Molecular Diagnostics: A Training and Study Guide

"This study guide is aimed primarily at clinical laboratory scientists and those involved in the teaching or application of molecular diagnostics, an audience that includes medical students, physicians, and related professionals….Of particular value is chapter 3, 'Specimen Collection, Handling, Preparation and Processing'. This chapter provides detailed insight into practical aspects of molecular work often omitted from other texts. Chapter 7 is an excellent review of the molecular technologies available to the modern laboratory…. (T)his text does offer a comprehensive guide and will be of assistance to those seeking a firm foundation from which to exploit this rapidly expanding field. In their introduction, the authors state their intention to 'educate, train and promote the field of molecular diagnostics to all who are willing to learn.' This study guide is an admirable step in the right direction."
Clinical Chemistry, 49, 2, 2003

Since its inception, the clinical diagnostics laboratory has functioned as a dynamic environment where new technologies and the implementation of new diagnostic tests are the norm. The development and application of molecular biology techniques, the transition to automated DNA/RNA platforms, and microarray analyses for genomics and proteomics are just a few of the challenges facing the clinical laboratory today. The authors strongly believe that the success of this new era in laboratory testing will be highly dependent on the training of well-qualified technologists, residents, and clinicians alike, who will not only have to perform and interpret results of these tests but also understand the limitations of the technology and results. Molecular Diagnostics: A Training and Study Guide represents a compilation of educational materials (presented in PowerPoint format) that the authors have assembled over several years of academic instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This guide contains thirteen sections covering human genome efforts, basic molecular biology concepts, a review of technology, issues in diagnostic testing, and finally, clinical applications in various disciplines of laboratory medicine. In addition, the training and study guide includes an extensive self-assessment section that covers much of the material presented. Given the increasing numbers of board certification exams that have emerged for this discipline, the authors hope that this material will function as a guide for development of training/review courses and for study preparation. Although not comprehensive of all molecular biology, Molecular Diagnostics: A Training and Study Guide will provide an excellent overview of those technologies most pertinent to clinical diagnostic applications.