The GENEius programme is Jnetics’ pioneering, education and screening initiative that focuses on young Jewish adults. By strategically targeting the parents of the future, it aims to entirely eliminate severe recessive Jewish genetic disorders (JGDs) from the UK Jewish community.
GENEius targets its audience in 3 main groups; Y12 students at the main Jewish high schools, university students, and young people hoping to have a family in the future.
The screening element of the programme allows individuals to find out if they are a healthy ‘carrier’ of one (or more) of the 9 most severe recessive JGDs – the first step in the prevention of these conditions. With the knowledge of their carrier status, screening participants can then make informed choices to help them avoid the risk of passing on one of the severe recessive JGDs to their future children.
For Y12 students, participation in GENEius involves attending an interactive educational session, followed by optional participation in an in-school screening event. For further information, visit the GENEius website.
The university student- focused part of GENEius was launched in Birmingham in March 2019 and will be rolled out at further universities over the next few years.
The pre-marriage element of GENEius aims to ensure that all engaged Jewish couples are provided with information about JGDs how to access screening. Jnetics is working closely with all the UK synagogue movements in order to establish this. For engaged couples, screening is provided via the Jnetics Barnet Clinic or Virtual Clinic.