ProfessorLeslie Burnett

My current interests are in the area of reproductive genetics and genetic pathology. I use bioinformatics to examine large human genomic datasets and, from this, to design optimum strategies for genetic testing. Examples include reproductive carrier screening tests for the general population, or selecting genetic tests for gamete donors. An example of my recent work is https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gim.2025.101387, where we have designed "Goldilocks" screening panels: not too small to miss things, not too large to be overly expensive, and "just right" to outperform all other available similar tests in Australia. We are currently extending this research, by applying it to special populations (e.g. communities that have been historically genetically isolated, or communities where consanguineous marriages between close relatives are common) where standard testing might behave differently.