Rob Elles

Rob Elles PhD is Head of the National Genetics Reference Laboratory in Manchester UK and of a Molecular Genetics Service offering diagnostic genetic testing for over 20 single gene conditions to a population of over 4 million.

He has been involved in training and professional standards and many areas of development of Diagnostic Genetics in the UK. He was secretary of the UK Clinical Molecular Genetics Society and later secretary of the British Society for Human Genetics for a total of nine years. In 2002 his Laboratory was awarded one of two contracts awarded by the UK Department of Health to develop National Genetics Reference Laboratories. The NGRL's have developed a capability in technology assessment and development and informatics, and offer advice and support to the UK Genetic Testing Network.
In 1998 he co-ordinated a European Commission research funded project which developed into the self funded European Molecular Genetics Quality Network which offers External Quality Assessment schemes to nearly 400 laboratories. He is lead of the EuroGentest work-group centred around external quality assessment and is currently co-chair of the expert steering group on Quality Assurance in Molecular Genetic Testing of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development which is developing guidelines for genetic testing.