QuidelOrtho Science BYTES Podcast

The latest episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes covers one of the most daunting challenges in the ER today: Quickly identifying and treating sepsis patients. 

Host Josh Casey sits down with QuidelOrtho's Medical Science Liaison Chris Sanchez, MSN, RN, to hear about emerging approaches to quicker diagnosis, personalized treatment, as well as better antibiotic stewardship.  

This episode validates the necessity of procalcitonin-guided protocols to support healthcare providers in making swift decisions that optimize treatments and improve patient outcomes.

About Our Speaker:

Chris Sanchez 

Chris Sanchez is a seasoned healthcare professional with more than 20 years of bedside nursing experience across high-acuity settings, including the emergency department, neurological intensive care, and cardiac intensive care. In addition, Chris brings 18 years of industry experience spanning roles such as medical science liaison, medical education liaison, clinical educator, and clinical project manager, with a focus on cardiovascular and infectious disease. Complementing this clinical and industry background is 10 years of hands-on laboratory experience as a laboratory assistant, providing a well-rounded perspective that bridges patient care, education, and clinical operations.

The latest episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes takes listeners inside the 2026 ADLM Annual Conference, where experts discussed emerging technologies and diagnostic innovations shaping the future of healthcare.

Host Stephanie Kleewein speaks with three industry experts about advances in ultra-fast PCR, procalcitonin-guided antibiotic stewardship and high-sensitivity troponin testing. Together, they explore how faster, more precise diagnostics are helping clinicians make better decisions for patients.

About Our Speakers: 

Dr. Heather Danks, Chief Technology Officer at LEX Diagnostics

Dr. Mike Broyles, Director of Medical Affairs for Biomarkers at Thermo Fisher Scientific

Dr. Lindy Carlstrom, Medical Affairs Manager at QuidelOrtho

The latest episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes explores how the overdose crisis has evolved from 2025 to 2026 and what these changes mean for laboratories and healthcare providers.

Host Josh Casey is joined by Vonda McAllister, Director of Global Product Management at QuidelOrtho, to discuss emerging drug trends, new ADLM guidance for toxicology testing and the growing challenges posed by counterfeit medications, polysubstance use and novel synthetic opioids.

This episode reinforces an important message: as the drug landscape continues to change, healthcare organizations must adapt testing strategies, strengthen collaboration and ensure clinicians have timely, actionable information to support patient care.

About Our Speaker: 

Vonda McAllister, director of global product management for QuidelOrtho

Vonda's diagnostic experience spans from R&D and program management to marketing. Now a member of the Point of Care business unit, she previously managed the Triage™ portfolio of assays and the clinical labs team for North America. Vonda is currently focused on supporting the global regions with our PlGF tests, that is, placental growth factor, and toxicology assays, as well as expanding the Triage toxicology and women's health testing portfolio. She also serves as global leadership co-chair for the QuidelOrtho Women's Leadership Network.

Our latest episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes explores hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) – a complex and often misunderstood condition that can have life-threatening consequences during pregnancy.

Host Michelle Mullens is joined by Bethany Weathersby, Founder of the Allo Hope Foundation, to connect diagnostic science with real patient experiences. Together, they explain how alloimmunization occurs, why many patients are unaware of their risk and how laboratory testing plays a central role in guiding care. 

The conversation reveals how gaps in awareness, inconsistent care practices and delays in acting on lab results can significantly impact outcomes. It also highlights the importance of patient advocacy and collaboration between laboratories, clinicians and patients to improve care pathways.

About Our Speaker: 

Bethany Weathersby

Bethany Weathersby serves as the Executive Director at The Allo Hope Foundation. She received her BS degree in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education at Jacksonville State University. She received her MEd degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Columbia International University and spent the next 15 years teaching ESL before transitioning into patient education and advocacy.

Bethany lives with her husband, Josh, and their five children in Tuscaloosa, AL. During her third pregnancy in 2013, Bethany was diagnosed with maternal alloimmunization (Kell antibodies) and her daughter was at risk for severe HDFN due to Bethany’s incredibly high titer. Bethany and her husband struggled to find the proactive medical care that Bethany and her unborn baby needed. Unfortunately, due to lack of monitoring and treatment, their daughter, Lucy, was stillborn just shy of 20 weeks. Determined to continue growing their family, Bethany partnered with two maternal-fetal specialists out of state who supported her throughout her next three pregnancies, helping the Weathersbys have the large family they had always wanted. In 2019, Bethany founded the Allo Hope Foundation to provide resources and support, and improve care practices for alloimmunized women and HDFN patients.

Our latest episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes addresses a public health paradox: while early-stage syphilis cases in the U.S. are declining, congenital syphilis continues to rise despite being entirely preventable.

Host Josh Casey is joined by Andrea Ott‑Vasconi, Director of Scientific Affairs and Regulatory at QuidelOrtho, to unpack CDC data and explain why missed or delayed screening during pregnancy is driving congenital infections. Together, they explore how syphilis testing works, when infections are being missed and why repeat screening is essential, especially later in pregnancy.

