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Providence Center for Clinical Genetics and Genomics

2273.0 miles away
818-748-4748

Providence Center for Clinical Genetics and Genomics

Genetics is the first step in prevention, as DNA plays an important role in your medical health. The Providence Center for Clinical Genetics and Genomics can help you understand how genetics influences your health and that of your family members.

While our focus is hereditary cancer, we also meet with people who have a personal or family history of inherited forms of cardiovascular or neurological disease, individuals and couples interested in preconception carrier screening, and those with concerns for other familial conditions. In addition, our medical geneticist manages a wide range of genetic disorders for adult patients. Please contact us if you would like to learn more about how we can help.

Is a genetic consultation right for you?

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One in three Americans will develop cancer in their lifetime, and at least 10 percent of these cancers are hereditary. Advancements in medicine have identified certain risk factors that may influence an individual’s chance of developing a variety of cancer types.  

Providence Center for Clinical Genetics and Genomics offers risk assessment, genetic testing and genetic counseling for people concerned about their personal and/or family history of cancer. We also assist individuals with newly diagnosed cancers in determining what surgical and medical treatments may be most appropriate based on test results. Some hereditary cancers, such as breast, ovarian, pancreatic and colon, can be treated with targeted therapies that are tied to an underlying genetic mutation.

Knowing your risk can empower you and your family to make better, more informed health decisions. Your decisions can lead to better cancer treatments, earlier cancer detection and prevention. Knowing your risk can change your future. At our center, you can expect to receive the accurate information you need along with the compassionate, respectful care you deserve.

Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) blood test

Providence Genomics now offers Galleri™ MCED testing. This test can help detect cancer signals across 50 types of cancer from a single blood draw using innovative technology that has been extensively tested.

An MCED test represents a point in time and should be used in addition to recommended cancer screenings. If a cancer signal is detected, follow-up testing may include lab diagnostics or imaging.

Test eligibility

MCED testing is recommended for use in adults with an elevated risk of cancer, such as those aged 50 and older with other risk factors including a family history of cancer, smoking and certain viral exposures.

More information

For more information on Multi-Cancer Early Detection or to schedule your Galleri™ MCED test, please call 818-748-4748.

Important safety information

The Galleri™ test is recommended for use in adults with an elevated risk for cancer, such as those aged 50 or older. The Galleri test does not detect all cancers and should be used in addition to routine cancer screening tests recommended by a health care provider. Galleri is intended to detect cancer signals and predict where in the body the cancer signal is located.

Results should be interpreted by a health care provider in the context of medical history, clinical signs and symptoms. A test result of “Cancer Signal Not Detected” does not rule out cancer. A test result of “Cancer Signal Detected” requires confirmatory diagnostic evaluation by medically established procedures (e.g. imaging) to confirm cancer. If cancer is not confirmed with further testing, it could mean that cancer is not present or testing was insufficient to detect cancer, including due to the cancer being located in a different part of the body. False-positive (a cancer signal detected when cancer is not present) and false-negative (a cancer signal not detected when cancer is present) test results do occur. Rx only.

Laboratory/Test information

GRAIL’s clinical laboratory is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) and accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). The Galleri test was developed, and its performance characteristics were determined by GRAIL. The Galleri test has not been cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. GRAIL’s clinical laboratory is regulated under CLIA to perform high-complexity testing. The Galleri test is intended for clinical purposes.

High-Risk Management and Prevention Program

All patients who undergo risk assessment receive an individualized care plan and recommendations on how to manage their risk. Our medical geneticist follows patients long term to ensure they are receiving the care they need as part of our High Risk program. Patients at increased cancer risk are kept up-to-date on evolving care guidelines. In our High Risk program, our medical geneticist can provide regular clinical exams, order imaging studies and prescribe preventive medications. Our High Risk program also offers information on lifestyle modifications, including nutrition, supplements and mind/body stress reduction programs.

Comprehensive Adult Medical Genetics Program

At the Center for Genetics and Genomics, we evaluate individuals at-risk for genetic diseases and help manage conditions. Some of the categories and conditions we evaluate and manage include:

  • Cardio-genetics
    • Cardiomyopathy
    • Arrhythmias
    • Aortic aneurysms
    • Marfan syndrome and related disorders
  • Neuro-genetics
    • Neurofibromatosis
    • Neurodegenerative disorders and muscular dystrophy
    • Fragile X syndrome
    • Huntington’s disease
    • Early onset Alzheimer’s
  • Polycystic kidney disease
  • Hemochromatosis
  • Adults with pediatric genetic diseases (such as Turner & Down syndrome)
  • Pre-conception reproductive risk and carrier testing
  • Premature ovarian failure
Direct-to-consumer Genomic Tests

The availability of genomic tests on the market is rapidly expanding. Examples of products include pharmacogenomic testing for response to various medications and SNP-based (single nucleotide polymorphisms) testing for common medical conditions. We can help interpret these direct-to-consumer tests and provide clarity on the implications of results for you and your family members.

If you have questions about any of our services, please call 818-748-4748 or send an email to schedule a consultation.

Ora Karp Gordon, M.D., MS, FACMG

Dr. Gordon is the medical director of the Providence Center for Clinical Genetics and Genomics, and the Department of Integrative Medicine at the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center. She is one of few medical geneticists in the Los Angeles area.

