Miriam G. Blitzer, PhD

• University of California, Irvine, B.A. in Chemistry, 1974
• Univ. of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, M.S. in Human Genetics, 1980
• Univ. of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Ph.D. in Human Genetics, 1981

Dr. Blitzer is Professor and Head of the Division of Genetics in the Pediatrics.   In addition, she is the CEO ( 70% effort) of the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG).   After receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, she completed fellowships in clinical biochemical genetics and PhD medical genetics  at Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Blitzer is board-certified in clinical biochemical genetics and PhD medical genetics.  She has been an author of over 60 publications and over 100 abstracts.

Dr. Blitzer is recognized as a leader in medical genetics education and training,  including teaching in and directing medical school courses, graduate student programs, and resident education.  She coordinates the medical genetics and genomics curriculum for first year medical students at the SOM. She served on the American Association of Medical Colleges Expert Panel that developed the "Medical School Objective Project" in Genetics Education for medical school curriculum that was published in 2005.She is an awardee of the Carolyn J Pass, MD ‘66 and Richard J. Susel ’66 Academy of Education Excellence at UMSOM in recognition of her key educational roles.  

Nationally, Dr. Blitzer has served on boards of the ABMGG (1996-2001, including term as president), the American Society of Human Genetics (2006-2009) the National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics (2002-2006), and the Association of Professors in Human and Medical Genetics (2008-2013, including as presdient).  In 2000-2001, she was a fellow in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program for Women (ELAM). Currently she serves on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Biochemical and metabolic genetic disorders; medical genetics and genomics education and training

Cowan TM, Blitzer, MG, Wolf B (A Working Group of the American College of Medical Genetics Laboratory Quality Assurance Committee): Technical standards and guidelines for the diagnosis of biotinidase deficiency. Genetics in Medicine 12:464-470, 2010.

Pindolia K,  Jordan M, Guo C, Matthews N, Mock DM, Strovel E, Blitzer M, Wolf B: Development and characterization of a mouse with profound biotinidase deficiency: A biotin-responsive neurocutaneous disorder. Mol Genet Metab 102(2):161-169, 2011.

Hoffman JD, Greger V, Strovel ET, Blitzer MG, Umbarger MA, Kennedy C, Bishop B, Saunders P, Porreca GJ, Schienda J, Davie J, Hallam S, Towne C. Next-Generation DNA Sequencing of HEXA: a step in the right direction for carrier screening. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine 1(4):260-268, 2013

Shuldiner AR, Palmer K, Pakyz RE, Alestock TD, Maloney KA, O’Neill C, Bhatty S, Schub J, Overby CL, Horenstein R, Pollin TI, Kelemen MD, Beitelshees AL, Robinson SW, Blitzer M, McArdle PF, Brown L, Bone Jeng LJ, Zhao R, Ambulos N, Vesely MR. Implementation of pharmacogenetics: The University of Maryland personalized anti-platelet pharmacogenetics program. Am J Med Genet Part C 166C: 76-84. 2014.

Seravalli V; Grimpel YI; Meiri H; Blitzer M, Baschat AA: The relationship between first trimester serum placental protein-13 and maternal characteristics, placental Doppler studies and pregnancy outcome. J Perinatal Medicine. 44(5): 543-549. 2016.

Bowdin S, Gilbert A, Bedoukian E, Carew C, Adam M, Belmont J, Bernhardt B, Biesecker L, Bjornsson H, Blitzer M, D’Alessandro L, Deardorff MA, Demmer L, Elliot A, Feldman G, Glass I, Hardy M, Herman G, Hindorff L, Hisama F, Hudgins L, Innes M, Jackson L, Jarvik G, Kim R, Korf B, Kovalski B, Kovalski H, Ledbetter D, Li M, Liston E, Marshall C, Meyn S, Monfared N, Morton C, Mulvihill J, Plon S, Rehm H, Roberts A, Shuman C, Siciliano D, Spinner N, Stoopa T, Stavropoulos J, Strautnieks J, Valverde K, Waggoner D, Wilkens A, Cohn R, Krantz ID: Overview and Recommendations for the Integration of Genomics into the Clinical Practice of Medical Genetics. Genet Med. 18(11): 1075-1084. 2016.

Perry, C.G., Maloney, K.A., Beitelshees, A.L., Jeng, L.J., Ambulos Jr., N.P., Shuldiner, A.R., and Blitzer, M.G. (2016) Educational Innovations in Clinical Pharmacogenomics. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 99(6): 582-584. 2016.