Stories

Top highlights include: recovering from COVID-19 at home using virtual technology, a weekly update from a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert, and the opioid crisis worsens during the pandemic.

This week’s research roundup features a study on improving accuracy of myasthenia gravis autoantibody testing by reflex algorithm.

Top highlights include: Mayo Clinic model of care and research leads to favorable outcomes for patients with COVID-19, addressing disparities to prevent disease, and new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 detected.

Dr. Graham recalls how his upbringing influenced his outlook on life and discusses the power of investing in relationships.

A massive effort that involved numerous departments and experts, culminated in Mayo Clinic designing, testing and mass-manufacturing a 3D-printed mid-turbinate swab for COVID-19 testing.

Looking back on their wedding, the Bashiers feel the event was a shining example of how greater empathy and understanding can be fostered between two very different cultures via a communal exchange of customs and traditions on an intimate level.

After a traumatic fall, Andrew “Roo” Yori’s persistence and athletic gifts allowed him to achieve his dream of becoming an American Ninja Warrior in 2016. Roo uses his celebrity to raise funds for his dog rescue foundation, which helps support other programs and organizations that are making an impact for homeless dogs in their community.

Flu season is just now unfolding. But this time, it’s piggy-backed with a pandemic, which threatens to spike with the colder weather as people huddle indoors. Adding to this conundrum is the unsettling fact that, for both COVID-19 and the flu, the symptoms overlap.

One of the biggest misunderstandings about genetic testing is a perception that once a variant is identified and analyzed thoroughly, using all the best tools available, it can be associated with a specific disease or condition. But many mutations are deemed “variants of unknown significance,” meaning there is no reported (or insufficient) evidence as to whether or not they cause disease.

In the last decade or so, genetic testing has evolved from single-gene Sanger based assays to much more complex next-generation sequencing (NGS) based assays. This incredible technology has facilitated the rapid and high-throughput evaluation of many genes (hundreds of thousands of DNA strands) all at once.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a rare genetic disorder that typically presents with progressive multisystem involvement in early childhood. This condition results from the deficiency of the enzyme, alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA), which is responsible for breaking down complex sugars called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs).

Mayo Clinic’s Biochemical Genetics Laboratory has announced an updated second-tier test to detect Krabbe disease (KD) that uses psychosine (PSY) as a disease marker. The new test method has significantly higher sensitivity to detect this devastating disease in infants and allows identification of KD patients with minimal psychosine elevations.

Matt Millen, ex-pro NFL player, who played on four Super Bowl-winning teams underwent a nearly six-year medical journey in search for answers. Finally, he was diagnosed with amyloidosis using a new testing methodology at Mayo Clinic.