Dr. Andrea L. Durst, MS, DrPH, CGC

Dr. Durst joined the Genetic Counseling Program in May 2015 and is currently the Associate Program Director of the Genetic Counseling Program and the Director of the MPH in Public Health Genetics Program.  She joins these programs with extensive experience in clinical cancer genetic counseling, management, and public health genetics. Dr. Durst’s teaching interests are in genetic counseling, clinical genetics, and public health genetics. She provides support for Genetic Counseling Program and MPH in Public Health Genetics Program development and is engaged in teaching, student research, and the coordination of student clinical rotations and practicums.

Dr. Durst’s research/practice/service interests include public health genetics, genetic counseling and cancer genetics. Specifically, she is interested in the state implementation of CDC Tier 1 Genomic Applications for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome, Lynch syndrome and Familial Hypercholesterolemia. She has worked with a number of stakeholders on public health genetics projects, including the NYMAC Regional Genetics Network, the Pennsylvania Cancer Coalition, the Genetic Alliance, the CDC, and the Michigan Department of Community Health. Dr. Durst was part of a team that developed educational materials on bidirectional cancer registry reporting for the identification of individuals at risk for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome and Lynch syndrome. She has previously worked with the Region 4 Genetics Collaborative as the facilitator for the Newborn Screening Long Term Follow-Up Workgroup.  Currently, Dr. Durst serves as Chair of the Advisory Committee for the NYMAC Regional Genetics Network, Co-Chair of the Genetics/Genomics Workgroup of the Pennsylvania Cancer Coalition, and Co-Chair of the Genomics Education Workgroup of the APHA Genomics Forum.

2003 | Cornell University, Ithaca, NY | BS, Biology, cum laude
2005 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC | MS, Genetic Counseling
2015 | University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY | DrPH, Health Management and Policy

Current Teaching:

HUGEN 2036:  Genetic Counseling Internship

HUGEN 2047:  Clinical Genetics Case Conference

HUGEN 2049:  Introduction to Public Health Genetics

HUGEN 2054: Applications in Public Health Genetics and Genomics

Previous Teaching

HUGEN 2035:  Principles of Genetic Counseling

HUGEN 2038:  Intervention Skills for Genetic Counselors

HUGEN 2053: Applications in Public Health Genetics and Genomics

Zakas AL, Leifeste C, Dudley B, Karloski E, Afonso S, Grubs RE, Shaffer JR, Durst AL, Parkinson MD, Brand R (2019).  The impact of genetic counseling on patient engagement in a specialty cancer clinic.  Journal of Genetic Counseling, 28(5): 974-981.

Costich J and Durst A (2016).  Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Funding for Newborn Screening Services. Public Health Reports, 131(1): 160-6.

Holsinger JW, Lewis A, and Chen Q (2015).  Undergraduate Public Health Education: Does It Meet Public Health Workforce Needs?  Frontiers in Public Health 3: 1-3.