Answers from the Lab

(00:41)
 Before we get started talking about the panels, Dr. McKeon, could you provide a little background about yourself and your role here at Mayo Clinic?
 

(01:23)
 I think it's important for our audience to know that you're both seeing patients and working in the lab, which helps us at Mayo Clinic to have a real understanding of what patients and physicians need to get an accurate diagnosis. Is that right?

(02:09)
 I know there's a lot of panels that are impacted, Dr. McKeon. But could you give an overview, maybe talk about, in general, what changes are happening, so that our audience gets an understanding of what's going to change.

(06:47)
 You said that the primary antibodies that are being removed are calcium channel, striations. You said an alpha three antibody. Are those the primary ones that we're removing from most panels, or did I miss a couple?
 
 (07:24)
 So our audience will be able to see on our website, a chart, which panels are going to include which of these antibodies, but it sounds like a couple are being removed entirely. And then a couple of the other ones — the alpha three, and of course PQ, and Lambert Eaton, and movement disorder — are going to stick around because they're specific to that phenotype, but they're being removed from the other panels. Correct?

(08:29)
 Why did we decide to remove them now? And are you worried about anything in the future — the way our panels will be designed when these antibodies are removed?

(11:27)
 So can you talk about ways that Mayo Clinic is partnering and available to help physicians pick the right test, to make sure that they're getting the antibodies needed and in the right context?

(14:30)
 To wrap up Dr. McKeon, can you just share with our listeners what you're most excited about — or maybe the key takeaway for physicians that have used Mayo's testing and maybe are apprehensive about these changes, or maybe someone that hasn't ordered Mayo Clinic's testing before, but these changes could be an opening for them to utilize Mayo Clinic's resources.

(15:39)
 Is there anything you want to add about antibodies on the horizon that will be added to our panels, Dr. McKeon?

(00:55)
 Can you tell us what you've been working on since last May?
 

(03:19)
 How many assays did you end up validating just for detection of that single virus?
 
 (04:36)
 How many specimens at the peak of the pandemic were you able to test in one day? 
 
 (05:29)
 So can you tell us a little bit more about this test that you're using for sequencing? 

(08:18)
 How would a clinician who orders this test then use the results to change how they're caring for the patient?

(10:22)
 So are there other tests like this on the market for actual clinical use?

(11:18)
 We continue to learn more and more about COVID-19. We've now tackled identification and sequencing. What's next?

(13:03)
 How have you been keeping yourself healthy and maintaining that healthy work-life balance?

(13:53)
 Is there anything else you'd like to share with our listeners or viewers today?

(00:34) I'm joined here today by Dr. Chris Klein. Sir, would you mind introducing yourself to our audience and telling them a little bit about your background?

(1:19) I don't want this to be a review of the paper, sir, but could you just give maybe a recap of one or some of the key takeaways?

(5:59) It was one of the first tests discovered, but we're not satisfied with the status quo and we continue to look for ways to make it better?

(6:41) Can you just help the audience understand why that's necessary and why it's the best thing for patient care?

(9:30) I think the role of MuSK is well understood, but it is a slight change in that it's going to automatically reflex. But the point of that is also to reduce turnaround time, right?

(11:17) It sounds like it'd be hard to give a definitive diagnosis without the testing that we're offering right now, right?

(13:13) What advice would you give for physicians or even laboratorians that might be trying to use our tests most efficiently?

(17:00) What would you say Dr. Klein, to conclude, that you're most excited about regarding these changes that may have occurred?