Innovation in clinical diagnostics is accelerating, with breakthroughs that promise to make testing more precise, less invasive and more accessible. These advancements are expected not only to benefit patients directly but also enhance the efficiency and value of care delivery across health systems.
In a recent conversation on the “The Becker’s Healthcare Podcast,” Mindy Nye, PhD, vice president at Labcorp, shared insights into the evolving landscape of diagnostic laboratory science and how Labcorp is driving innovation to advance personalized healthcare.
Editor’s note: Responses have been edited lightly for length and clarity.
Question: How do you define innovation in the context of clinical laboratory science?
Dr. Mindy Nye: Innovation involves deploying new ideas, methods or devices — essentially bringing novelty that delivers value. In the diagnostics space, this could mean developing new tests or reimagining traditional methods to gain deeper insights. Today, more than 7,000 lab tests are available for patient screening, diagnosis and management. The field has a strong future, especially as we integrate AI, machine learning and ongoing research.
Q: Let’s talk about AI. How is it shaping innovation in diagnostics?
MN: I think of AI as sort of a “buddy system” in the lab. It enhances our capabilities by detecting patterns and deviations that may not be apparent to individual clinicians. By analyzing group and individual trends, AI can lead to more personalized care plans and treatment pathways. It complements our existing infrastructure, benefitting both patients and providers.
Q: Can you share some examples of groundbreaking innovations Labcorp is working on?
MN: There are two main categories of innovation: creating brand new tests and applying existing methods in new ways. For example, blood-based biomarkers for neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s are a major leap forward. Traditionally, diagnosing brain conditions required invasive procedures like spinal taps or imaging. Now, we can detect these biomarkers with a simple blood draw.
Another example is in oncology. Tests for minimal residual disease use blood samples to detect tumor DNA, often with greater sensitivity than imaging. These tests can confirm remission or signal recurrence, improving the way we monitor cancer patients and guide next steps in treatment.
We’re also seeing innovation in how we use technology to refine existing procedures. Take digital pathology; instead of viewing tissue samples under a microscope, pathologists can now analyze high-resolution digital images, even remotely. And enhancements like virtual staining, which conserve tissue and reduce processing times, can help streamline workflows.
Q: What about changes in screening practices? How are those evolving?
MN: Cervical cancer screening is a great example. Traditionally done with a Pap smear, we’ve seen a shift toward using HPV testing as the primary screening method for cervical cancer. It’s more automated from a laboratory processing perspective, and instead of clinician-collected endocervical swabs, we now have data showing that self-collected vaginal swabs perform well. In fact, the FDA recently approved home collection kits for HPV testing, which expands access and empowers patients to participate more directly in their care.
Q: How do these innovations translate into value for health systems?
MN: Health systems are juggling a lot of complex priorities. By partnering with labs like Labcorp, they gain access to cutting-edge tests without bearing the burden of developing or deploying them in-house. These tests provide richer insights that help clinicians personalize and optimize treatment and care. Not only does this customization improve outcomes at the individual patient level, it also enhances cost-effectiveness at the system level.
Q: Are there any final thoughts you’d like to share?
MN: What excites me most is that innovation in diagnostics is a continuous journey. There’s always an opportunity to improve — sometimes incrementally, sometimes in big leaps. The future lies in personalized medicine powered by advanced diagnostics and AI. By aligning innovation with patient and system needs, we can improve outcomes and operational efficiency simultaneously.
