Helios Berlin-Buch: The first geneticist to join the clinic’s team
Human genetics is a very young specialty, as the western medical association model has only been in place since the 1990s. It consists of three pillars: cytogenetics, molecular genetics and clinical genetics and combines patient care with expertise in human genetic laboratory procedures. "A geneticist works in a similar way to a radiologist. I don't have my own patients, I take them on, advise them and then refer them back to the appropriate specialist for further treatment," describes Prof. Martin A. Mensah his work as a human geneticist.
Before starting work at the clinic and university location in Berlin-Buch, Prof. Mensah studied human medicine at Charité, where he also completed his specialist training in human genetics in 2022. He also habilitated at Charité's Institute of Medical Genetics and Human Genetics and worked there as a specialist. The human geneticist therefore also has extensive expertise in the fields of research and teaching. This is why he will not only work in the clinic, but also at the MSB Medical School Berlin. "We are very pleased that we have been able to recruit Prof. Martin Mensah not only for our clinic location, but above all for the professorship of human genetics at the Medical School Berlin. With the appointment of Mr. Mensah, we are laying the foundation for the genetic care of our patients and the basis for human genetics research and teaching at the university location Berlin-Buch," says Prof. Henning T. Baberg, MD, Medical Director of Helios Hospital Berlin-Buch and Rector of MSB.
Expansion of genetic laboratory procedures
One focus of Prof. Mensah's work will be the establishment and further development of clinical laboratory procedures. While the existing cytogenetics department already has extensive expertise in haematological and oncological diagnostics, he will put molecular genetics in Berlin-Buch on a new footing:
"If we want to use genetic laboratory procedures to map the entire spectrum of genetic diseases in the future, we need to be able to examine DNA down to the base in order to detect mutations that only affect a single base. And this is exactly what molecular genetics is needed for,"
– explains the human geneticist.
"However, we don't have to start from scratch when setting up and establishing these genetic laboratory procedures, because cytogenetics already exists in Berlin-Buch and is therefore a very good foundation stone. I can also rely on the expertise of the head of the laboratory, Prof. Dirk Peetz, MD, and his team, for which I am very grateful, because up to now my focus has been on patient care and less on laboratory organization," continues Prof. Mensah.
Genetic counseling for patients
Clinical genetics has been the focus of his career to date and is the hobbyhorse of the human geneticist. "As a human geneticist, I will offer genetic counseling for patients at Helios Hospital Berlin-Buch in the future and thus contribute to improved patient care. This service will not only benefit patients who are already undergoing treatment, but also relatives of cancer patients, for example, or families with genetic hereditary diseases who would like advice on family planning," explains Prof. Mensah. The maximum care provider in Buch is thus expanding its range of counseling and treatment services, as for legal reasons only human geneticists are allowed to provide counseling for those seeking advice. One group of patients who should benefit from this in the future are family members of patients with familial breast and ovarian cancer, because "the first project I will be working on together with my colleagues at the hospital is the certification of the Buch Breast Center as an FBREK consortium center," says Mensah, outlining one of his first tasks as a human geneticist at his new place of work.
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