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Jennie Vagher
( out of 35 reviews )

Jennie Vagher, CGC

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Primary Location

Huntsman Cancer Institute - Cancer Hospital South

Clinic 2B, Genetics/Family Cancer Assessment
1950 Circle of Hope
Salt Lake City , UT 84112

Jennie Vagher, CGC, is a board-certified genetic counselor who graduated from the University of Utah's Genetics Program in Genetic Counseling. Since joining the Family Cancer Assessment Clinic at Huntsman Cancer Institute in 2017, she has established herself as an expert in rare cancer predisposition syndromes. She currently co-directs the INTERCePT (Inherited Tumor Evaluation Rare Cancer Predisposition Team) Clinic and oversees care for rare tumor syndromes at HCI, with a particular expertise in Li-Fraumeni and DICER1 syndromes.

Jennie led the development of both the pediatric and adult Bone Marrow Failure programs for patients with inherited Bone Marrow Failure syndromes and other predispositions to hematologic malignancies. She has a specific interest in telomere biology disorders and collaborates with the Division of Pulmonology at the University of Utah to provide genetic evaluation to patients with interstitial lung diseases. She is an active member of the Telomere Biology Disorder Center at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Jennie provides comprehensive genetic counseling services to patients across Utah, including those seen at Primary Children's Hospital and LDS Hospital. Her research and clinical work have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, furthering the understanding and management of rare cancer predisposition syndromes. As Senior Manager of Genetic Counseling Research, she also contributes to advancing knowledge in the field through research initiatives.

She works closely with Dr. Luke Maese, Dr. Casey Mehrhoff, and Dr. Joshua Schiffman in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, as well as with Dr. Mary Beth Scholand in the Division of Pulmonology, and with Dr. Srinivas Tantravahi, Dr. Afaf Osman, and Dr. Richard King in the Division of Hematology.

Specialties

Board Certification

American Board of Genetic Counseling

Patient Rating

5.0 /5
( out of 35 reviews )

The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers. The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.


HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Fantastic help and encouragement

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

She's great and does her job well.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie took a personal interest in our family genetics and is aggressive in connecting as many dots together as possible. She is detailed and thorough.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie was wonderful - empathetic, thoughtful, and knowledgeable.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Ms. Vagher was relaxed and open and very helpful explaining to us what we wanted to kno.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie was so knowledgeable and helpful! She made me feel at ease throughout the whole procedure.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

You're the best. Thank you for such a fun, thoughtful and professional visit. You were extremely helpful and knew your stuff. Helped me be at ease.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Very professional & pleasant to talk to

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

I had a very positive experience! They were very warm and friendly and very informative!

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Real pleasure to discuss our situation with Jennie. She was very well versed, knowledgeable and helpful. Excited to continue to work with her.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie is amazing! She is kind and attentive. Most of all she does her best to see that all matters for you are taken care of.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

She's a friendly and caring person who also is a very good explainer.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Very nice and knowledgeable

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie is amazing! She provided a thorough explanation of my genetic situation and what to expect for the testing process. And was prepared for the appointment and very knowledgeable about my condition. Her expertise was very appreciated!

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Very professional...knew her subject matter ...explained concepts clearly

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

What a wonderful person! So caring, thorough & compassionate

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Very helpful.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Compassionate care and thorough researching and knowledge of our daughter's extremely rare genetic condition. Excellent communication and thorough follow up of future plans. Looking forward to continuing to work with Jenny.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Very kind

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Thanks for your help understanding our illness

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie was so kind and easy to talk with about the test results. I learned a lot from her.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

She was amazing! She made us feel so comfortable and answered any question we asked. Her expertise in the field of genetics was very obvious and helpful.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

She was great to talk to and helped me understand.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Exceptionally caring and knowledgeable provider!!

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie has an exceptional gift of being able to teach the patient about their care and the benefits that will come in the future for the patient and generations to come.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jenn my was personable and warm, and answered all of my questions with patience and kindness. She told me my future screening options and we made a plan for next steps. I trust her to help me figure out a follow up plan post-surgery that will work for me.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Very professional and polite and explained everything throughly

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

She is wonderful!

