Charles Sailey

Dr. Charles Sailey obtained dual master degrees in cell biology and biotechnology before medical training. After obtaining his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine, he completed residency training in Anatomic & Clinical Pathology at the University of Maryland, followed by fellowship training in Molecular Genetic Pathology at the University of North Carolina. As medical and scientific director of the Molecular Genetic Pathology, Molecular Microbiology, Metabolic Genetics, and Clinical Chemistry laboratories at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, he planned, designed, and coordinated the construction of a human genetics laboratory in 2011. Since that time, the laboratory has thrived and is now offering a full genetic test menu, including targeted mutation analysis using Sanger sequencing, MLPA, and copy-number variation using a SNP microarray, among others.

He had several ongoing internal research projects, including the construction of a 15 target plasmid for limit-of-detection and QA studies (patent pending) used with various PCR assays. Other projects included downstream analysis of archived DNA correlated with degree of apoptotic laddering, correlation studies between home brew and commercial platforms for various molecular assays (including C. diff, sepsis, respiratory infections, PCR, and DNA sequencing), and genotyping various strains of infectious organisms in Arkansas. He also spearheaded an extensive review of all send-out genetic tests for appropriateness and cost effectiveness at a large pediatric hospital.

He currently has two larger studies still underway; one involves characterizing miRNA biomarkers in children who have had LVAD placement to help stratify individuals with reverse remodeling from those advancing to end-stage heart failure. The other involves creating a custom next-generation sequencing panel looking at genes involved in psychiatric drug metabolism for non-responsive patients. Recently, he developed the next generation sequencing core facility at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, with custom designed novel autism and hereditary disease gene panels.

Dr. Sailey has over 40 peer reviewed publications, book chapters, and presentations, including data presented at national conferences.