EDITORIAL PREAMBLE: Molecular biology tools in clinical diagnosis

J. Cell. Mol. Med. Vol 11, No 3, 2007 p. 580 The discovery of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) by Kary Mullis (US Patent Number 4,683,202) triggered an unprecedented race for more specific, rapid and highly sensitive diagnosis methods in the clinical laboratory. A wide spectrum of infectious diseases and genetic disorders are now routinely tested using in-house designed or commercially available nucleic acid amplification tests and nucleic acid detection systems. Molecular biology testing can now aid in infection con- trol interventions by accurately and rapidly determining antimicrobial resistance. Implementation of molecular diagnosis in clinics is not without the pains of labor. Experimental set-up, finding the ‘gold stan- dard’ for results confirmation, dealing with standardization of DNA and RNA extraction and cross-contamination are among the prob- lematic issues and logistic challenges often difficult to overcome in this process. High- throughput analytical platforms have been implemented in certain more sophisticated laboratories and lead to cost-effective testing and rapid turnaround time. The development of molecular techniques for diagnosis and also typing of potential agents of bioterrorism or emerging pathogens is also part of a larger strategy to develop rapid and sensitive testing while circumventing safety concerns related to growing these agents in culture. Acknowledging the rapid pace of application of molecular biology tools in clinical diagnosis, the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Biology is introducing a new section to highlight the present state of the art of molecular diagnostics in the clinical area. Manuscripts to be considered for this section should address the clinical application of molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases and genetic disorders including nucleic acid amplification tests, proteomics, microarray anal- ysis, Human Genome Project, as well as clinical laboratory automation and validation methods. Two papers in the field of molecular diagnosis are published in this issue [1, 2]. Dana PERKINS Assistant Editor L. M. POPESCU Editor-in-Chief References 1. S Mihai, C Sitaru. Immunopathology and molecular diagnosis of autoimmune bullous diseases. J Cell Mol Med. 2007; 11: 462–81. 2. D Perkins, H Chong, B Irvine, J Domagalski. Genital co-infection with her- pes simplex viruses type 1 and 2: compari- son of real-time PCR assay and traditional viral isolation methods. J Cell Mol Med. 2007; 11: 581–4. Molecular biology tools in clinical diagnosis EDITORIAL PREAMBLE: Molecular Diagnosis Kary Mullis (inventor of PCR and 1993 Nobel prize win- ner) and Dana Perkins (Assistant Editor, JCMM), 2003, National Inventors Hall of Fame, Akron, OH. © 2007 The Authors Journal compilation © 2007 Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine/Blackwell Publishing Ltd doi: 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2007.00080.x

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Transcript of EDITORIAL PREAMBLE: Molecular biology tools in clinical diagnosis

Page 1: EDITORIAL PREAMBLE: Molecular biology tools in clinical diagnosis

J. Cell. Mol. Med. Vol 11, No 3, 2007 p. 580

The discovery of Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR) by Kary Mullis (US Patent Number4,683,202) triggered an unprecedented racefor more specific, rapid and highly sensitivediagnosis methods in the clinical laboratory.A wide spectrum of infectious diseases andgenetic disorders are now routinely testedusing in-house designed or commerciallyavailable nucleic acid amplification tests andnucleic acid detection systems. Molecularbiology testing can now aid in infection con-trol interventions by accurately and rapidlydetermining antimicrobial resistance.

Implementation of molecular diagnosis inclinics is not without the pains of labor.Experimental set-up, finding the ‘gold stan-dard’ for results confirmation, dealing withstandardization of DNA and RNA extractionand cross-contamination are among the prob-lematic issues and logistic challenges oftendifficult to overcome in this process. High-throughput analytical platforms have beenimplemented in certain more sophisticatedlaboratories and lead to cost-effective testingand rapid turnaround time.

The development of molecular techniques fordiagnosis and also typing of potential agents ofbioterrorism or emerging pathogens is also partof a larger strategy to develop rapid and sensi-tive testing while circumventing safety concernsrelated to growing these agents in culture.

Acknowledging the rapid pace of applicationof molecular biology tools in clinical diagnosis,the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Biology isintroducing a new section to highlight the presentstate of the art of molecular diagnostics in theclinical area. Manuscripts to be considered forthis section should address the clinical applica-tion of molecular diagnosis of infectious diseasesand genetic disorders including nucleic acidamplification tests, proteomics, microarray anal-ysis, Human Genome Project, as well as clinicallaboratory automation and validation methods.

Two papers in the field of molecular diagno-sis are published in this issue [1, 2].

Dana PERKINSAssistant Editor

L. M. POPESCUEditor-in-Chief

References

1. S Mihai, C Sitaru. Immunopathology andmolecular diagnosis of autoimmune bullousdiseases. J Cell Mol Med. 2007; 11: 462–81.

2. D Perkins, H Chong, B Irvine, JDomagalski. Genital co-infection with her-pes simplex viruses type 1 and 2: compari-son of real-time PCR assay and traditionalviral isolation methods. J Cell Mol Med.2007; 11: 581–4.

Molecular biology tools in clinical diagnosis

EDITORIAL PREAMBLE:

Molecular Diagnosis

Kary Mullis (inventor of PCR and 1993 Nobel prize win-ner) and Dana Perkins (Assistant Editor, JCMM), 2003,National Inventors Hall of Fame, Akron, OH.

doi: 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2007.00080.x