Answers from the Lab – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss emerging concerns about H5N1 avian influenza. 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• Patterns of transmission and what they indicate about the potential of person-to-person transmission. 
• Tools, tests, and processes that emerged in recent years that are making it easier to understand and track this virus. 
• Remaining unknowns about the virus and how it could evolve. 

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss the progress of artificial intelligence (AI) and what’s next in this space.

Specific topics of discussion include:

• What’s driving the rapid acceleration of AI advancements.
• Ethical concerns and opportunities.
• How expenses, payment models, and culture influence AI advancements.
• The need to rethink training and education amid the rise of AI solutions.

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by Alicia Algeciras-Schimnich, Ph.D., a professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at Mayo Clinic and co-director of the Clinical Immunoassay Laboratory. They discuss Mayo Clinic’s plasma test for detecting Alzheimer’s disease and how it supports increased access and early detection. 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• The phospho-Tau 217 plasma test (Mayo ID: PT217) used to evaluate individuals aged 50 years and older with symptoms of cognitive impairment who are being assessed for Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of cognitive decline.
• The benefits of a blood test versus the other diagnostic methods for Alzheimer’s disease.
• Why early diagnosis is so important for quality of life and treatment planning.
• How tests like Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ PT217 may change the landscape of Alzheimer's research and treatment.

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss locally acquired cases of malaria that have recently occurred in Texas and Florida.

Their discussion includes:

•  Why malaria may be reappearing after being eliminated in the United States in the 1950s.
• The importance of laboratory diagnostics in identifying and diagnosing different types of malaria.
• Testing options available through Mayo Clinic Laboratories for malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. 

Sounak Gupta, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., explains how Mayo Clinic Laboratories' urologic panels efficiently inform prognosis and individualized cancer treatment. The carefully curated panels fill the void between single gene assays and large NGS panels.

(00:32)
 Could you provide our listeners with a little bit about yourself and your background, please?

(01:35)
 Could you give us a brief overview of the newly developed urologic assays?

(03:51)
 Can you talk a little bit more about what patients should have this testing?

(07:24)
 Can you talk in more detail about the MayoComplete bladder and prostate panel?

(11:33)
 How are these results used in patient care?

(16:10)
 Is there anything else you would like to add?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a recent health advisory to remind healthcare providers to be on the lookout for cases of measles and to educate patients on measles prevention. 

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D., director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, to discuss why measles prevention continues to be critically important.

Specific topics of discussion include:

• A brief history of measles activity in the United States, and why measles cases are rising.
• Why the virus is so contagious, and how herd immunity applies to measles.
• Vaccination and prevention methods.
• Testing options available through Mayo Clinic Laboratories including:
  • Molecular testing to detect the viral RNA in urine (MEASU) and throat swabs (MEASR), 
  • Serology testing on serum to detect IgM (ROM) or IgG-class antibodies (ROPG), or serology testing on cerebrospinal fluid (ROC).

John Lieske, M.D., explains why it's now easier for clinicians to pull information from Mayo Clinic Laboratories' urine supersaturation test report. An updated format summarizes complex information to help guide the treatment of kidney stones.

(00:32)
 Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

(01:28)
 Could you give us a brief overview of urine supersaturation testing? How should it be used? How can it benefit providers and their patients?

(04:14)
 Can you tell us a little bit about the recent changes in our supersaturation tests and how they'll help providers better care for their patients?

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss the latest update on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rule to oversee laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) and what that could mean for laboratories.

Specific topics of discussion include:

•  The FDA’s recent announcement on a proposed rule that would enable the agency to regulate LDTs, and what may happen next.
•  The impact that LDT regulation could have on clinical laboratories.
•  How to stay engaged and informed about regulatory issues.

Angela Pickart, M.S., CGC, and Emily Lauer, M.S., CGC, explain how Mayo Clinic Laboratories' multigene panel helps identify the cause of hereditary ataxia. Precise diagnosis of this complex movement disorder helps guide patient treatment and family screening.

Show notes
Speaker 3: (00:31)
 Can you tell us a little about yourselves and your backgrounds?

Speaker 3: (01:33)
 Why is genetic counseling so important to our doctors and patients?

Speaker 3: (03:04)
 Can you give a brief overview of hereditary ataxia? 

Speaker 3: (04:24)
 Can you tell us more about Mayo Clinic's suite of molecular tests for various types of ataxia?

Speaker 3: (08:03)
 Are there any additional tests for hereditary ataxia at Mayo Clinic?

Speaker 3: (09:05)

When might a provider consider genetic testing for a patient?

Speaker 3: (10:05)
 Why is genetic testing important, and how are the results used?

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to talk about the evolution of remote diagnostics and how Mayo Clinic’s remote cardiovascular monitoring services empower physicians and patients. 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• How a comprehensive diagnostics ecosystem includes patient data beyond traditional laboratory specimens.
• An overview of Mayo Clinic’s Cardiovascular Services, a collaboration between Mayo Clinic Laboratories and Mayo Clinic’s Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, that enables physicians to remotely monitor patients’ heart functions from anywhere in real time.
• The role laboratorians can play in assessing and adopting new technologies that influence patient care.