FEATURE ARTICLES

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust recently saw a cross-team collaboration which led to the successful rollout of near-patient CPE testing with rapid PCR diagnostics for stroke patients. Consultant microbiologist Dr Natasha Ratnaraja and clinical scientist infection specialist Katie Jones describe how this new technology has benefitted the high-risk care pathway.

Biobanking has become a cornerstone of modern biomedical science, underpinning advances in diagnostics, epidemiology and personalised medicine.

This year’s British Society for Microbial Technology Annual Microbiology Conference will be held on 21 May at the RAF Museum in Hendon, north London, and will cover a range of different topics. Here, Pathology in Practice provides the first of two previews of an exciting programme that focuses on microbiology practice.

With technological advances driving innovation in oncology, Uwe Jäntges explores the transformative potential of liquid biopsy technology in cancer research, with a special focus on cfDNA analysis.

Advances in molecular and genomic technologies are transforming oncology diagnostics, bridging screening, risk stratification, and treatment selection into a connected model of early cancer detection.

David Manuel, David Norcliffe and Bernie Benson present a study of hyperviscosity syndrome, looking at its associated primary causes, along with the effects, symptoms and laboratory testing of this critical medical condition.

Victoria Bradley, Nicola Rouse, Sheri Scott, Tracey Elsam and Raymond Toghill present the vision, research framework, and collaborative ethos behind their project to establish a Community of Practice for advanced and consultant biomedical scientists.

Novel technology for detecting pre-eclampsia at the point of care has the potential to transform patient pathways for this tricky to diagnose condition, particularly in under-served communities, explains Naomi Chant.

Stephen MacDonald concludes his series of articles on risk-based quality management by drawing together the various elements on which each of the previous seven articles focused.

Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas develop from neuroendocrine chromaffin cells. Tumours developing from such cells are called phaeochromocytomas if found in the medulla of the adrenal gland, or paragangliomas if growing elsewhere in the body. Here, Pathology in Practice Science Editor Brian Nation looks at a selection of current research in the literature.

With genomics set to play an important role in future healthcare, ongoing EQA and training in the area will be vital for biomedical scientists. Introducing GENie, the specialist Genomic Online Individual Education platform launched by GenQA.

bioMérieux recently hosted an educational symposium on ‘the critical intersection between antimicrobial stewardship and sepsis’. The event provided a thought-provoking exploration of these intrinsically linked healthcare challenges.

December sees the 11th POCT Innovators event take place in Chelsea, London – this time examining how diagnostics can play a role in delivering the 10 Year Plan.

In its 2024 annual report, the Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) scheme shows evidence of a particularly challenging year for staff working in transfusion laboratories.

Earlier this year, South West London Pathology celebrated the installation of new analysers and automated tracking at Croydon Hospital’s essential service laboratory. Six months on, Pathology in Practice Editor Andy Myall caught up with SWLP‘s Managing Director Simon Brewer to see how the project is progressing.

Stephanie Anderson considers the clinical limitations of creatinine and biopsy in post-kidney transplant monitoring, and the case for donor-derived cell-free DNA as an early, non-invasive biomarker.

While chickenpox is generally regarded as a childhood medical rite of passage, infection by the virus responsible can have serious consequences, particularly for infants, adults, pregnant women, and those with a weakened immune system. Here, Pathology in Practice Science Editor Brian Nation looks at a selection of current research into varicella virus infection.

With laboratories under pressure, automation allows staff to gain back time. Here, Megan Northam explains how her laboratory has benefited from the features of the OsmoPRO MAX Automated Osmometer.

Large initial set up costs have resulted in slow adoption of full digital pathology, and as a consequence the integration of artificial intelligence is also lagging behind other fields of medicine. Here Anna Correas, David Tellez and Diana Rosentul consider the potential costs of this slower adoption of new technology.

In this seventh article in his series on risk management, Stephen MacDonald moves on to consider internal audits and periodic reviews of examinations, which are fundamental to delivering safe and reliable laboratory services.