Before joining Providence, Dr. Gordon spent 13 years at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as director of the GenRISK Adult Genetics Program, co-director of the Gilda Radner Hereditary Cancer Program and training director for the UCLA Medical Genetics Residency Program. A nationally recognized expert in hereditary cancer, Dr. Gordon is co-author of an award-winning book on understanding and managing breast and ovarian cancer risk, “Positive Results: Making the Best Decisions When You’re at High Risk for Breast or Ovarian Cancer.”

Dr. Gordon’s primary research interests involve the prevention of breast cancer. She has been involved in numerous clinical trials for cancer prevention. Dr. Gordon is board-certified in both internal medicine and medical genetics, and she serves as an associate professor of medicine at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Passionate about a holistic approach to health and disease prevention, Dr. Gordon has also completed a fellowship in integrative medicine through the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.


Apostolos “Paul” Psychogios, M.D., FACMG

Apostolos PaulDr. Apostolos “Paul” Psychogios is a board-certified medical geneticist. He completed his graduate medical studies and cardiology training at the University of Athens in Greece, medical and clinical genetics at Columbia University, and clinical molecular genetics at Harvard Medical School.

Before joining Providence, Dr. Paul worked at Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Vanderbilt University amongst other centers. He founded the first cardiovascular genetics service at the University of Kentucky. His practice focuses on hereditary cancer, cardiovascular disorders, renal disorders, pharmacogenomics, precision medicine, and unknown etiology disorders.


Kimberly Childers, MS, LCGC

Kimberly Childers is a board-certified and licensed genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. She is the regional manager of the Providence Center for Clinical Genetics and Genomics. Before joining Providence, Childers co-founded the Familial Breast Cancer Program at the University of Illinois Chicago Hospital.

Childers has been an integral part of research studies on hereditary breast cancer syndromes and the psychosocial impact of learning about hereditary cancer risks. Beyond cancer genetics and prevention, Childers is interested in education at the community and health care professional level, with the goal of expanding knowledge of and access to genetic counseling and testing. Childers earned her master’s degree in human genetics and genetic counseling from Stanford University and her bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in psychology from the University of California San Diego.


Aida Akopyan, MS, LCGC

Aida Akopyan is a board-certified and licensed genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. Aida is particularly interested in increasing awareness of the availability of genetics services in the Armenian population, which is a historically underserved and understudied population. Prior to joining Providence, Aida earned her master’s degree in Genetic Counseling from the University of California, Irvine, where she completed research on genetic variation in the Armenian population through the ArmGenia Project. Aida obtained her undergraduate degree in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from the University of California, Los Angeles.


Molly Frankle (Lehman), MS, LCGC

Molly FrankleMolly Frankle (Lehman) is a board-certified and licensed genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. Prior to joining Providence, Molly worked as a cancer genetic counselor at the Todd Cancer Institute at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center for four years. Molly earned her bachelor's degree in Biology from UCLA in 2015 and her master's degree in Genetic Counseling from UC Irvine in 2017. She has a personal interest in access to genetic testing and public policy and focused her graduate research on genetic counselor's experience in insurance coverage of genetic testing.


Miles Picus, MS, LCGC

Miles Picus headshot in white coatMiles Picus is a board-certified and licensed genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. While providing clinical care for patients, Miles is also the program coordinator for Providence's high-risk pancreatic cancer screening and prevention program. Prior to joining Providence, Miles earned his bachelor's degree in Human Biology and Society from the Institute of Society and Genetics at UCLA in 2018 and his master's degree in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling from Stanford University in 2021. Miles has a personal interest in increasing equitable access to genetic counseling and genetic testing, contributing to evidence-based clinical guidelines, particularly in the realm of pancreatic cancer, and in family communication of genetic test results, which was the subject area of his master's thesis.


Lauren Rudichuk, MS, LCGC

Lauren Rudichuk is a board-certified and licensed genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. Lauren is interested in alternative service delivery models to expand access to genetic counseling and genetic testing. Lauren was born and raised in Canada and started her career at the University of Alberta Hospital. She then relocated to Southern California and developed the Cancer Genetics Clinic at Torrance Memorial Medical Center before joining Providence.

Lauren obtained her master’s degree in Genetic Counseling from Northwestern University and her bachelor’s degree in Genetics from the University of Western Ontario.


Kayley Krystkowiak, MS, LCGC

Kayley KrystkowiakKayley Krystkowiak is a board-certified and licensed genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. She has a professional focus in expanding access to genetics services through alternative service delivery models. Kayley has helped to expand Providence’s population cancer risk assessment program, which was also the topic of her master’s capstone project. She has a personal interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the genetic counseling field and serves in multiple mentorship roles.

Kayley earned her bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences (Biotechnology Minor) from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO) and her master’s degree in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling from Keck Graduate Institute (KGI).

Health insurance typically covers consultation appointments, which are independent of any genetic testing costs or authorizations. Most insurance companies also cover the cost of genetic testing for people considered high risk for whom clinical testing would be appropriate.

If you are uninsured, other means for assistance may be available. Please contact us to inquire.

Federal law (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act otherwise known as GINA) protects people from health insurance discrimination based on genetic test results. Genetic information cannot be used to deny coverage, set rates or influence any form of underwriting. GINA also protects against the use of other family members’ test results or medical history for health insurance discrimination and protects against discrimination by employers. GINA does not include provisions for life, long-term care and disability insurance.

If you have health care coverage through an insurance exchange, the Affordable Care Act includes provisions for genetic testing.

To schedule an appointment with us, please call 818-748-4748 or send us an email. A physician referral is typically not needed, unless required by your insurance.


Center for Clinical Genetics and Genomics Locations

To schedule an appointment at any of the locations below, please call 818-748-4748.