Book with Kathryn

Kathryn Mraz, MS, CGC

She/Her

Education: B.A., Biology (Biochemistry-Minor), Augustana College, 2007 and M.S., Genetic Counseling, Northwestern University, 2009​

Areas of Expertise: Cancer Genetics, Pancreatitis Genetics, GI Genetics

Affiliations and Disclosures: Center for Genomic Interpretation

Licenses: IL

Biography: Kathryn received her MS in genetic counseling from Northwestern University in 2009 and is board certified. She continued to practice in Chicago, growing a cancer/GI high-risk clinic. During that time, she also established a high-risk GI clinic at one of the VA Medical Centers. Her efforts also resulted in the establishment of universal tumor testing (a process through pathology to identify features in a tumor or polyp tissue suggestive of a specific hereditary condition known as Lynch syndrome that highlights patients who may benefit from genetic counseling and genetic testing to determine if they do or do not have Lynch syndrome).

In 2013, she moved to northern California to start a cancer risk program at a community hospital which she spent much of her time on marketing, patient/provider education, patient care, and establishing a GI tumor board to review cases to assist with quality care. Ultimately, the growing world of genetics and genomics pulled her to a position in Houston in 2014 where she developed, branded, and grew a high-risk cancer genetics program at one of the academic institutions. She was instrumental in developing the high-risk pancreatic screening program and universal tumor testing for multi-hospital system and focused much of her efforts on various quality, research, marketing, and advocacy projects.

Kathryn has more recently relocated to Illinois and continues to be active in the genetics community in IL and the Northwestern Genetic Counseling Graduate School Program. She has continued interest in promoting patient and family education on risk, providing information to allow individuals to make an informed decision, and providing comprehensive quality care to lead to a personalized experience. In addition to genetic counseling within the Grey Genetics Network, Kathryn also serves as the Senior Research Genetic Counselor at the Center for Genomic Interpretation (CGI), a nonprofit organization with a mission to encourage careful stewardship of clinical genetics, genomics and precision medicine through providing expertise and services to health systems to assist in identifying genetic tests with high accuracy and clinical efficacy to ensure patient safety. Kathryn is involved in a multitude of projects at CGI focused on the elevation of quality in genetics. 

Kathryn is an active member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and serves on the Cancer SIG and Industry SIG. She also serves on the Research Committee of the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Gastrointestinal Cancer (CGA-IGC) and spearheaded the global Pancreatic Cancer Surveillance Resource (a list of programs that provide screening of the pancreas for those who are found to be high-risk) and. She has played an active role with the Hereditary Colon Cancer Foundation since its start in 2012 and currently serves as a Medical Advisor.  In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family and friends and enjoys painting, climbing and hiking.

Publications:

Boland, C.R., Yurgelun, M.B., Mraz, K.A., Boland, P.M. Managing gastric cancer risk in lynch syndrome: controversies and recommendations. Familial Cancer (2021). 

Book Chapter(s):

Mraz, K.A. (2018) Genetic Genetic and Familial Assessment for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes. In K.G. Edmonson & H. Lebowitz (Eds.), Hematology-Oncology Clinical Questions (pp. 537-553). New York City, New York: McGraw Hill Education.

Abstracts:

  1. Mraz K, Cen P, Thosani N. (2019) Utilization of Hereditary Pancreatitis Germline Testing in Cancer Risk Population. Poster of Distinction and Bronze award recipient. Presented as a poster at the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancers 23rd Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT.
  2. Mraz K, Richardson ME. (2019) Possible founder mutation in CDKN2A in the Latino population. Bronze award recipient. Presented as poster at the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancers 23rd Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT.
  3. Mraz K, Morris B, Truong T, Abelhad N, Ali H, Fink D, Nugent E, Gonzalez A. (2018) A Need for Genetic Screening/Counseling Referrals in Breast, Ovarian, Colorectal, and Endometrial Cancer.  Presented as a poster at the National Society of Genetic Counselors 39th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
  4. Mraz K, Cen P. (2018) PALB2 mutation in Patient with Colorectal Cancer and absent personal/family history of PALB2-cancer spectrum. Presented as a poster at the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancers 22nd Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. 
  5. Mraz K, Rowe J, Vijaya K, Thosani N. (2018) APC pathogenic mutation in Afghan male with absence of gastric polyposis. Presented as a poster at the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancers 22nd Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
  6. Thosani N, Mraz K, Rowe J, Gonzalez A, Cen P, Rahimi E. (2018) Clinical impact of pancreatic cancer screening for High-Risk individuals including BRCA2 Mutation Heterozygotes and Bayesian analysis via PancPro. Presented as a poster at the American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting,Annual ACG Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. 
  7. Truong T, Abelhad N, Ali H, Fink D, Morris B, Nugent E, Mraz K, Gonzalez A. (2018) A Need for Genetic Screening Referrals in Breast, Ovarian, Colorectal and Endometrial Cancers. Presented as a poster at the 3rd Annual Edward Randall, III Internal Medicine Quality Fair, Houston, TX.
  8. Mraz K, Rowe J, Gonzalez A, Cen P, Rahimi E, Thosani N. (2017) Screening High-Risk Individuals for Pancreatic Cancer. Presented as a poster at the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancers 21st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.
  9. Mraz K, Rowe J, Cen P, Thosani N. (2016) Pancreatic conditions and polyposis with APC/CFTR mutations: 2 generation history and case series. Presented as a poster at the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancers 20th Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
  10. Xicola RM, Gagnon M, Rawson J, Pusatcioglu CK, Clark J, Janoski A, Disharoon A, Morrissey K, Mraz K, Ravella S, Moran M, Kirshnan A, Ceryes K, Mijic D, Guzman G, Chaudhry V, Abcarian H, Blumetti J, Cintron J, Corning C, Kupfer S, Melson J, Freeman V, Xie H, Braunchweig C, Ellis N, Llor X. (2012) The Chicago Colorectal Cancer Consortium (CCCC) experience: understanding colorectal cancer disparities. Presented as a poster at the Digestive Disease Week 43rd Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
  11. Xicola RM, Gagnon M, Gluskin A, Pusatcioglu CK, Shaw J, Rodriguez G, Clark J, Disharoon A, Janoski A, Morrissey K, Mraz K, Ravella S, Rawson JB, Brock J, Ceryes K, Bhattacharya T, Guzman G, Chaudhry V, Kupfer S, Melson J, Freeman V, Xie H., Braunchweig C, Ellis E, Llor X. (2011) The Chicago Colorectal Cancer Consortium (CCCC), a step forward in understanding colorectal cancer in African Americans. Presented as a poster at the American Association for Cancer Research 102nd Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.
  12. Mraz KA, O’Neil S, Trivedi AP, Singh D, Ross SA, Gulden CL. (2010) Media Influence on Breast Cancer Management Decisions for High Risk Women. Presented as a poster at the National Society of Genetic Counselors 31st Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX.
  13. Mraz KA, Wetzel HH, & Hoganson GE. (2008) Dentatorubral pallidoluysian atrophy in a family of African American ancestry. Presented as a poster at the American Society of Human Genetics 58th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.