February 2022

“An accurate diagnosis is the first step to receiving effective treatment.” – Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

By Kimberly Burgos Villar, MS; PhD Candidate in the Pathology – Cell Biology of Disease Program

Clinical laboratory science is an essential service to anyone who seeks medical care; however, very few people think about what happens behind the scenes after a biological specimen has been collected. Every blood draw, drug test, swab, and biopsy are sent through an intricate network of laboratory procedures to find a long-awaited diagnosis for a patient. Frequently, these tests have life-long effects on patients and their families: early detection of cancer that can now be treated with a much higher success rate, finding out a new diabetes medication is finally able to manage blood sugar levels, and identifying a match for a donor heart that a patient has been waiting for are only a few examples.