Inside the Lab

In this episode of Inside the Lab , Patricia Delgado and Liz Etkin-Kramer explore the evolving landscape of cervical cancer screening amid recent guideline updates emphasizing primary HPV testing, self-collection, and revised screening exit criteria. The conversation examines the challenges posed by HPV-negative cervical cancers and highlights the importance of close collaboration between patholog...

Recorded live at the 2025 ASCP Annual Meeting in Atlanta, this special episode of Inside the Lab brings together a diverse panel—a practicing pathologist, two medical students, and a resident—to explore one of the profession’s most urgent challenges: the pathology workforce shortage. Against the backdrop of ASCP workforce data showing a growing gap between supply and demand, the guests share first...

In this episode of Inside the Lab , host David Ritter kicks off a new series on corporate responsibility with a timely conversation about Green Labs. Joined by Dr. Ilyssa Gordon and Dr. Moira Larsen, the discussion revisits how far laboratory sustainability has come since Dr. Gordon’s 2021 appearance on the show and examines what has changed over the last four years.  The episode explores what “gr...

The current landscape of testing for NSCLC is complex, with many new biomarkers emerging rapidly, more points during which testing is possible, and precision drug treatments available on the basis of findings from biomarker testing. While promising for patients, the result of this rapidly changing landscape is confusion from interdisciplinary care teams as to what testing is necessary and when, wh...

Host David Ritter, MA is joined by Lotte Mulder, PhD and Kamran Mirza, MD, PhD, FASCP to discuss their new book, Mia the Marvelous Lab Explorer. The adventure follows Mia, a superhero and scientist, who uses laboratory science to explain why a friend has fallen ill with leukemia. The book targets children ages 5 to 9 years and balances striking entertaining and engaging tone with explaining scient...

Interim CEO of ASCP and host Dr. Ali Brown sits down with Dr. Eric Konnick and Michelle Campbell, MLS(ASCP) to discuss lessons learned from the latest efforts to place laboratory developed tests under FDA oversight. For listeners unfamiliar with LDTs, they begin by establishing what LDTs are and what their value to the lab and patient safety are before debunking common misunderstandings cited by p...

Host Constantine “Aki” Kanakis, MD is joined by Brittany Teeter and Sean to provide lessons learned and real-world takeaways from the world of laboratory management. This episode offers a glimpse into what seasoned lab managers learned across the course of their careers and provides concrete takeaways for lab managers at any stage of their careers on preparing for inspections, creating staff buy i...

In this episode of Inside the Lab, host Constantine Kanakis is joined by former ASCP president and Director of Transfusion Medicine at VCU Dr. Kimberly Sanford to discuss topics in transfusion medicine. This one-on-one conversation between two transfusion experts covers a wide variety of contemporary issues in transfusion medicine, including best practices in apheresis, logistical issues associate...

In this episode of Inside the Lab, ASCP CMO and CEO Dr. Ali Brown is joined by Drs. Nicole Jackson and Greg Davis to discuss current topics in forensic pathology. In their fascinating and wide ranging discussion, they highlight the often overlooked role of forensic pathologists in offering empathy, care, and advice to the grieving relatives of their deceased patients, the need for expanded autopsy...

Host Kelly Swails interviews Dr. Brad Brimhall and genetic counselor Megan Maxwell from the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio to discuss challenges with and strategies for the diagnosis of rare diseases. Their discussion covers topics like the advantages of proactively using genetic testing to identify gene markers at the outset of care, the possibilities of artificial intellig...

In this special episode of Inside the Lab, producer and host David Ritter does a dive into the history of efforts to integrate AI into the practice of healthcare. He’s joined by MD/PhD candidate Rahim Hirani, who discusses the history of efforts to automate diagnostic decision making in healthcare all the way back to the 1950s, and how these efforts were qualitatively different from current tools...

Inside the Lab is joined by experts Drs. Hannah Wang from the Cleveland Clinic and Rodney Rohde from Texas State University to discuss emerging respiratory viruses. Their discussion begins with lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and an overview of what technologies have emerged since. They go on to discuss the virology and surveillance strategies for H5N1 and RSV, as well as vaccine hesita...

