Answers from the Lab

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, speaks with William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, about Ebola, hantavirus and takeaways from a recent healthcare conference. Later, she welcomes Elli Theel, Ph.D., a microbiologist in Mayo Clinic’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, to explore vector-borne diseases.

• Top industry topics (00:04): Dr. Morice highlights key topics from a recent major healthcare conference, including AI and payment reform.
• Infectious diseases in the news (04:04): Overview of hantavirus, Ebola, and why laboratory medicine is important during outbreaks. 
• Growing prevalence of vector-borne diseases (06:48): Insights on the growing prevalence of vector-borne diseases.
• Testing options (09:45): Understand the different types of testing available for pathogens and when it is best to use each one. 
• Innovation and discovery (17:05): Discover emerging pathogens and advances in detection.
• Protect yourself (19:41): Learn easy ways to protect yourself and your family from vector-borne diseases. 

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• Forbes: Is hantavirus an emerging threat? What you need to know
• Vector-borne diseases by geographic region
• Vector-borne diseases: The right tests for detection and diagnosis
• Learn the ABCs of ticks

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, welcomes Brad Karon, M.D., Ph.D., division chair for Mayo Clinic's Clinical Core Laboratory Services and a member of the laboratory and pathologist stewardship team, to discuss laboratory stewardship strategies and why they matter.

• Why lab stewardship is important (00:44): How improved test utilization benefits laboratories, healthcare systems, and patients.
• Strategies for promoting lab stewardship (03:40): Proven approaches for improving appropriate test utilization.
• How industry disrupters will change stewardship efforts (09:33): How artificial intelligence and other emerging disruptors may reshape lab stewardship efforts.

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin: Promoting laboratory stewardship through clinical decision support
• Five steps to optimizing your outreach test menu
• Hospital-owned labs generate long-term financial and clinical value

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to reflect on the essential role of laboratory medicine during National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week. Dr. Pritt also welcomes Julia Lehman, M.D., a dermatologist and dermatopathologist at Mayo Clinic, to discuss innovative diagnostic tests for autoimmune diseases affecting the skin.

• Laboratory medicine’s expanding role (00:15): Learn how laboratory medicine touches nearly every aspect of healthcare — and why its importance will continue to grow with the integration of AI.
• An inspiring patient story (05:22): Hear how a young patient with a rare disease is able to pursue her passion for dance thanks to advances in laboratory medicine.
• Advances in testing for autoimmune blistering diseases (07:29): Discover how novel diagnostic tests are helping clinicians better tailor treatment for patients with complex skin conditions.

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• Immunodermatology: Unmatched testing expertise
• A family's journey with an ultra-rare disease: Isabel the incredible

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss recent news and updates. Later, Dr. Pritt welcomes Chris Garcia, M.D., Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ chief digital innovation officer, to explore digital advances in clinical diagnostics.

• AI systems for healthcare guidance (00:36): Learn how patients and consumers are using AI tools to better understand their health information.
• Diagnostic’s digital innovation journey (07:43): Explore the evolution of digital advances, their impact on care today, and what lies ahead.
• Guidance for selecting new tools (20:51): Gain practical guidance on selecting new digital tools in the laboratory.

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• From Intake to Interpretation: How AI Assists Lab Teams Today
• Making the Promise of AI a Reality in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to share industry updates and Mayo Clinic’s test development success in 2025. Later, Dr. Pritt welcomes Janelle Santos, M.D., a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic, to discuss how she uses a preeclampsia test to care for her patients.

• Public policy insights for 2026 (00:34): Dr. Bill Morice shares insights on reimbursement and AI-related policy developments following an association meeting in Washington, D.C. 
• An unprecedented year for test development (04:45): Discover how Mayo Clinic’s record year for test development delivers value to Mayo Clinic’s patients and Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ clients.
• Novel preeclampsia testing (08:13): Learn how new clinical testing helps physicians improve outcomes for women at risk for preeclampsia and their babies.

