Stories

After years of misdiagnosis, Tyler Hart found answers at Mayo Clinic, discovering he had NF155-IgG4 autoimmune nodopathy instead of CIDP

By Jack Gilligan • March 10, 2025

The fourth episode of “Life of a Specimen” video series explores the diagnosis enabled by antibody testing on Joy Carol’s cerebrospinal cord fluid and how her test result illuminated a path forward.

By Robin Huiras-Carlson • March 5, 2025

The third episode of “Life of a Specimen” video series discusses the integration that drives the development of innovative tests, including the movement disorders evaluation, at Mayo Clinic Laboratories.

By Robin Huiras-Carlson • February 26, 2025

Check out the second episode of “Life of a Specimen,” a video exploration of the complex path taken by patient samples through testing at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. In this episode, we hear about the quality processes and careful treatment given to each sample received for testing.

By Robin Huiras-Carlson • February 19, 2025

Check out the first episode of “Life of a Specimen,” a video series that examines the critical journey taken by patient samples through Mayo Clinic Laboratories testing. In this video, we learn about the profound impact of our testing on one extraordinary patient.

By Robin Huiras-Carlson • February 12, 2025

An order-entry, clinical decision support tool developed by physicians and scientists at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) for clinicians within the healthcare system who order autoimmune and paraneoplastic antibody panels has significantly improved test utilization, resulting in a 28% reduction in monthly test volumes of impacted tests.

By Robin Huiras-Carlson • February 10, 2025

Performed on cerebrospinal fluid, Mayo Clinic’s RT-QuIC prion test can distinguish prion disease from other types of rapidly progressive dementias to enhance patient care.

By Chris Bahnsen • February 3, 2025

Justin Fugelsang and Zach Pedowitz have never met. Yet both young men were diagnosed with a rare form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, called sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD) deficiency, and both found clarity through Mayo Clinic Laboratories' innovative SORD testing. Their journeys inspire resilience, as Justin has channeled his emotions into guitar playing, and Zach has embraced educational leadership.

By Chris Bahnsen • January 13, 2025

New diagnostic tests specifically for conditions that predominantly or only affect women, such as autoimmune diseases and gynecological cancers, are empowering female patients and their physicians to make informed decisions.

By Robin Huiras-Carlson • December 2, 2024

JoAnne Michael’s symptoms started with dizziness and forgetfulness before down spiraling into severe confusion, crying jags, and brain seizures. ER doctors at her local hospital initially thought she was on drugs. JoAnne, terrified, wondered if she was dying. Luckily, she had a guardian angel by her side: her mother, a retired nurse practitioner, who took her to Mayo Clinic, where the clinical experience and expertise of neurologist Andrew McKeon, M.B., B.Ch., M.D., helped give her a diagnosis and hope for a journey back to health.

By Chris Bahnsen • November 4, 2024

Mayo Clinic Laboratories has developed a cutting-edge suite of Alzheimer's disease testing. The newest assays use blood samples, avoiding the need for lumbar punctures to obtain cerebrospinal fluid. The testing suite exemplifies Mayo Clinic Laboratories' innovative business approach. As a platform company, Mayo Clinic is creating a diagnostics ecosystem to meet a wide range of testing needs and help physicians order the right tests for their patients.

By Barbara J. Toman • October 21, 2024

When Samantha Duke discovered she had breast cancer, she didn’t have to look far for support. Her mother Jane walked a similar path 16 years earlier. Inspired both by her mom and the strong network of healthcare physicians and professionals on her team, Samantha remained positive throughout her treatment and is committed to advancing research on breast cancer.

By Robin Huiras-Carlson • September 23, 2024

Aiming to advance understanding of hard-to-predict gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs), Thermo Fisher Scientific joined forces with Mayo Clinic and BioPharma Diagnostics to validate and gain U.S. regulatory clearance of a novel, automated assay aimed at detecting a biomarker associated with the progressive disease.

By Robin Huiras-Carlson • September 16, 2024