In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, and Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D., a microbiologist and virologist and chief scientific officer of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, discuss recent developments in viral infections.

In this episode of the “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by Travis Engelhaupt, digital experience director, and Naomi Lovell, project manager. Together, they discuss website trends and best practices.

Register now – Nov. 19, 2025: Regulatory compliance and recent policy changes at the federal and state levels relevant to hospital laboratory outreach programs.

Blacklegged ticks (also known as deer ticks) are turning up more frequently in Minnesota, and so are the diseases they carry. Bobbi Pritt, a parasitologist in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, weighs in on the issue.

This week's research roundup features a study on the joint association of mammographic density and polygenic risk score and how they contribute to the prediction of breast cancer.

Antibodies to aquaporin-4 and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) are recently described biomarkers seen in a subset of atypical optic neuritis which have revolutionized our understanding of the condition. In this “Hot Topic,” my colleague, Dr. John Chen, will review these advances and how they impact the clinical care of our patients with optic neuritis.

The standard test for the diagnosis of narcolepsy is the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). The MSLT is a complex test to perform as well as to interpret. The orexin-A/hypocretin-1 test is a sensitive and specific alternative to the MSLT to diagnose type 1 narcolepsy.

Jeffrey Winters, M.D., Vice Chair of the Division of Transfusion Medicine in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, was recognized at the American Society for Apheresis Annual (ASFA) Meeting in Portland, Oregon on May 16. Dr. Winters received the Francis S. Morrison, M.D., Lecture Memorial Award.

This “Phlebotomy” webinar reviews: Having a medical procedure or a lab draw can be fearful for children. Even if it is their first time or they have had a bad past experience, there are ways to make these procedures easier for children.

The presence NTRK gene fusions is one of the eligibility requirements for the recently FDA-approved therapy Vitrakvi (larotrectinib), a therapy indicated in adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors regardless of the type of tumor. NTRK gene fusions have been described in many cancers at various frequencies including common cancers such as lung, thyroid, and colorectal cancers.

Joseph Yao, M.D., gives an overview of this new test available through Mayo Clinic Laboratories. He discusses when this testing should be ordered, how this testing improves upon other testing approaches, and what clinical action can be taken due to the results of this testing.

Neuro-oncology is a complex field undergoing rapid changes with the advancement and evolution of sophisticated genetic testing. Evidence continues to grow in support of broad molecular and cytogenetic analysis for patients with brain tumors.

The diagnosis of mitochondrial disease can be particularly challenging as the presentation can occur at any age, involve virtually any organ system, and be associated with widely varying severities. Due to the considerable overlap in the clinical phenotypes of various mitochondrial disorders, it is often difficult to distinguish these specific inherited disorders without genetic testing.

The exponential increase in the number of diagnostic tests available to physicians (in dermatopathology as well as other medical specialties) can be overwhelming, according to a new multi-institutional study co-published in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology and Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The current diagnostic tools in a pathologist’s arsenal sometimes cannot provide a clear distinction between primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (one of the few lymphomas more common in younger women) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma overall.