Although molecular testing offers promising opportunities for diagnosis and targeted treatment of cancers, prostate cancer has lagged behind other types of cancer. Recently, homologous recombination repair testing in prostate cancer has provided a means to achieving targeted treatments for patients as well as opening new avenues of collaboration between pathologists and oncologists. On this episode of Inside the Lab, hosts Ms. Kelly Swails, MLS(ASCP), and Dr. Ali Brown, MD, FASCP are joined by Heather Cheng, a medical oncologist and associate professor of hematology and oncology at the Univer ..read more

As CRC affects younger and more diverse populations, emerging tests for CRC biomarkers provide enormous utility for diagnosis. However, misdiagnosis of CRC, shifting demographics of those afflicted with CRC, and patient unfamiliarity with symptoms create challenges in identifying CRC. In this episode of Inside the Lab, hosts Dr. Ali Brown and Lotte Mulder are joined by Dr. Melissa Taggart, a board-certified pathologist at MD Cancer Center and Karla Valencia, a laboratory manager at MD Anderson Cancer Center to discuss the utility of biomarker testing for CRC.   The hosts are also joined b ..read more

The availability of targeted therapies has changed the landscape of cancer treatment in the last few years.  And two types of cancer particularly affected by these advances are melanoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma or NSCLC. What role does the laboratory play in the diagnosis and treatment of these cancers? How can pathologists and lab professionals work with oncologists to optimize biomarker testing and improve patient outcomes?   On this episode of Inside the Lab, your hosts, Ms. Kelly Swails, MT(ASCP), and Dr. Ali Brown, MD, FASCP, are joined by Dr. Sanjay Mukhopadhyay, MD ..read more

Recent developments in disease modifying therapies have been proven to slow the progression of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease.  And yet, we can only confirm a diagnosis of AD after a patient’s death.  But what if we could use biomarkers to identify preclinical stage Alzheimer’s and step in long before a patient exhibits dementia?  On this episode of Inside the Lab, your host, Ms. Kelly Swails, MT(ASCP) introduces us to Dr. Shih-Hsiu Jerry Wang, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Duke University School of M ..read more

Tests that are designed in-house to fulfill a clinical need (but aren’t FDA approved) qualify as laboratory developed tests. And these LDTs are currently regulated by CLIA. But the FDA is proposing a new rule that would give them oversight of the design and development of laboratory developed tests. So, what does that mean for us? How would this new legislation impact everyday practice inside the lab?  On this episode of the podcast, your hosts, Ms. Kelly Swails, MLS(ASCP), and Dr. Ali Brown, MD, FASCP, are joined by Dr. Gregory Sossaman, MD, Clinical Pathologist and Service Line Lead for ..read more

Working on the bench can feel like being in a black box. And as important as it is to advocate for patients, pathologists and laboratory professionals rarely have direct access to them.  So, what can we do to encourage patient-centered care in the medical laboratory?  On this episode of Inside the Lab, your hosts, Ms. Kelly Swails, MLS(ASCP), and Dr. Lotte Mulder, PhD, are joined by three members of the laboratory staff at University Hospital in San Antonio, Ms. Carrie Bartosh, MLS(ASCP), SV, Laboratory Supervisor in the Microbiology Department, Ms. Claudia Courtright, MLS(ASCP), Tec ..read more

We know that diverse teams perform better. In laboratory medicine, diversity, equity, and inclusion in leadership not only inspires young professionals, it also promotes retention in a profession that struggles with staffing shortages.  So, what’s stopping us from increasing representation and equity in laboratory leadership?   What can we do to recruit a more diverse pool of job applicants and then support them in growing into lab leadership and management roles?  On this episode of Inside the Lab, your hosts, Ms. Kelly Swails, MLS(ASCP), and Dr. Lotte Mulder, PhD, are joined b ..read more

Would you benefit from having a mentor to help you grow as a pathologist or laboratory professional? How might you benefit from becoming a mentor yourself?  We get further, faster, with support, and having the right mentor accelerates your personal and professional development.  But how do you find a good mentor? And what can you do to make the mentor-mentee relationship successful?   On this episode of Inside the Lab, your hosts, Ms. Kelly Swails, MT(ASCP), and Dr. Lotte Mulder, PhD, are joined by Dr. Nathan Johnson, PhD, FACHE, MASCP, DLM(ASCP), Chair of Laboratory Sciences at ..read more

What inspires a doctor to pursue pathology?   Dr. Elvio Silva, MD, was drawn to pathology because it’s the only specialty in medicine where you can SEE the disease. And his patient-centered approach to studying tumors has led to breakthrough research.   On this episode of Inside the Lab, Dr. Silva, Professor in the Department of Pathology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, joins our hosts, Ms. Kelly Swails, MLS(ASCP), and Dr. Ali Brown, MD, FASCP, to discuss his storied career as a gynecologic pathologist.  Dr. Silva explains the two kinds of pathology research, describing what inspi ..read more

ASCP is committed to developing policies that improve public health through the practice of laboratory medicine. One of the ways that the Society participates in public policy is through our delegation to the American Medical Association (AMA).   So, what does it mean to be an ASCP delegate to the AMA? How well is pathology represented within the AMA House of Delegates? And why does that representation matter?  On this episode of Inside the Lab, your hosts Dr. Ali Brown, MD, FASCP, and Dr. Lotte Mulder, PhD, are joined by ASCP delegates to the AMA Dr. William Finn, MD, MASCP, Medical ..read more