The Rise of Analytical Science
Methods such as MALDI-TOF are opening new doors in the microbiology lab
Specific to the clinical microbiology laboratory, we have seen major technologic advancements happen over the past decade. We’ve seen MALDI-TOF become routinely used for pathogen identification, increased use of multiplexed nucleic acid amplification tests, the emergence of rapid susceptibility platforms including a method that can be performed directly from positive blood culture bottles, and a system that uses magnetic resonance to identify bacteria and yeast directly from blood specimens. Most recently, we are beginning to see clinical laboratories adopt next-generation sequencing for pathogen detection, antimicrobial resistance prediction, and strain typing. These new technologies have allowed us to provide results in a more rapid and accurate manner, allowing for optimal patient management and treatment as quickly as possible.
– Wendy Szymczak
Learn more about Szymczak’s work at: tp.txp.to/infect-disease
Director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Montefiore Medical Center and Associate Professor of Pathology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
