Dr Cathie Rose
Curator and Project Manager
Dr Sue White
Medical Geneticist
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

1:30pm
Level 2, Alan Gilbert Building
161 Barry Street (Cnr. Grattan and Barry Streets)
Carlton South VIC 3053
AUSTRALIA

Abstract

POSSUM (Pictures Of Standard Syndromes and Undiagnosed Malformations) is a dysmorphology database that was developed here in Melbourne in the mid 1980s. At the time of development this database embraced new technologies and won awards for innovation. It was developed at the Murdoch Institute as a tool for clinicians to assist with the diagnosis of syndromes in their patients, by searching for traits and matching previous reports and clinical photos. This tool is used worldwide and many clinicians ask if a patient has been ‘POSSUMed’ yet. Over the past 25 years this system has been frequently updated, and we are now ready for our next leap, with a truly web-based database able to link to other programs and databases, giving researchers and clinicians the ability to easily correlate known dysmorphic syndromes and their gene locations, and the opportunity to have collaborative entries, discussions and other interactive processes. The POSSUM team at MCRI is headed by: Dr Cathie Rose, Curator and Project Manager AND Dr Sue White, Medical Geneticist.

Speaker Bios:

Cathie Rose has been involved with POSSUM for the past 20 years, and seen the change from the original DOS based program, through CD-rom and web-based versions, and is responsible for the day-to-day data entry.

Sue White has a special interest in Clinical Dysmorphology, as well as involvement with research of the Ras/MAPK pathway.

There will be a light lunch beforehand in the Boardroom, Level 2, Alan Gilbert Building at 12:30 pm. Please RSVP by Thursday 9 February if you would like to attend the lunch to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it