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie explained the process well, and listened carefully and answered all questions great.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie Vagher was amazing. She did such a great job at interacting with Adrian and my daughter and was very good at explaining everything on their level.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Jennie was very patient, respectful, and allowed as much time as I needed for questions. 10/10 wonderful person.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Very attentive and empathetic. [TRANSLATED]

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

She was so sweet and bonded with our daughter immediately. She asked us a lot of history and answered all our questions. She made us feel safe and reassured in this scary time.

HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Professional and caring. She earned my trust and I would go back to her in a heartbeat.


Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety. For the convenience of our visitors, some patient comments have been translated from their original language into English while preserving their original meaning as accurately as possible. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

Jennie Vagher, CGC, is a board-certified genetic counselor who graduated from the University of Utah's Genetics Program in Genetic Counseling. Since joining the Family Cancer Assessment Clinic at Huntsman Cancer Institute in 2017, she has established herself as an expert in rare cancer predisposition syndromes. She currently co-directs the INTERCePT (Inherited Tumor Evaluation Rare Cancer Predisposition Team) Clinic and oversees care for rare tumor syndromes at HCI, with a particular expertise in Li-Fraumeni and DICER1 syndromes.

Jennie led the development of both the pediatric and adult Bone Marrow Failure programs for patients with inherited Bone Marrow Failure syndromes and other predispositions to hematologic malignancies. She has a specific interest in telomere biology disorders and collaborates with the Division of Pulmonology at the University of Utah to provide genetic evaluation to patients with interstitial lung diseases. She is an active member of the Telomere Biology Disorder Center at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Jennie provides comprehensive genetic counseling services to patients across Utah, including those seen at Primary Children's Hospital and LDS Hospital. Her research and clinical work have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, furthering the understanding and management of rare cancer predisposition syndromes. As Senior Manager of Genetic Counseling Research, she also contributes to advancing knowledge in the field through research initiatives.

She works closely with Dr. Luke Maese, Dr. Casey Mehrhoff, and Dr. Joshua Schiffman in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, as well as with Dr. Mary Beth Scholand in the Division of Pulmonology, and with Dr. Srinivas Tantravahi, Dr. Afaf Osman, and Dr. Richard King in the Division of Hematology.

Board Certification and Academic Information

Academic Departments Huntsman Cancer Institute -Midlevel
Internal Medicine -Adjunct Assistant Professor
Academic Divisions Oncology
Board Certification
American Board of Genetic Counseling

