Getting the most from your sample

Sandi Deans, PhD

Director of Genomics Quality Assessment (GenQA)

Professor Sandi Deans is a Consultant Clinical Scientist and the Director of Genomics Quality Assessment (GenQA) part of the UK National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS) which is based in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, UK. The EQA Scheme delivers assessment of molecular genetics, molecular pathology and cytogenomic testing, newborn screening, prenatal diagnosis, preimplantation genetic diagnosis and variant interpretation. Sandi holds a chair as Professor of Clinical Genomics at the University of Edinburgh. She also is the National Scientific and Laboratory Lead of the NHS England Genomics Unit embedding the National Genomic Medicine Service for rare disease and cancer including whole genome sequencing within the NHS and collaborates closely with Genomics England to deliver high quality whole genome sequencing for both the rare diseases and cancer programmes. From March 2020, Sandi has been part of the UK national COVID‑9 response team and is Head of Laboratory Validation and Quality Assurance for SARS‑CoV‑2 testing for mass testing.