
    • Grant support
    • Lab Members
    • Publications
  • Liu Lab
    • Lab Members
    • Publications
    • Projects
      • Retinitis Pigmentosa 1
      • Genome editing for dominant IRDs
      • Genome editing for USH2A associated IRD
  • MEEI Bioinformatics Center (MBC)
    • Lab Members
  • Pierce Lab
    • Lab Members
    • Publications
    • Projects
      • Retinal Degeneration Disease Gene Discovery
      • NMNAT1 Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA)
      • Novel Photoreceptor Sensory Cilia Proteins
      • RNA Splicing Factor Retinitis Pigmentosa/Transcriptome Analyses
      • Pericentral Retinitis Pigmentosa
      • High-throughput Functional Studies of Sequence Variants
  • Segrè Lab
    • Selected Publications
    • Lab Members
  • Vandenberghe Lab
    • Lab Members
  • Whitman Lab
    • Lab Members
  • Wiggs Lab
    • Lab Members

Emily Place Licensed Genetic Counselor and Research Study Coordinator emily_place@meei.harvard.edu
Genetic Counseling Team
Licensed Genetic Counselor and Research Study Coordinator

Senior Genetic Counselor and Manager of Genetics and Genetic Counseling

Emily graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. She went on to earn her master’s degree in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College. She has been a practicing genetic counselor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Ocular Genomics Institutes at Mass Eye and Ear since 2011.

Ms. Place serves as a Senior Genetic Counselor and Manager of Genetics and Genetic Counseling at Mass Ear and Ear.  In addition to her clinical practice, she serves as study coordinator for OGI research studies related to better understanding the genetics of inherited eye diseases.  Additionally, she is a member of the ClinGen Ocular Domain Working Group Executive Committee and is an expert member and coordinator of several Gene and Variant Curation panels.

emily_place@meei.harvard.edu
Netra Bellur-Modur Genetic Counseling Assistant
Genetic Counseling Team
Genetic Counseling Assistant

Netra Bellur-Modur joined the OGI in December of 2018 as a Genetic Counseling Assistant. She works with the genetic counselors to facilitate clinical workflow of patients with inherited vision conditions and is a liaison between patients, physicians, health insurance providers and genetic testing laboratories. She has prior experience in scientific research, working as a research assistant subsequent to her Master’s degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry. After taking time off to focus on family she has returned to the work force and is on course towards establishing a career in patient care and coordination. During her hiatus she worked part time as an elementary school educator, volunteered at non-profit organizations and was actively engaged in continuing education programs with courses completed in human anatomy, physiology, genetics and more in the pipeline.

Kaitlin O'Connell Licensed Genetic Counselor Kaitlin_O'Connell@meei.harvard.edu
Genetic Counseling Team
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Ms. O’Connell joined the Ocular Genomics Institute in 2020. She earned her bachelor’s degree in allied health science with a minor in business from the University of Connecticut and worked as a corporate audit analyst at Bank of America before beginning graduate school. She earned her Master of Science in Genetic Counseling from the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine at Boston University.  Ms. O’Connell supports patients undergoing diagnostic genetic testing for a suspected inherited ocular disorder at Mass Eye and Ear. She also supports ongoing research projects at the OGI through supporting enrollment, sample collection, and result disclosures. Her independent research focuses on the genetic counseling profession in the ophthalmology subspeciality. Ms. O’Connell serves on the ACMG Evidence-Based Guidelines committee for the Genetic Diagnosis and Impact on Clinical Management of Inherited Retinal Diseases project. Additionally, Ms. O’Connell is the education chair of the Ophthalmology and Hearing Loss SIG through NSGC.

Kaitlin_O'Connell@meei.harvard.edu
John Simmons Borchert Genetic Counselor JBorchert@meei.harvard.edu
Genetic Counseling Team
Genetic Counselor

Simmons joined the Genetic Counseling team in 2021 after graduating from Boston University with a masters in Genetic Counseling.  Simmons graduated from Bates College with a Bachelors in biochemistry and a minor in Spanish in 2012.  Prior to graduate school, he worked in Dr, Wiggs’ lab at the Ocular Genomics Institute as a laboratory technician.  As part of the genetic counseling team, Simmons provides genetic counselling and risk assessment to families and individuals with inherited retinal diseases.  When not discussing genetics, Simmons can be found watching baseball and cooking.

JBorchert@meei.harvard.edu

Featured:

Contact Us

243 Charles Street
Boston, MA 02114

Labs

  • Engle Lab
  • Pierce Lab
  • Vandenberghe Lab
  • Wiggs Lab
  • Genomics Core Lab
  • Functional Genomics Core (Zebrafish Facility)
  • MEEI Bioinformatics Center (MBC)

Sitemap

  • Affiliates
  • Careers
  • Meet the Team
  • News & publications
  • Support Our Research
  • Services
  • Privacy
website-boston WebsiteBoston