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Maxwell KN, Cheng HH, Powers J, Gulati R, Ledet EM, Morrison C, Le A, Hausler R, Stopfer J, Hyman S, Kohlmann W, Naumer A, Vagher J, Greenberg SE, Naylor L, Laurino M, Konnick EQ, Shirts BH, AlDubayan SH, Van Allen EM, Nguyen B, Vijai J, Abida W, Carlo MI, Dubard-Gault M, Lee DJ, Maese LD, Mandelker D, Montgomery B, Morris MJ, Nicolosi P, Nussbaum RL, Schwartz LE, Stadler Z, Garber JE, Offit K, Schiffman JD, Nelson PS, Sartor O, Walsh MF, Pritchard C (2021). Inherited TP53 Variants and Risk of Prostate Cancer. European urology, 81, 243-250.
  2. Li P, White T, Xie W, Cui W, Peker D, Zeng G, Wang HY, Vagher J, Brown S, Williams M, Kovacsovics T, Patel J (2021). AML with germline DDX41 variants is a clinicopathologically distinct entity with an indolent clinical course and favorable outcome. Leukemia, 36, 664-674.
  3. Iglesias Cardenas F, Agarwal AM, Vagher J, Maese L, Fluchel M, Afify (2021). Two Clonally Distinct B-Cell Lymphomas Reveal the Diagnosis of XLP1 in a Male Child and His Asymptomatic Male Relatives: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology, 43(8), e1210-e1213.
  4. Chavez-Yenter D, Vagher J, Clayton MF, Rindler M, Shukovich M, Kaphingst K (2021). "Being proactive, not reactive": exploring perceptions of genetic testing among White, Latinx, and Pacific Islander Populations. Journal of community genetics, 12(4), 617-630.
  5. Moody EW, Vagher J, Espinel W, Goldgar D, Hagerty KJ, Gammon (2019). Comparison of Somatic and Germline Variant Interpretation in Hereditary Cancer Genes. JCO precision oncology, 3, 1-8.
  6. Thomsen W, Maese L, Vagher J, Moore K, Cheshier SH, Hofmann JW, Bruggers (2021). Early Presentation of Homozygous Mismatch Repair Deficient Glioblastoma in Teen With Lynch Syndrome: Implications for Treatment and Surveillance. JCO precision oncology, 5, 670-675.
  7. Maxwell KN,Cheng HH,Powers J,Gulati R,Ledet EM,Morrison C,Le A,Hausler R,Stopfer J,Hyman S,Kohlmann W,Naumer A,Vagher J,Greenberg SE,Naylor L,Laurino M,Konnick EQ,Shirts BH,AlDubayan SH,Van Allen EM,Nguyen B,Vijai J,Abida W,Carlo MI,Dubard-Gault M,Lee DJ,Maese LD,Mandelker D,Montgomery B,Morris MJ,Nicolosi P,Nussbaum RL,Schwartz LE,Stadler Z,Garber JE,Offit K,Schiffman JD,Nelson PS,Sartor O,Walsh MF,Pritchard C (2021). Inherited TP53 Variants and Risk of Prostate Cancer. European urology,
  8. Himes DO,Vagher (2020). Patient With Questions About Cancer Risk. European urology, 16(7), e109-e112.
  9. Landrith T,Li B,Cass AA,Conner BR,LaDuca H,McKenna DB,Maxwell KN,Domchek S,Morman NA,Heinlen C,Wham D,Koptiuch C,Vagher J,Rivera R,Bunnell A,Patel G,Geurts JL,Depas MM,Gaonkar S,Pirzadeh-Miller S,Krukenberg R,Seidel M,Pilarski R,Farmer M,Pyrtel K,Milliron K,Lee J,Hoodfar E,Nathan D,Ganzak AC,Wu S,Vuong H,Xu D,Arulmoli A,Parra M,Hoang L,Molparia B,Fennessy M,Fox S,Charpentier S,Burdette J,Pesaran T,Profato J,Smith B,Haynes G,Dalton E,Crandall JRR,Baxter R,Lu HM,Tippin-Davis B,Elliott A,Chao E,Karam (2020). Splicing profile by capture RNA-seq identifies pathogenic germline variants in tumor suppressor genes. NPJ precision oncology, 4(1),
  10. Li P, Brown S, Williams M, White TA, Xie W, Cui W, Peker D, Lei L, Kunder CA, Wang HY, Murray SS, Vagher J, Kovacsovics T, Patel J (2022). The genetic landscape of germline DDX41 variants predisposing to myeloid neoplasms. Blood, 140, 716-755.
  11. Harriman JW, Espinel WF, Vagher J, Gammon (2022). BRCA1/2 Variants Identified Through Tumor Genomic Profiling: Assessing Genetic Counseling Outcomes. JCO precision oncology, 6, e2100375.
  12. Fan EM,Vagher J,Meznarich JA,Ubico EM,Goteti S,Peterson D,Rayes A,Maese L (2023). Severe congenital neutropenia, SRP54 pathogenicity, and a framework for surveillance. American journal of medical genetics. Part A, 191(5), 1434-1441.
  13. Beigh M, Vagher J, Codden R, Maese LD, Cook S, Gammon (2024). Newborn Screening for Li-Fraumeni Syndrome: Patient Perspectives.
  14. Wen T, Boyden SE, Hocutt CM, Lewis RG, Baldwin EE, Vagher J, Andrews A, Nicholas TJ, Chapin A, Fan EM, Botto LD, Bayrak-Toydemir P, Mao R, Meznarich (2025). Identification of two novel non-coding variants in Diamond-Blackfan Anemia Syndrome patients by whole genome sequencing. Blood advances, 9(10), 2443-2452.
  15. Stubbins RJ, Arnovitz S, Vagher J, Asom A, Perpich M, Pies M, Akpan IJ, Chew E, Bridgers J, Karsan A, Rodgers C, Koppayi A, Basdag H, Drazer MW, Das S, Cheng J, Osman AEG, Godley L (2025). Predisposition to hematopoietic malignancies by deleterious germline CHEK2 variants. Leukemia,
  16. Vagher J, Zakas A, Donovan L, Shoger K, Naumer A, Bly J, Smith-Simmer K, Maese L, Schiffman J, Kohlmann W, Garzon R, Churpek JE, Osman AE (2025). Hematologic Malignancy Frequency, Phenotypes, and Outcomes in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. JCO precision oncology, 9, e2400860.
  17. Moses R, Indeglia A, Levine AS, Hausler R, Kelly G, Miller SA, Anez I, Heller M, Delgado R, Orr C, Kohlmann W, Naumer A, Vagher J, Cahill SR, Maese LD, Karanicolas J, Garber JE, Murphy ME, Maxwell K (2025). Variation at the R181 residue of p53 confers loss of p53 DNA binding cooperativity with the retention of mitochondrial-associated apoptosis. bioRxiv,
  18. Sleiman MM Jr, Statman MR, Yockel MR, Wu YP, Hamilton JG, Kohlmann WK, Vagher J, Feola S, Maese LD, Chen J, Appel B, Mehrhoff CJ, Peshkin BN, Kadan-Lottick NS, Kupfer GM, Tercyak K (2025). Parental perspectives on the use of tumor molecular profiling and germline genetic testing during their children's cancer treatment. Familial cancer, 24(3), 63.