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• 4 steps to establishing a new approach to innovation 
• Innovation beyond the bench: Translating science into better diagnostics and outcomes
• Preeclampsia: Empowering confident decision-making through preeclampsia risk assessment
• Assay stratifies pregnant women's preeclampsia risk: Joshua Bornhorst, Ph.D. 
• Preeclampsia sFlt-1/PIGF Ratio, Serum (Mayo ID: PERA)

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to explore recent examples of diagnostic innovations that are improving patient care. Dr. Pritt also welcomes Matthew Schultz, Ph.D., a clinical biochemical geneticist at Mayo Clinic, to discuss how a novel test is delivering answers for patients with a recently identified peripheral neuropathy. 

• Transplant testing innovations (00:57): Discover how advances in clinical diagnostics are improving transplant outcomes at Mayo Clinic. 
• Advances reshaping rheumatoid arthritis diagnostics (06:06): Learn how early-stage research and emerging tools are reshaping care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 
• New test for peripheral neuropathy (08:18): A novel test created to support care for patients with a recently identified condition now supporting research to advance care. 

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• Rewriting the future of rheumatoid arthritis: How early detection is transforming prevention
• Cultivating a comprehensive test menu for organ transplant patients
• Screening test for sorbitol dehydrogenase deficiency-related neuropathy (SORD)
• Innovative SORD test provides clarity for two young patients: Justin Fugelsang and Zach Pedowitz

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss recent industry news and how collaborations are helping drive transformation in clinical diagnostics. Together, they explore:

• Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) delay (01:09): Dr. Morice shares what the latest delay of PAMA means for laboratories.
• FDA guidance on wearables (02:23): Learn about recent FDA guidance that allows more non‑invasive wearables to be classified as wellness devices. 
• Collaboration as a driver of innovation (06:20): Discover why collaboration is critical to advancement in clinical diagnostics.

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• Groundbreaking collaborations
• Mary Jo Williamson offers four steps to maximize collaboration benefits
• Dr. Bill Morice shares how a platform for collaboration transforms diagnostics
• “Answers From the Lab” podcast: “Forging Collaborations That Deliver Better Outcomes”

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) reform and celebrate an exciting milestone for Dr. Pritt’s “Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites” blog. Later in the episode, Dr. Pritt welcomes Angie Reese-Davis, Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ director of operations, to explore how proactive monitoring, shipping workflows, teamwork, and ongoing process improvements all contribute to a resilient lab logistics system. 

• PAMA reform update (00:34): Get the latest on PAMA delays and the new Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act.
• Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites (04:24): Go behind the scenes of the 800 parasite cases Dr. Pritt has featured on her long-running blog.
• Logistics at Mayo Clinic Laboratories (08:09): Learn how the team manages and tracks the 40,000 samples that arrive each day.
• Process improvement and resiliency (12:49): Discover how the logistics team continues to innovate and evolve to support clients more efficiently and effectively.

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss 2026 trends. Together, they explore:  

• JP Morgan Healthcare Conference (00:34): Dr. Morice shares his top observations and takeaways after attending this year’s conference. 
• Artificial intelligence (06:02): Anticipated benefits and risks of AI developments predicted in 2026.
• Reimbursement and regulation (13:43): Why reimbursement and regulation continue to be areas of significant interest in clinical diagnostics. 

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• Transforming laboratory medicine through AI: From promise to practice
• "Answers From the Lab" podcast: Breakthroughs and Trends That Defined Lab Medicine in 2025
• "Answers From the Lab" podcast: PAMA Update and Accelerating Research and Development With BioPharma Diagnostics

In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic, is joined by William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, to discuss direct-to-consumer testing. Then, Dr. Pritt welcomes Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D., a microbiologist and virologist and chief scientific officer of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, for a conversation about accelerating innovation without compromising quality or safety. 

• Direct-to-consumer testing (00:38): Explore the rise of direct-to-consumer testing and the challenges that accompany it. 
• Evolving expectations for innovation (05:38): Understand why patient and clinician expectations are rising and how that is reshaping diagnostics.
• Safeguarding advances (07:23): Learn the foundational principles that protect quality and safety amid rapid innovation.
• Strategies for accelerating innovation (10:33): Discover practical ways to responsibly deliver novel solutions more quickly.

Note: Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting.

Resources

• Five ways to move faster without compromising trust in diagnostics
• "Answers From the Lab” podcast: Breakthroughs and Trends That Defined Lab Medicine in 2025
• 360Dx: 2025 highlights and takeaways for the clinical lab industry