Coffee Break with CGC Mentors - Alaa Koleilat, PhD, FACMG and Aiko Otsubo, PhD, FACMG

5/14/2026
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern

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Are you a trainee or early-career (1-3 years after training) CGC member looking to broaden your perspective by making professional connections with colleagues at different institutions? Do you have questions related to your training or career development, or would you find it helpful to speak with an expert CGC member in your field who can provide guidance and insight? If so, we invite you to join us for the CGC Early Career Initiative Committee’s 2026 Coffee Break with CGC Mentors, an opportunity to connect with experienced professionals, ask questions, and build meaningful relationships within the CGC community.

Thursday, May 14, 3:00 - 4:00pm EDT / 2:00 - 3:00pm CDT / 12:00 - 1:00pm PDT

Alaa Koleilat, PhD, FACMG, attended the University of California, Los Angeles and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She completed a Master of Science in Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Mayo Clinic with a concentration in clinical and translational science. The primary focus of her doctoral research included an interdisciplinary approach to genetic hearing loss and hearing loss screening technologies. Her interest in human genetics and specifically diagnostics led her to complete training in the Laboratory Genetics and Genomics fellowship program through the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics at Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Koleilat is a driven scientist and laboratorian committed to research and contributing to the scientific community, dedicated to educating the next generation of leaders in science and medicine, and passionate about answering the complex diagnostic questions regarding the influence of genetics in human disease. Her research interests span both inherited disorders and cancer genetics and exploring ways to improve current genetic testing technologies. Lastly, Dr. Koleilat is passionate about mentorship and is engaged in initiatives to increase representation of minorities in the genetics workforce.

Aiko Otsubo, PhD, FACMG, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Michigan, specializing in cytogenetics and molecular genetics. She serves as Associate Director of the Cytogenetics Laboratory and Program Director for the Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) Fellowship. Originally trained as a plant cytogeneticist, Dr. Otsubo earned her PhD at Purdue University.

During her postdoctoral training, she studied centromere biology and chromosome segregation in mice before transitioning to human genetics. She completed her LGG fellowship at Indiana University in 2021 and joined the University of Michigan in 2022. She is passionate about clinical case sign-out and improving genetic diagnostics using approaches such as optical genome mapping and whole genome sequencing. As LGG Fellowship Program Director, she finds it especially rewarding to see fellows grow into confident, independent laboratory geneticists. She is also an active member of CGC committees and working groups.

Potential Discussion Topics:

• Career building during laboratory genetics and genomics (LGG) fellowship training
• LGG fellowship application
• ABMGG board preparation

Setting: Live Virtual
UNITED STATES

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5/14/2026

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