1.

Supporting early detection and more personalized, tailored treatments

Among the predicted trends for 2027 is healthcare’s continued move toward a more personalized future, where treatment decisions are tailored to each patient's unique biology rather than the average patient. Diagnostics are making that future possible. Laboratory testing has long been essential for identifying and classifying diseases. Today's diagnostics are not only helping achieve those goals more effectively but also increasingly helping clinicians make more informed treatment decisions.

A new assay introduced by Mayo Clinic Laboratories this year highlights how these advances are better meeting the needs of clinicians and patients. The test detects fusions in 1,445 genes across a wide range of tumors, helping improve cancer diagnosis, guide treatment decisions, and expand clinical trial eligibility. Other examples include a phenotype-specific approach to testing for autoimmune neurological conditions to inform more targeted treatment decisions, and genome-wide methylation profiling for brain tumors, which helps resolve ambiguous cases, reduce variability in diagnosis , and support clinical decision-making.

The shift toward precision medicine will continue to fuel innovation going forward, and Mayo Clinic Laboratories is prepared to continue developing testing approaches that provide deeper clinical insights and support more individualized care.

2.

Meeting growing demand with new models

As personalized medicine, genetic testing, and emerging therapies continue to reshape healthcare, access to advanced diagnostics is becoming an increasingly important factor in healthcare delivery. Earlier this year, we collaborated with the Advisory Board on a survey of healthcare and laboratory leaders, and the findings reinforced that laboratories are experiencing an increasing demand for sophisticated diagnostic services.

As that demand grows, new models will be important to ensure innovations developed in the laboratory can reach the patients and clinicians who need them most.

Mayo Clinic Laboratories is pursuing this opportunity through multiple approaches designed to expand access to testing and strengthen our ability to serve patients and providers. One example is a new laboratory facility in Southaven, Mississippi, that will increase our capacity and support future growth. We are also extending access to diagnostics with strategic lab collaborators, such as Pathology Asia. Together, we will expand access to advanced genomic testing services by combining our expertise in specialized testing with Pathology Asia's regional network.

These initiatives reflect a broader trend across healthcare. Advisory Board research found that leaders across the industry are prioritizing laboratory growth by expanding outreach services, adopting new testing capabilities, investing in operational improvements, and developing strategies that increase access to high-value diagnostic services.

3.

Continuing to leverage AI and advanced data capabilities

As testing volumes grow and diagnostic technologies become more sophisticated, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced data capabilities will continue to meaningfully impact clinical diagnostics. Earlier this year, I highlighted key opportunities for clinical diagnostics in 2026, including a move from exploring AI’s potential to practical implementation that advances patient care and research.

These opportunities have materialized, including at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, where practical use of AI is supporting laboratory operations and helping patients access expert diagnostics by assisting them in their work. One example is AI-assisted specimen intake and triage that helps reduce manual data entry and streamline workflows while keeping laboratorians in control of verification and final decisions. Teams also explored using AI to support analyses and assist with drafting interpretive reports. By reducing repetitive tasks and organizing the growing volume of information, these technologies allow experts to spend more time focused on high-value clinical and scientific work.

AI and other advanced data capabilities are also accelerating discovery. These technologies can drive breakthroughs by processing massive datasets at remarkable speed and depth to uncover patterns that were previously difficult to detect.

Much of the data fueling these innovations originates from diagnostic testing, meaning laboratorians will be essential going forward to ensure that data-driven tools are clinically meaningful and ethically sound to support better patient outcomes.