FEATURE ARTICLES

Frozen section support is a vital aspect of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) practice. Once focused on the head and neck, MMS is extending its cutaneous reach to other areas of the body. Here, Pathology in Practice Science Editor Brian Nation selects a sample of relevant research in the current literature.

Arterial blood gas analysis is an important part of the diagnosis and management of several health conditions, and is increasingly conducted at the point of care. With EQA paramount for such devices, Ceri Parfitt and Annette Thomas present a retrospective study examining the performance of laboratory and POC analysers.

To harness the full benefits of genomic medicine requires the development of human phenotype ontology, to serve as a standardised, evolving language for describing individual biological profiles. Here, James Henry describes the three technical phases which enable the shift to data-driven proactive care.

Tony Cambridge explains why he believes that POCT services must be run as business units, led by qualified individuals and supported by organisation leads and wider network influence.

David Manuel, David Norcliffe and Bernie Benson look at the prevalence of, and literature around, long COVID since the pandemic and consider measuring plasma viscosity as a diagnostic tool.

As new technologies emerge, integrated, automated genomic workflows are set to revolutionise newborn screening. Here, Madhuri Hegde considers the transformative potential of these new advances, along with the ethical and policy frameworks required for responsible implementation.

In this sixth article in his series, Stephen MacDonald considers the need for a broader, risk-based approach, where monitoring activities are chosen and applied according to the potential for patient harm.

Andrew Turner explains how pathology services and ultimately patients can benefit, by analysing and then optimising the pre-analytic phase.

In a recent evaluation at the Addenbrooke’s Hospital Specialist Haemostasis Unit laboratory in Cambridge, Stago’s bench-top coagulation analyser, sthemO 201, demonstrated the potential to help laboratories enhance precision, improve efficiency, and support safer, more reliable clinical decision-making.

With the discovery of new biomarkers increasingly fuelling new diagnostics and treatments – most notably in Alzheimer’s Disease – Michael Miller explains how both publicly and privately funded research have vital roles to play.

Wastewater surveillance was one of the topics on the programme at the BSMT Anniversary Microbiology Conference, held in May. Further information on this can be found elsewhere in this issue, but here Pathology in Practice Science Editor Brian Nation selects a small sample of poliovirus research interest in this area, all of which are free to access.

With urinary tract infections being both a burden on the health system and a contributor to antimicrobial resistance, Jonathan Shaw says that advanced diagnostics can play a key role.

James Henry continues his series on the population health management of human phenotype ontology, examining how the concept can aid the implementation of the recently published NHS 10 Year Plan.

Debra Padgett, Clinical Pathology Lead and Lead Healthcare Scientist, and an IBMS Past President, discusses pathology, working towards Net Zero, and Biomedical Science Day as well as the recent refurbishment of her laboratory.

With diagnostic capabilities always evolving, Joanne Bradley explains why she believes the time is right for mass spectrometry to make the move from specialist settings into routine clinical use.

In this fifth article in his series, Stephen MacDonald focuses on the implementation of risk-based turnaround time management, which requires collaboration across laboratory and clinical teams, supported by robust IT infrastructure and real-time monitoring tools, and, most importantly, cultural change.

Next month the biennial IBMS Congress will return to the ICC in Birmingham, showcasing the very best that biomedical science and those supporting the event haveto offer. In this issue, Pathology in Practice focuses on a further selection of scientific programme abstracts, alphabetically from immunology to virology.

In May, at the RAF Museum in Hendon, North London, the British Society for Microbial Technology celebrated its 40th anniversary at the Annual Microbiology Conference. Here, members of the BSMT committee report on yet another highly successful event.

Alan Kennedy, Specialist Biomedical Scientist Clinical Research, shines a light on the role played by the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Biorepository in medical research and its real-world applications in advancing patient care.

In September, the biennial IBMS Congress will return to the ICC in Birmingham. The focus once again will be on the very best that biomedical science and those supporting the event have to offer. Here, Pathology in Practice focuses on a small selection of scientific programme abstracts, alphabetically from cellular pathology to haematology.