About Our Speaker: 

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from New York University. Most recently, she earned a Master of Public Health from Imperial College London. With over 20 years of experience in the medical device industry, Andrea has worked in many different roles, including product development and clinical marketing. In her current role at QuidelOrtho, she manages a team responsible for the development of educational content, scientific publications and evidence generation. Andrea is passionate about increasing awareness of the clinical value of laboratory tests and their impact on improving patient outcomes.

Our latest episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes features Dr. Lindy Carlstrom, Global Medical Affairs Manager for Acute Care, unpacking how high-sensitivity troponin is reshaping early cardiac diagnosis, where seconds matter most.

From detecting heart injury earlier and reducing emergency department bottlenecks to improving equity in cardiac care with sex-specific cutoffs, this episode highlights how precision diagnostics are accelerating decision-making and improving patient outcomes. Dr. Carlstrom explains the power of serial testing, the importance of assay precision and why today’s emergency teams rely on high-sensitivity troponin to confidently rule in, or rule out, acute coronary events.

High sensitivity troponin is more than a test, it’s a critical link in a faster, safer, more informed cardiac care pathway. Tune in to learn how this powerful tool is helping clinicians deliver timely insight when it matters most.

About Our Speaker: 

Dr. Lindy Carlstrom, Global Medical Affairs Manager for QuidelOrtho

Lindy's clinical experience spans from emergency medicine to critical care and primary care. Currently, she's responsible for providing medical support for the QuidelOrtho acute care menu throughout the product life cycle. Lindy is passionate about clinical education, testing guideline updates and assay utilization to drive improved patient-centered outcomes.

Our 55th episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes features Michelle Mullens, Global Portfolio Marketing Manager for Transfusion Medicine, diving into the evolving realities of today’s blood supply, and why steady, year‑round donation is critical to modern healthcare.

From the constant demand driven by everyday trauma to climate‑related disruptions that strain regional inventories, shifting prehospital practices that rely heavily on universal blood types and the growing role of automation in stabilizing testing workflows, this episode explores the interconnected systems that keep patients safe. Mullens shares how donor habits, resilient infrastructure and smarter immunohematology platforms help ensure blood is available when and where it’s needed most.

Sustaining the blood supply isn’t just about meeting demand, it’s about building a resilient, connected system where donors, diagnostics and clinical care work together to protect patients every day.

About Our Speaker: 

Michelle Mullens

Global Portfolio Marketing Manager for Transfusion Medicine, QuidelOrtho

Michelle brings invaluable insight to both the science and human impact of blood donation. 

Our 54th episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes features Jonathan Siegrist, PhD, Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Technology Officer, exploring the breakthroughs shaping diagnostics in 2025.

About Our Speaker: 

Jonathan Siegrist, PhD

Executive Vice President of Research & Development & Chief Technology Officer at QuidelOrtho

Jonathan is responsible for the company’s global R&D strategy, driving innovation and advancing next-generation diagnostic solutions. He brings over 15 years of leadership experience in the biotechnology and diagnostics industries, with a focus on molecular diagnostics, microfluidic platforms and biomedical engineering. Before joining QuidelOrtho, Jonathan served as Chief Technology Officer and head of assay research and development at Cepheid. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his ability to lead complex, multidisciplinary teams while fostering a culture of creativity and innovation. Jonathan holds a PhD and Master of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of California, Irvine, and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Our 53rd episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes features Dr. Qian Ding, MD, PhD, exploring why early detection of diabetes is a clinical and economic imperative.

From identifying silent disease progression to leveraging smarter lab platforms, early testing empowers clinicians to intervene sooner, personalize care and help prevent costly complications.

Dr. Ding shares how diagnostics and emerging biomarkers are helping reshape diabetes care – delivering fast, reliable insights that support proactive treatment and healthier outcomes.

About Our Speaker: 

Dr. Qian Ding, MD, PhD

Dr. Ding brings extensive experience in hospital laboratory and in vitro diagnostics with a strong command of healthcare information systems and data analytics. With a comprehensive background in microbiology, immunology, molecular genetics and healthcare business intelligence, Dr. Ding is also an accomplished researcher with an established record of publications in reputable peer-reviewed scientific journals. She's also recognized as a leader at the intersection of science, technology and healthcare.

Our 52nd episode of QuidelOrtho Science Bytes features George Wierschem, Senior Global Product Manager – informatics, discussing how informatics is transforming clinical labs. From streamlining workflows to strengthening cybersecurity, informatics helps labs turn data into decisions – faster, smarter and more securely.

George shares how modern platforms improve lab efficiency, ensure data integrity and support better patient outcomes through centralized access, automation and accountability.

About Our Speaker: 

George Wierschem

Senior Global Product Manager for informatics at QuidelOrtho

George is a trained medical technologist with more than 30 years of laboratory experience. Over the first half of his career, George worked in a number of community-based hospitals progressing from bench technologist into leadership positions. In 2010, George entered the in vitro diagnostics industry, where he's been able to leverage his strong laboratory experience in consulting, product development and product management roles. Currently, George is helping to support legacy QuidelOrtho informatics platforms while also developing several innovative next-generation solutions. George holds an MBA with a healthcare administration specialization and is certified in Lean Six Sigma and change management.