Overview

Cleveland Clinic Laboratories features an expansive menu of tests that range from commercially available, moderately complex assays to esoteric and highly complex molecular diagnostic tests. With every test result, the department is focused on delivering personalized, world-class service and total customer satisfaction.

Although Cleveland Clinic Laboratories offer some of the most complex assays available, we never lose sight of the big picture: that each specimen represents a patient’s life and the results of each test performed can profoundly impact that patient and their course of therapy.

Operational Cores

Molecular pathology achieves efficiencies by operating a number of core laboratories around key technologies. The operational cores consist of:

  • Materials handling core.
  • Extraction core.
  • Rapid-cycle and traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) core.
  • Commercial assays core.
  • Cytogenetic core.
  • Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) core.
  • Sequencing core.
  • Microarray core.
  • Methylation and epigenetics core.

This core concept provides us the opportunity to integrate continuous improvement tools to optimize laboratory productivity, which in turn translates into better turnaround time for patient results. Although a high degree of efficiency is a goal of each core, a keen eye is maintained on quality metrics and quality improvement initiatives are always ongoing.

This unique structure that engages individuals with subspecialty pathology expertise, molecular technical experts, and skilled administrative and technical personnel allows for  us to provide superior customer service for our clients. Coupled with the confidence of having every test performed, handled, and reported by some of the finest experts in the field, we ensure that our clients and their patients receive the best care and attention possible.

Molecular Pathology Staff

Elizabeth Azzato, MD
Elizabeth Azzato, MD
Section Head, Molecular Pathology & Cytogenomics
Caroline Astbury, PhD
Caroline Astbury, PhD
Director, Cytogenomics
Rand Abou Shaar, MD
Rand Abou Shaar, MD
Associate Staff
David Bosler, MD
David Bosler, MD
Department Chair
James Cook, MD, PhD
James Cook, MD, PhD
Section Head, Hematopathology