In this episode of Inside the Lab, Dr. Ali Brown sits down with guests Sean Tucker, MLS(ASCP)CM and Laura Severs, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM to discuss their predictions for what 2025 holds for laboratory professionals. Topics discussed include: How workforce trends will continue in the near future and what strategies may work for addressing them; What to expect with automation and what pros and cons automa...

In this episode of Inside the Lab, guests Jane Dickerson, PhD and Elise Occhipinti, MD join host Kelly Swails to discuss the creation and maintenance of laboratory test stewardship programs. Topics covered include:  How and why your organization should set up a stewardship program Involving stakeholders in the process  The essential components of a success program Metrics and key performance indic...

While the rapid evolution of I-O continues to bring unprecedented change to the way cancer is treated, there are significant gaps impacting the laboratory team regarding the examination of resection specimens following neoadjuvant immunotherapy and staying abreast of advances in I-O biomarker testing.  This episode discusses advances in I-O biomarker testing, advantages and limitations of some key...

The diagnostic paradigm for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has rapidly shifted in the last five years as fluid-based biomarker testing has emerged as a reliable, accurate, and accessible means to detect amyloid pathology when evaluating a patient for cognitive decline. This podcast is designed to help pathologists and laboratory professionals gain an understanding of plasma testing for markers such...

Communicating imperative diagnoses effectively can often be a daunting challenge. It’s a crucial and delicate step that takes practice and know-how to do well and can be one of the most important actions taken with patients. That’s why a panel of experts have gotten together to discuss the current practices, gaps, and best practices for communication of urgent and significant/unexpected diagnoses...

Women make up a majority of the workforce in pathology yet lag behind men in leadership roles. What are the consequences of this for women working in pathology today, and what can be done?    In this episode of Inside the Lab, Drs. Melissa Upton and Kimberly Sanford share a warm conversation in which they reflect on their long and varied careers, describe the unique challenges they faced over thei...

Although molecular testing offers promising opportunities for diagnosis and targeted treatment of cancers, prostate cancer has lagged behind other types of cancer. Recently, homologous recombination repair testing in prostate cancer has provided a means to achieving targeted treatments for patients as well as opening new avenues of collaboration between pathologists and oncologists. On this episod...

As CRC affects younger and more diverse populations, emerging tests for CRC biomarkers provide enormous utility for diagnosis. However, misdiagnosis of CRC, shifting demographics of those afflicted with CRC, and patient unfamiliarity with symptoms create challenges in identifying CRC. In this episode of Inside the Lab, hosts Dr. Ali Brown and Lotte Mulder are joined by Dr. Melissa Taggart, a board...

The availability of targeted therapies has changed the landscape of cancer treatment in the last few years.  And two types of cancer particularly affected by these advances are melanoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma or NSCLC. What role does the laboratory play in the diagnosis and treatment of these cancers? How can pathologists and lab professionals work with oncologists to optimize biomarker...

Recent developments in disease modifying therapies have been proven to slow the progression of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease.  And yet, we can only confirm a diagnosis of AD after a patient’s death.  But what if we could use biomarkers to identify preclinical stage Alzheimer’s and step in long before a patient exhibits dementia?  On this episode of Inside the Lab, your host...

Tests that are designed in-house to fulfill a clinical need (but aren’t FDA approved) qualify as laboratory developed tests. And these LDTs are currently regulated by CLIA . But the FDA is proposing a new rule that would give them oversight of the design and development of laboratory developed tests. So, what does that mean for us? How would this new legislation impact everyday practice inside the...

Working on the bench can feel like being in a black box. And as important as it is to advocate for patients, pathologists and laboratory professionals rarely have direct access to them.  So, what can we do to encourage patient-centered care in the medical laboratory?  On this episode of Inside the Lab, your hosts, Ms. Kelly Swails, MLS(ASCP), and Dr. Lotte Mulder, PhD, are joined by three members...

We know that diverse teams perform better. In laboratory medicine, diversity, equity, and inclusion in leadership not only inspires young professionals, it also promotes retention in a profession that struggles with staffing shortages.  So, what’s stopping us from increasing representation and equity in laboratory leadership?   What can we do to recruit a more diverse pool of job applicants and th...