Newsletter | Spring 2021
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Newsletter
Message from the Chair

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine's One Lab Philosophy encompasses the innovation, dedication, and continuity within our laboratory structure. Our strategy within UCLA Health is we are one lab with many sites, including Santa Monica, Brentwood, BURL, CHS, Rehab, Ronald Reagan and West Medical. This one lab approach will enhance our ability to provide the best care for our patients, while acting as good stewards of the resources provided to us.

We welcome The One Lab Committee's rebranded Pathology Newsletter! We support their goals to highlight Department, Faculty, Staff and Trainee achievements, as well as encourage us all to participate in upcoming department events. If you have story or content ideas, please contact the One Lab Committee at DCVilla@mednet.ucla.edu.

Sarah M. Dry, MD
Professor & Interim Chair, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Upcoming Events
Lab Week

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is April 18-24, 2021. This year similar to last the One Lab Committee will be hosting a series of events throughout the week. Be on the lookout for more information.

Theme: We Believe in Heroes AVENGERS of the Laboratory.

Department News
UCLA Clinical Microbiology Laboratory leads the way in Covid 19 testing
The Microbiology Laboratory has done an incredible amount of work relating to COVID. Given the urgent nature and critical need for rapid Covid testing, the Microbiology Team had to drop everything and put together a plan to provide in-house testing.

UCLA SwabSeq COVID 19 Diagnostic Test
SwabSeq is a novel technology developed by UCLA Faculty, this new method of COVID-19 detection uses sequencing technology and is capable of testing thousands of samples for coronavirus at the same time, producing accurate, individual results in 12 to 24 hours.

Ronald Reagan Support Services
The Laboratory Support Services has been working diligently since the start of the COVID
pandemic. Our entire Laboratory Support Services team has dedicated themselves in serving all of the patients’ growing needs as we continue to tackle this pandemic head on.

2020 Point of Care Testing Competency Assessment
Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) are tests performed outside the laboratories, at a patient bedside, by Physicians, Anesthesiologists, Registered Nurses (RNs), Perfusionists, Respiratory Therapists (RTs), Radiologists, Medical Assistants, and etc. 

Faculty Spotlights
Dr. Shaun Yang, Assistant Clinical Professor and Assistant Medical Director, Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, was featured in a UCLA article regarding back to school safety in LA County.
PhD candidate Jiayun Li, along with Drs. Corey Arnold (mentor), Anthony Sisk, and Huihui Ye, recently published an article in Computers in Biology and Medicine. 
Employees of The Month
Toan Ngo, CLS
Immunogenetics Center
January 2021
Pam Chitvanith, HLT III
Anatomic Pathology
January 2021
Romeo "Romy" Varias, CLS
Santa Monica Clinical Lab
January 2021
Xavier Allison, Equip. Analyst
Pathology Facilities
February 2021
Decedent Affairs Team
Anatomic Pathology
February 2021
Maria V. Castillo, HLT II
BURL
February 2021
Alex Magana, HLT II
Outreach Billing
March 2021
Po Chu Fung, Sr. Cyto Tech
Anatomic Pathology
March 2021
Fred Salasac, CPT II
Support Services
March 2021
In case you missed it...
UCLA Staff Assembly Learn @ Lunch: Covid-19
Dr. Garner gives a behind the scenes on how much work it takes to process Covid tests, why false positives or negatives appear, and so much more! Click the link below for Dr. Garner's talk.

Evolution of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma
Congratulations to Dr. Alyssa Ziman and the entire Transfusion Medicine team for being featured in UNews for their support of convalescent plasma clinical trials. Click below for Dr. Ziman's talk.

2020 Heart Walk Goals Exceeded
In the midst of a global pandemic, our UCLA Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department continues to make great strides breaking ground no matter what’s in our path.

Santa Monica Pathology
Black Lives Matter Movement
Santa Monica UCLA Residents invited the hospital for a moment of silence in solidarity with Black Lives Matter in our courtyard on Wilshire Boulevard.

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