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Communities of practice

Home Our project areas Involvement & engagement Communities of practice

Summary

Australian Genomics coordinates several communities of practice to foster multidisciplinary collaboration between stakeholders. These networks foster the sharing of expertise, standardisation of practices, and pooling of resources. These collaborative efforts enable the rapid dissemination of new knowledge, ensure consistency and accuracy in genomic implementation, and promote evidence-based practices. By working together, diverse stakeholders can address challenges more effectively, streamline workflows, and enhance the overall quality and impact of genomic testing, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and more efficient healthcare delivery.

Communities of practice

Clinical, Diagnostic and Research (CDR) Network

The Clinical, Diagnostic and Research (CDR) Network is a multidisciplinary community of over 130 Australian experts in genomics research, diagnostics, and clinical care. It aims to foster a nationally consistent approach to the clinical delivery of genomics and to stay informed about advancements in the field. The network provides a forum for Australian Genomics and external stakeholders to engage the nation’s genomics experts in initiatives of national and international significance. Monthly meetings offer members the opportunity to discuss issues, initiatives, and opportunities, share the latest research findings and projects, and provide expert insights on the clinical implementation of genomics. This thriving community has demonstrated its effectiveness as a platform for consultation, collaboration, and coordination in supporting Australia’s genomics research, diagnostics, and clinical services.

Project Coordinator
Dr Tessa Mattiske
Contact: tessa.mattiske@mcri.edu.au

Policy Network

The Policy Network is a multidisciplinary network of Australian experts in the fields represented by the membership. The network meets bi-monthly to hear presentations and discuss topical genomics policy issues and opportunities. Recent advancements in the field are discussed, for example policy-related research carried out through GHFM supported programs. The network provides a forum for Australian Genomics and external stakeholders to learn about each other’s areas of policy, research and methods, and to hear about policy consultation opportunities and outcomes. It is also a way for members not involved in other networks and committees of Australian Genomics to stay informed about our objectives and progress.

Project Coordinator
Dr Matilda Haas
Contact: matilda.haas@mcri.edu.au

GCR Connect

GCR Connect is a network of Genetic Counsellors working in research roles across Australasia and beyond. Established in July 2022, GCR Connect provides a platform for Genetic Counsellors to discuss unique issues arising in the research landscape, share practical resources, and foster a supportive research community. Endorsed by the Human Genetics Society of Australasia and supported by both Australian Genomics and the Australasian Society of Genetic Counsellors, the network is committed to advancing genetic counselling-related research. The GCR Connect committee meets bi-monthly to discuss research initiatives, issues, and opportunities, while quarterly webinars and an end-of-year showcase highlight genetic counselling-led research from across Australia.

Project Coordinators
Tatiane Yanes
Contact: t.yanes@uq.edu.au

Kirsten Boggs
Contact: kirsten.boggs@mcri.edu.au

Genomics Education Network Australasia (GENA)

With the rapid translation of genomic medicine, the number of education providers delivering genomic training and education is also expanding. The Genomics Education Network Australasia (GENA) aims to promote best practice in genomic education through a network that shares experiences, resources, evaluation tools and research outcomes. 

We are a network of education providers, evaluators and researchers working in the area of genetics and genomics education. We are putting together a platform and a program of online and hybrid meetings. To register your interest in the Network, please email education@australiangenomics.org.au. 

Project Coordinator
Bronwyn Terrill
Contact: bronwyn.terrill@mcri.edu.au

Australian ELSI Genomics Network

The Australian ELSI Genomics Network is a space designed to share expertise, build collaborations and promote discussion surrounding the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of Genomics in Australian clinical practice and research. Our aim for the network is to run quarterly meetings to promote discussion on important ELSI topics, facilitate new connections and support early career researchers.

Subscribe to the newsletter.  

Contact: info@australiangenomics.org.au

Genomic Screening Consortium for Australian Newborns (GenSCAN)

The Genomic Screening Consortium for Australian Newborns (GenSCAN) was established as a collaborative forum with the twin aims of sharing and pooling findings from these projects to maximise the national policy impact of the publicly funded research and minimising the collective consultation burden on consumers and patient advocacy groups. GenSCAN is organised into six working groups, focusing on: clinical oversight and gene selection; technical platforms; bioinformatics and data analysis; ethical, legal and social issues; health policy and economics; and stakeholder engagement. 

Read more about the GenSCAN projects here.

Project Coordinator
Shelley Pirreca
Contact: michelle.pirreca@health.nsw.gov.au


More projects

Genomics acceptability – societal preferences, public opinion and analysis

Involve Australia – public involvement in genomic research

International engagement

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(03) 9936 6345
info@australiangenomics.org.au
50 Flemington Road, Parkville
Victoria 3052 Australia

In the spirit of reconciliation Australian Genomics acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

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Australian Genomics

Accessibility Statement

  • www.australiangenomics.org.au
  • May 23, 2025

Compliance status

We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email

Screen-reader and keyboard navigation

Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:

  1. Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

    These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.

  2. Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.

    Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

Disability profiles supported in our website

  • Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
  • Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
  • Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
  • ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
  • Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
  • Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

  1. Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
  2. Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
  3. Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
  4. Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
  5. Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
  6. Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
  7. Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.

Browser and assistive technology compatibility

We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).

Notes, comments, and feedback

Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to