Victorian Clinical Genetics Services
Victorian Clinical Genetics Service (VCGS) is a specialist prenatal, childhood and adult genetics service. We are an Australian not-for-profit subsidiary of Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI). VCGS provides clinical and laboratory pathology genetic services to thousands of Australian families every year.
We currently employ more than 250 staff and VCGS provides diagnosis, risk assessment, management and counselling for people with genetic conditions. Our team of clinical geneticists, genetic counsellors, laboratory scientists and support staff are committed to delivering a world class accessible genetic service for all Australians.
What makes us different, is that our scientists, geneticists, genetic counsellors and researchers all work together to provide our clients with fast, accurate and personalised genetic testing services.
A global leader in genetic health, VCGS also plays a key role in research and development, translational research and genomics, and policy development in the field of genetics. We strive to innovate and translate the latest research discoveries into excellent clinical care and state of the art testing.
With demand for genetic testing rapidly growing and changing, VCGS now performs more than 200,000 tests annually for families and clients not only in Australia but around the world.
A short history
VCGS was founded by Professor David Danks, along with Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, who established the original Murdoch Institute in 1986. Together, they championed the importance of clinical genetics and genetics research to improve the health and well being of children all over the world. In 2018, we celebrated our 30th anniversary.
Day to day
VCGS works closely with a wide range of patient support groups and health professionals, including general practitioners and specialists, to support the diagnosis and care of patients. We also help people understand rare and complex conditions.
Our clinical geneticists and genetic counsellors work in consultation with medical scientists and clinical bioinformaticians to provide the most accurate interpretation of genetic data. This multidisciplinary approach allows us to provide clinically useful information to guide patient care.