Review

  1. Vagher J, Gammon A, Kohlmann W, Jeter (2022). Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers and Other Cutaneous Manifestations in Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes and Rare DNA Repair Disorders. Frontiers in oncology, 12, 837059.
  2. Vagher J,Dietz MS,Schiffman JD,Kohlmann W,Maese (2022). Germline predisposition to soft tissue sarcoma. Journal of cancer metastasis and treatment, 8,
  3. Vagher J, Mehrhoff CJ, Florou V, Maese L (2024). Genetic Predisposition to Sarcoma: What Should Clinicians Know?. Current treatment options in oncology, 25(6), 769-783.

Book Chapter

  1. Vagher J,Maese L,Gammon A,Kohlmann W,Schiffman J (2021). Inherited risk for childhood leukemia. The Hereditary Basis of Childhood Cancer, 315-360.

Case Report

  1. Rathi N, Anderson N, Greenberg S, Vagher J, Agarwal N, Hahn A (2018). DNA Damage Repair (DDR) Mutations and the Utility of High-Risk Genetics Clinics in Metastatic Castration-Refractory Prostate Cancer (mCRPC). World journal of oncology, 9(4), 119-122.
  2. Kerrigan K, Chan J, Vagher J, Kohlmann W, Naumer A, Anson J, Low S, Schiffman J, Maese (2021). Lung Cancer in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. JCO precision oncology, 5,
  3. Franke K, Vagher J, Boyle J, Hall A, Smith-Simmer (2022). Rare variant in the fumarate hydratase gene found in patients with clinical features of hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC): A case series. Clinical case reports, 10(3), e05513.

Letter

  1. Tantravahi SK, Huber BD, Vagher J, Maese L, Pomicter AD, Al-Sweel N, Asch JD, Toydemir RM, Hong B, Parker (2022). Genome-wide uniparental disomy as a mechanism of immune escape in acquired aplastic anaemia. British journal of haematology, 198(6), e78-e81.