Stories

Top highlights include: Importance of preventive health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding vaccine side effects, and what recent studies show about pregnancy and the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mayo Clinic's use of enhanced radio-frequency identification technology to track specimens from the clinical setting to the lab reduces the risk of errors and protects valuable — sometime irreplaceable — patient samples.

This week’s research roundup features a study on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on asymptomatic infection among patients undergoing pre-procedural COVID-19 molecular screening.

Top highlights include: A rise in colorectal cancer cases, Dr. Poland talks about vaccine hesitancy and next steps in the journey to vaccinate children for COVID-19.

As safety coordinator for Mayo Clinic's Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Pat Hlavka's days have always been unpredictable and fast-paced. When COVID-19 hit, things only accelerated. But Pat enjoys a challenge, and she's happy to be in a role that allows her to solve problems and find creative solutions.

This week’s research roundup features a study on the sequencing of 53,831 diverse genomes from the NHLBI TOPMed Program.

Top highlights include: why you should update your medicine cabinet, a year of learning during the pandemic, and forecasting for COVID-19 hot spots.

UofL Health – UofL Hospital physicians and laboratory scientists faced challenges in the ordering of autoimmune and paraneoplastic panels: duplicate orders that add unnecessary cost and omitted test orders that could provide the key to the right diagnosis for patients.

Thank you to our staff at Mayo Clinic who step up daily during this time of need to provide access to testing during the global pandemic. We appreciate each one of you and all the sacrifices you personally have made throughout this past year.

Controlled substance testing options vary in the details they provide about patient drug use, painting an incomplete picture of usage patterns that can hinder accurate prescription monitoring and treatment outcomes. However, a new comprehensive Controlled Substance Monitoring Panel, developed by the Clinical and Forensic Toxicology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, offers in-depth analysis on more than 70 different prescription medications and illicit substances to provide clinicians with details and interpretations on patients’ controlled substance use lacking in other laboratory assays.

This week’s research roundup features a study on the management of patients with giant cell myocarditis.

Top highlights include: The impact COVID-19 has had on women, SARS-CoV-2 mutations explained, and expert answers about the new COVID-19 vaccine.

As she heads toward retirement at the end of March, Rita Baird looks back on her career at Mayo Clinic Laboratories and discusses her role working with MCL clients as a regional service representative.