#173 GRIN1 with Keith McArthur

Joining us for the last episode of rare disease month is Keith McArthur. Keith is the co-founder and CEO of CureGRIN, a non profit rare disease organization. He is also a published author and he’s a fellow science podcaster, Unlocking Bryson’s Brain (one of our favorite podcasts!). But most importantly, Keith is the loving father of Bryson, who was diagnosed with a GRIN1 related disorder. Keith McArthur got a second chance at life in 2017 when his little sister donated her kidney for transplant. Now, he writes and podcasts about his journey to becoming happier and healthier. Keith is the creator of My Instruction Manual — a website, podcast, and book series providing high-quality, personal-development content. Previously, Keith has worked as an award-winning journalist, a social media and public relations strategist, and a senior executive at one of Canada’s largest companies. He has written and edited several books, and serves as the president and publisher of FanReads Inc. His newest self-help book is Winning Resolutions: Achieve Your Biggest Goals and Wildest Dreams Once and For All. Keith’s previous book — 18 Steps to Own Your Life — was a silver medalist in the Non-Fiction-Motivational category of the 2018 Readers’ Favorite Awards. On This Episode We Discuss: GRIN1 mutations and GRIN1-related disorders Bryson’s diagnostic odyssey Connecting with other GRIN families Keith’s motivation for starting CureGRIN How the public interacts with individuals in the rare disease community GRIN1 research in mice and the “Bryson” mouse To learn more about GRIN1 research, check out GRIN Therapeutics, which focus entirely on developing potential treatments for the GRIN community. You can also head over to Homology Medicines, Inc that Keith mentioned during our recording. Keep up with Keith on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and stay up to date on what’s happening at CureGRIN by following them on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on March 4th, 2022 with Fulgent Genetics about Pharmacogenomic testing! New episodes are released on Fridays. In the meantime, you can binge over 170 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel. DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNApodcast.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected]. Have you heard of the Blueprint Genetics My Retina Tracker Program? This program offers eligible patients in the US no-cost comprehensive genetic testing and counseling for their inherited retinal degeneration. The My Retina Tracker Program Panel includes 351 genes, mitochondrial DNA, and non-coding variant assessment. Stay tuned for our interview with Blueprint Genetics about the My Retina Tracker Program and the patient registry on a future episode of DNA Today. In the meantime, you can learn more at BlueprintGenetics.com. PerkinElmer Genomics is a global leader in genetic testing focusing on rare diseases, inherited disorders, newborn screening, and hereditary cancer. Testing services support the full continuum of care from preconception and prenatal to neonatal, pediatric, and adult. Testing options include sequencing for targeted genes, multiple genes, the whole exome or genome, and copy number variations. Using a simple saliva or blood sample, PerkinElmer Genomics answers complex genetic questions that can proactively inform patient care and end the diagnostic odyssey for families. Learn more at PerkinElmerGenomics.com.