Areas of Excellence - Clinical Pathology
In addition to our main clinical lab, URMC Labs offers numerous Laboratory Areas of Excellence. These are labs within the URMC system that offer specialized tests and services.
Each of these Laboratory Areas of Excellence offers its own expert consultants to work with you to better understand and apply the unique tests offered by that lab.
For more information on any of these labs and the tests they offer, please call or email the contact person listed with that lab.
Andrology
Biochemical Genetics
Blood Bank/Transfusion Medicine
Cytogenetics
Flow Cytometry - Hematopathology
HLA/Tissue Typing
Microbiology
Molecular Diagnostics
Protein Laboratory
Toxicology
Offers highly complex testing to help diagnose infertility and urological problems in males.
Of special interest to patients: Sperm banking for cancer patients prior to chemotherapy and for couples who need to bank for inseminations.
Consultants in reproductive endocrinology and perinatal testing:
Rajesh Srivastava, Ph.D, Lab Director
Richard K. Miller, M.D.
Contact: Evelyn Andolina, Supervisor, (585) 487-3378
Offers prenatal screening for fetal defects and metabolic testing for inborn errors in metabolism.
Of special interest:This is the only lab in western NY that does organic acids. (Organic acid disorders are a group of inherited metabolic conditions. Each is associated with a specific enzyme deficiency that causes the accumulation of organic acids in blood and urine.)
Consultant in prenatal screening and metabolic pathways:
Robert Mooney, Ph.D., Lab Director
Contact: Karin McCall, Supervisor, (585) 275-8483
Blood Bank/Transfusion Medicine
An AABB accredited reference laboratory. Offers type and screens; direct antiglobulin testing; crossmatching of blood products; prep of pooled platelets, cryoprecipitate, thawed plasma; fetal cell detection assays; newborn investigations; transfusion reaction investigations; processing & storage of peripheral stem cells and bone marrow products.
Of special interest:One of the few hospitals in the United States, and perhaps the world, that transfuses only blood components that are ABO identical to the patient, leukocyte reduced and irradiated, processes which greatly contribute to transfusion safety and improved clinical outcomes for the patient.
Of special interest to patients: Autologous donation program.
Consultants in transfusion medicine and transfusion immunology:
Neil Blumberg, M.D., Lab Director
Scott Kirkley, M.D., Assistant Director
Contact: Debra Masel, Supervisor, (585) 275-9658
Provides diagnosis and prognosis for prenatal, postnatal and cancer cases. Offers FISH, reverse FISH, chromosome painting, and other molecular cytogenetic analyses including genomic arrays.
Of special interest:The laboratory is implementing a novel technology, Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (array CGH). This approach is more rapid and quantitative than conventional cytogenetics.
Consultants in cytogenetics, cancer cytogenetics and molecular cytogenetics:
Nancy Wang, Ph.D., Lab Director
Anwar Iqbal, Ph.D., Associate Director
Contact: Julie O'Malley, Supervisor, (585) 275-5859
Flow Cytometry – Hematopathology
Offers a wide variety of flow cytometry assays as part of a comprehensive Hematopatholgy Division which includes (four) fellowship-trained, board-certified hematopathologists and six NYS licensed technologists. Our integrated report format offers clinicians the ability to evaluate patients laboratory findings quickly and efficiently.
Of special interest:Assays focus on the diagnosis of leukemia and lymphoma and also include testing for CD34+ Stem Cells, Lymphocyte Subsets, Immunodeficiency and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinura. It is the only lab in the Rochester and surrounding counties to offer these specialized services.
Of special interest to patients: Patient Referrals to the Wilmot Cancer Center are triaged efficiently through the Hematopathology section so interpretation and diagnosis are completed promptly which insures rapid consultation and treatment.The availablity of multicolor flow cytometry has become increasingly important as a tool when diagnosing samples with limited cells such as fine needle aspirates, cerebral spinal fluid, small tissue biopsies.
Consultants in hematopathology, bone marrow, cell markers, and flow cytometry
Richard Burack, M.D., Ph.D., Director (special interest: lymphomas)
Michael Petzar, M.D.
Daniel Ryan, M.D. (special interest: hematopoesis)
Charles Francis, M.D. (special interest: coagulation, thrombosis)
Contact: Rosemary Ziemba-Ball, Supervisor, (585) 275-6261
Supports compatibility testing for the solid organ and tissue transplantation services including HLA typing, antibody screening and identification, and crossmatching. Also disease association screening for arthropathies and coeliac disease, and HLA based clinical trial eligibility screening. Technologists are on call 24 hours per day 7 days per week.
Of special interest:HLA typing is performed by both serological and molecular methods providing information from the allele to protein level. Many of the staff are certified histocompatibility technologists. Lab offers testing that supports treatment planning by physicians and their patients.
Of special interest to patients: Cancer screening.
Consultant in HLA typing:
Myra Coppage, Ph.D., Lab Director
Offers bacteriology (ID and susceptibility), immunology, mycobacteriology, mycology, parasitology, serology, TB, and virology testing including specialized antibiotic and antifungal studies.
Of special interest:Allergy(Rast) testing, and the Herpes antibody type specific (Focus Select test) for Type 1 and Type 2 IgG antibody. The allergy testing from Phadia is performed on a new automated state-of-the-art instrument, the Immunocap 250. The Herpes antibody test developed by Focus Technologies in California was the very first EIA microplate format that was approved by the FDA for both Serotypes 1 & 2 and is the standard for type specific testing in the US, including all of the large reference laboratories.
Of special interest to patients: tTG-IgA (Tissue Transglutaminase) antibody (for Celiac Disease diagnosis), and CCP IgG (Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide) antibody, to aid in the early diagnosis of Rheumatoid arthritis.
Consultants in microbiology and immunology:
Dwight Hardy, Ph.D., Lab Director
Marilyn Menegus, Ph.D., Associate Director
Jennifer Anolik, M.D. , Consultant in Immunology
Contact: Laura Paul, Chief Supervisor, (585) 275-1314
Offers clinical and consultative services for diagnostic procedures based on nucleic acid analysis.Includes molecular diagnostics, molecular oncology and genetics, and molecular virology. Commonly requested tests are viral load for cytomegalopathy, HCV and HIV.
Of special interest:Unique testing. Can develop customized tests for unique clinical needs.
Consultants in molecular diagnostics:
Paul Rothberg, Ph.D., Lab Director
Lisa Demeter, M.D., (special interest: HIV testing)
Mahlon Johnson, M.D. (special interest: neuromuscular molecular diagnostics)
Marilyn Menegus, Ph.D. (special inerest: non-HIV virology)
Contact: Bonnie Nuccie, Supervisor, (585) 273-1978
Evaluates proteins and protein levels in body fluids for a diverse number of disease states, including myelomas, multiple sclerosis, sickle cell disease. Evaluates hepatitis status, and derives other immunological information from protein studies.
Of special interest:This is a consultative lab where each case is delivered with an individualized evaluative report.
Consultants in protein chemistry:
Charles Sparks, M.D., Lab Director
James Corsetti, M.D.
Contact: Angela Iachetta, Supervisor, (585) 275-5903
A Regional toxicology lab with advanced instrumentation, offering screening for drugs of abuse.Technical and faculty expertise in analysis of specimens for identification of common as well as obscure substances.
Of special interest:Meets forensic standards for specimen integrity. Contracts with outside entities for drug screening.
Consultant in toxicology and drug screening:
Tai Kwong, Ph.D., Lab Director
Contact: Jennifer Wojakowski, Supervisor (585) 275-9677