From a young age, Morgan Collier knew she wanted to take care of people. That passion led her to earning a nursing degree. After spending time caring for patients in a trauma setting, Morgan moved on to precision medicine.
According to the National Library of Medicine, precision medicine is “an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person.”
While at a precision medicine practice, Morgan received a scholarship to help her further study this field. That’s when her love of genetics began.
“I finally had a vision for how I could combine my love for the body’s metabolic function with health and with caring for others,” she said. “After completing my Master’s education as a family nurse practitioner, I applied to work at Akron Children’s as a metabolic and genetics nurse practitioner. It has been the best possible outcome for all my education and training! I am so overjoyed to share with others that I truly LOVE my job!”
In a primarily male-dominated field like genetics, Morgan is unique.
“Women should feel empowered to enter the field of genetics. Especially female nurse practitioners,” she said. “The overall number of providers choosing fellowships in genetics and metabolic is declining. There is a calling for advance practice providers in the field of genetics and many specialty practices. I believe that as a female in this practice, it is my goal to guide other women to the fascinating practice of genetics. We have the power and deserve to be on the forefront of medical genetics advancements.”
As a family nurse practitioner in the Genetic Center and NeuroDevelopmental Science Center, Morgan sees patients with metabolic, mitochondrial, or developmental genetics issues.
“When any child is born, they receive a test known as a newborn screening. Typically, newborn screening involves a simple blood test, usually collected by pricking the baby’s heel shortly after birth,” Morgan explained. “The blood sample is analyzed in a laboratory to check for certain genetic, metabolic, and hormonal disorders. The goal is to detect these conditions early, often before symptoms appear, so that appropriate interventions can be initiated to prevent or minimize the impact on the child’s health.”
If a child’s newborn screening is positive, other tests are performed. Then, treatments like dietary changes, medication, or specialized medical care, can significantly improve someone’s outcome, she said.
Morgan works collaboratively with other Akron Children’s providers and specialties to help patients and their families who have metabolic genetic disorders, mitochondrial disorders and intellectual or developmental delays.
Morgan Collier receives her Doctorate of Nursing degree.
“The American College of Pediatrics states that 30-40% of these patients with an intellectual or developmental delay are estimated to have an underlying genetic cause. Families often receive a referral to genetics from developmental pediatrics or their primary care provider,” she said.
The resiliency of kids is part of why Morgan loves her job.
“Their ability to overcome challenging metabolic complications is amazing,” she said. “I also enjoy being able to come to work and play princess or superman, color, or talk about school sports or extracurriculars. I am a kid at heart, so play is very important in my practice.”
Morgan also sees adults with metabolic, genetic or mitochondrial needs.
“There are so few metabolic genetic centers in the country that Akron Children’s allows patients to be followed through adulthood. This greatly improves continuity of care and transition from adolescence to young adulthood,” she said.
When a patient family comes to see her, Morgan wants them to know that:
- It’s okay if you don’t know your full family medical history.
- If you or your child require weekly monitoring, you’ll be in very close contact with Morgan and other Akron Children’s providers if necessary.
- At your first visit, you’ll talk about family health history, you or your child’s health history, you or your child’s birth history, ongoing concerns, and review of symptoms.
- She will tell you about the kind of genetic tests offered at Akron Children’s and together you’ll decide what the best option is for you.
“I do my best to treat all my patients as if they were one of my own family members,” Morgan said. “We take a team approach in genetics, collaborating with genetic counselors, dietitians and geneticists, and we want our patients to feel that they are a part of one big family. I never want a family to feel alone in the process of genetic testing or treating their child’s genetic condition. Genetics can be confusing, so I do my best to be available via MyChart message or phone call for questions or concerns.”
Morgan recently completed her Doctor of Nursing. When she’s not working with patient families, she enjoys spending time with her partner hiking, traveling, working out (she’s a competitive bodybuilder) and playing with her dogs Ollie and Zoe.
To make an appointment with Morgan, call the Genetic Center at 330-543-8792.
