Photo of Arjunan, Aishwarya

Aishwarya Arjunan

DrPH Student

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Email:

aarju@uic.edu

About

Aishwarya Arjunan is a board certified genetic counselor and a Senior Medical Science Liaison at GRAIL. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Case Western Reserve University and then received a MS in Genetic Counseling and MPH in Human Genetics from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining GRAIL, Aishwarya worked at Myriad Genetics (formerly Counsyl) as a Senior Clinical Product Manager for Carrier Screening where she oversaw all of the clinical aspects and needs of the Foresight Carrier Screen. She also worked as a clinical genetic counselor at Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and the Sarnoff Center for Jewish Genetics where she co-created a fully virtual educational program for individuals to undergo expanded carrier screening.

Aishwarya is actively involved with the genetic counseling community as a past Director at Large for the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Board of Directors and past President of the Illinois Society of Genetic Professionals. She is also a member of the Ethics Committee of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. She is also a Past-President of the Case Western Reserve University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Selected Publications

  1. Schwartz L, Mackall MS, Arjunan A, Goodenberger M, Mills R, Ham C, Witherington S. Graduate training, credentialing, and continuing education to prepare genetic counselors for laboratory roles – Results of a national survey. J Genetic Couns. 2024 Feb 9. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1883.
  2. Schwartz L, Mackall MS, Arjunan A, Goodenberger M, Mills R, Witherington S. Need for additional training to be a laboratory genetic counselor-A qualitative exploration. J Genet Couns. 2023 Jul 26. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1746. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37493003.
  3. Strohmeyer, J., Arjunan, A.*, Ryan, L., Pan, V., Wicklund, C., & Witherington, S.* (2022). No longer “non-traditional”: Genetic counselors’ perceptions towards laboratory and industry roles. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 00, 1– 10. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1670
  4. Arjunan A, Darnes DR, Sagaser KG, Svenson AB. Addressing Reproductive Healthcare Disparities through Equitable Carrier Screening: Medical Racism and Genetic Discrimination in United States’ History Highlights the Needs for Change in Obstetrical Genetics Care. Societies. 2022; 12(2):33. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12020033
  5. Jones, T., Schulze, J., Aufox, S. Rothstein, J., Arjunan, A. A cross-sectional survey of genetic counselors providing carrier screening regarding GBA variants and Parkinson disease susceptibility. J Assist Reprod Genet (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-022-02430-2
  6. Johansen Taber K, Ben-Shachar R, Torres R, Arjunan A, Muzzey D, Kaseniit KE, Goldberg J, Brown H. A guidelines-consistent carrier screening panel that supports equity across diverse populations. Genet Med. 2021 Nov 16:S1098-3600(21)04136-8. doi: 10.1016/j.gim.2021.09.009. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34906503.
  7. Dobson LJ, Arjunan A. Time to retire race- and ethnicity-based carrier screening. OBG Manag. 2021 Nov; 33(11): 43-46 I doi: 10.12788/obgm.0146
  8. Kathrens-Gallardo A, Propst L, Linn E, Pothast R, Wicklund C, Arjunan A. OB/GYN residents’ training, attitudes, and comfort level regarding genetics. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2021 Sep 13. doi: 10.1007/s10815-021-02310-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34515898.
  9. Choi J, Kane T, Propst L, Spencer S, Kostialik J, Arjunan A. Not just carriers: experiences of X-linked female heterozygotes. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2021 Oct;38(10):2757-2767. doi: 10.1007/s10815-021-02270-6. Epub 2021 Jul 31. PMID: 34333720; PMCID: PMC8581108.
  10. Arjunan A, Sanders M, Chen A, Roscow B, Ray J. Genetic counseling student rotations in industry: How COVID-19 magnified the urgency for virtual learning options in diverse training settings. J Genet Couns. 2021 Aug 30. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1500. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34462997.
    *co-senior author

Education

University of Pittsburgh, 2013
MS Genetic Counseling
MPH Human Genetics

Case Western Reserve University, 2010
BS Biology

Licensures and Certifications

California Genetic Counseling Licensure
California Department of Public Health
Issue Date: January 1, 2023

Certification in Genetic Counseling
American Board of Genetic Counseling
Issue Date: March 1, 2014

Illinois Genetic Counseling Licensure
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Issue Date: August 8, 2013

Certified in Public Health
National Board of Public Health Examiners
Issue Date: July 31, 2013

Professional Memberships

Case Western Reserve University Alumni Association, 2010-Present

National Society of Genetic Counselors, 2013-Present

Illinois Society of Genetic Professionals, 2013- Present

American Society of Reproductive Medicine, 2023- Present