Perspective] Is There Any Reason to Stay in Human Genetic Societies as Cytogeneticists?

Abstract

In this paper, I express my concerns that for about a decade, Human Genetic societies have ceased to represent the full field. Specifically, clinical and scientific data provided by (molecular) cytogenetics are practically ignored and not considered as topics that need attention at congresses, in professional politics, or in the education of young scientists or MDs. Simultaneously, Human Genetic society meetings have lost family support groups as regular participants. This trend suggests that the field, by focusing solely on high-quality research and diagnostics in the narrow field of gene mutations, may have chosen the wrong direction. I provide a draft letter in English, which may serve as an urgent distress signal to national and European societies of Human Genetics. They are urgently requested to reconsider their politics and to again consider chromosomes, banding cytogenetics, and molecular cytogenetics as topics worth presenting at meetings and educating young scientists about. Otherwise, Human Genetic societies may fade and disappear, as has already happened, for example, in Australia, where the field is now represented by Pathology.