College of Biological Sciences

CBS Genetic Counseling
NSGC
UMN Experts

Research Interests

Bonnie LeRoy's major areas of interest focus on the education and clinical preparation of Genetic Counseling professionals. She is the director of the Graduate Program of Study in Genetic Counseling, which offers a Master of Science degree in molecular, cellular, developmental biology and genetics with an emphasis of study in genetic counseling. This two-year graduate program integrates didactic course work in molecular and human and behavioral genetics, psychosocial counseling and bioethics with first hand medical genetics laboratory and clinical genetics experience. Students gain genetic counseling skills through direct patient contact at the University of Minnesota Medical Center as well as a wide variety of other clinical settings throughout the Twin Cities and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

LeRoy is also interested in the psychosocial issues and ethical challenges involved with the provision of genetic counseling services. She has been involved in a series of projects investigating the return of genomic results to patients and families in both clinical and research settings. LeRoy and colleagues co-edited and co-authored two of the first genetic counseling texts that concentrate on the psychosocial skills required for practice. In addition, LeRoy and colleagues co-authored a reference text that is a Guide for Research in Genetic Counseling.

Wolf, SM, Crock, BN, VanNess B, Lawrentz, F, Kahn, JP, Beskow, LM, Cho, MK, Christman, MF, Green, RC, Hall, RH, Illes, J, Keane, M, Knopers, BM, Koenig, BA, Kohane, IS, LeRoy, B, Maschke, KJ, McGerveran, W, Ossorio, P, Parker, LS, Petersen, GM, Richardson, HS, Scott, JA, Terry, SF, Wilfond, BS, and Wolf, WA. Managing Incidental Findings and Research Results in Genomic Research Involving Biobanks and Archived Data Sets. Genetics in Medicine, 2012, 14: 361-384. DOI:10.1038/gim.2012.23.

Mikhaelian, M, McCarthy Veach, P, MacFarlane, IM, LeRoy, BS, and Bower, M. Prenatal Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization: A Survey of Prenatal Genetic Counselors’ Experiences and Attitudes. Prenatal Diagnosis, 2013, 33: 371-377. DOI 10.10002/pd.4071

Zierhut, H, McCarthy Veach, P, & LeRoy, BS. Canaries in the Coal Mine: Personal and Professional Impact of Experiential Learning on Asymptomatic Individuals Undergoing Whole Genome Sequencing. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A 2015, 167A: 2647-2656. DOI 10.1002/ajmg.a.37262. PMID: 26219924

Hartmann, JE, McCarthy Veach, P, MacFarlane, IM, and LeRoy, BS. Genetic Counselor Perceptions of Genetic Counseling Session Goals: A Validation Study of the Reciprocal-Engagement Model. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2015, 24(2): 225-237. DOI 10.1007/s10897-013-9647-6.

Lee, W, McCarthy Veach, P, MacFarlane, IM, and LeRoy, BS. Who is at Risk for Compassion Fatigue? An Investigation of Genetic Counselor Demographics, Anxiety, Compassion Satisfaction and Burnout. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2015, 24 (2): 358-370; DOI 10.1007/s10897-014-9716-5

Wolf, S. M., Branum, R., Koenig, B. A., Petersen, G. M., Berry, S. A., Beskow, L. M., Daly, M. B., Fernandez, C. V., Green, R. C., LeRoy, B. S., Lindor, N. M., O'Rourke, P. P., Breitkopf, C. R., Rothstein, M. A., Van Ness, B. and Wilfond, B. S. Returning a Research Participant's Genomic Results to Relatives: Analysis and Recommendations. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 2015; 43: 440–463. DOI: 10.1111/jlme.12288

Redlinger-Grosse, K, McCarthy Veach, P, Cohen, S., & LeRoy, BS, MacFarlane, IM, & Zierhut, H. Defining Our Clinical Practice: The Identification of Genetic Counseling Outcomes Utilizing the Reciprocal Engagement Model. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2016; 25 (2): 239-257; DOI 10.1007/s10897-015-9864-2

Finley, LS, McCarthy Veach, P, MacFarlane, IM, LeRoy, BS, & Callanan, N. Genetic Counseling Supervisors’ Self Efficacy for Select Clinical Supervision Competencies. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2016; 25 (2): 344-358; DOI 10.1007/s10897-015-9865-1

Miranda, C., McCarthy Veach, P., Martyr, M.A., and LeRoy, B.S. Portrait of the Master Genetic Counselor Clinician: A Qualitative Investigation of Expertise in Genetic Counseling. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2016; 25 (4): 767-785; DOI 10.1007/s10897-015-9863-3

Wells, D., McCarthy Veach, P., Martyr, M.A., and LeRoy, B.S. Development, Experience and Expression of Meaning in Genetic Counselors’ Lives: an Exploratory Analysis. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2016; 25 (4): 799-817; DOI 10.1007/s10897-015-9901-1

Lee, W, McCarthy Veach, P, MacFarlane, IM, and LeRoy, BS. Who is at Risk for Compassion Fatigue? An Investigation of Genetic Counselor Demographics, Anxiety, Compassion Satisfaction and Burnout. Journal of Genetic Counseling, Online First 2014; DOI 10.1007/s10897-014-9716-5.

Hartmann, JE, McCarthy Veach, P, MacFarlane, IM, and LeRoy, BS. Genetic Counselor Perceptions of Genetic Counseling Session Goals: A Validation Study of the Reciprocal-Engagement Model. Journal of Genetic Counseling, Online First 2013; DOI 10.1007/s10897-013-9647-6.

Mikhaelian, M, McCarthy Veach, P, MacFarlane, IM, LeRoy, BS, and Bower, M. Prenatal Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization: A Survey of Prenatal Genetic Counselors’ Experiences and Attitudes. Accepted for publication in the Prenatal Diagnosis, January 2013.

Balcom, J., McCarthy Veach, P., Bemmels, H., Redlinger-Grosse, K., & LeRoy, B.S. When the topic is you: Genetic counselor responses to prenatal patients’ requests for self-disclosure. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2012, 22: 358 - 373.

Wolf, SM, Crock, BN, VanNess B, Lawrentz, F, Kahn, JP, Beskow, LM, Cho, MK, Christman, MF, Green, RC, Hall, RH, Illes, J, Keane, M, Knopers, BM, Koenig, BA, Kohane, IS, LeRoy, B, Maschke, KJ, McGerveran, W, Ossorio, P, Parker, LS, Petersen, GM, Richardson, HS, Scott, JA, Terry, SF, Wilfond, BS, and Wolf, WA. Managing Incidental Findings and Research Results in Genomic Research Involving Biobanks and Archived Data Sets. Accepted for publication in Genetics in Medicine, Online First, March 2012.

Glessner, HD, Vandenlangenberg, E, McCarthy Veach, P and LeRoy, BS. Are Genetic Counselors and GLBT Patients “on the Same Page”? An Investigation of Attitudes, Practices and Genetic Counseling Experiences. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2012, 21:326-336.

Jungbluth, C, Macfarlane, IM, McCarthy Veach, P and LeRoy, BS. Why is Everyone so Anxious? An Exploration of Stress and Anxiety in Genetic Counseling Graduate Students. Journal of Genetic Counseling 2011, 20, 270-286.

Paine, AL, McCarthy Veach, P, MacFarland, IM, Thomas, B, Ahrens, M, and LeRoy, BS. “What Would You Do if You Were Me?” Effects of Counselor Self-Disclosure vs. Non-Disclosure in a Hypothetical Genetic Counseling Session. Journal of Genetic Counseling 2010, 19, 570-584.