Molecular Diagnostics

In 1994 I coedited a book, Molecular Pathology: Ap- efforts. It should be evident that molecular pathology and proaches to Diagnosing Human Disease in the Clinical diagnostics impact almost every conceivable subspecialty Laboratory, that coined the phrase "molecular pathology" in laboratory medicine and, particularly in the case of to refer to applications of molecular biology in the tradi- pharmacogenomics, have led to the development of new tional areas of laboratory medicine. That compilation of areas of investigation. clinical molecular techniques included 11 chapters and an What is less evident is the burden placed upon the epilogue on "New Directions for the Clinical Laboratory. " laboratorians directing these efforts. Issues regarding Chapter headings included: automation, neoplasia, heri- training, certification, continuing education, and re- table diseases, and infectious diseases. bursement (just to name a few) have demanded enormous Three years later, in 1997, Bill Coleman and Greg Tson- time and effort from professional organizations and g- galis edited Molecular Diagnostics: For the Clinical ernmental agencies. In addition, because conventional Laboratorian, which contained 18 chapters and introduced approaches cannot always be applied to molecular di- the new areas of RT-PCR and In Situ PCR, and included nostics, unique solutions for quality assurance and quality a section on gene therapy. Now, ten years after the intro- control must be developed. These challenges have eng- duction of molecular pathology, we are looking at the dered committees, subcommittees, taskforces, and second edition of Bill Coleman and Greg Tsongalis' text.