Clinical Laboratory

The clinical laboratory at SIUT is a multidisciplinary facility comprising of departments of chemical pathology, Microbiology, Hematology / Blood Bank, Histopathology / Electron microscopy and Molecular Biology / Immunology. These together provide comprehensive laboratory services to over a thousand patients a day both from various in patient services and out patients. Each department is headed by a Consultant / Professor with a total strength of faculty and staff of 120 personnel. Over 3 million tests were performed last year including all routine tests as well as specialized tests in various departments. These include Molecular and Genetic diagnosis of infections, genotyping of bacteria and viruses, tissue typing for transplantation, hormone assays, metabolic workup of patients with stone disease, Immunohistochemistry and Electron microscopic examination of specimens of renal and other diseases.

The laboratory has a strong training and research commitment. Areas of research include stone disease, renal diseases, post-transplant infections, viral hepatitis, causes of graft loss and uro-oncology.

Chemical Pathology

The field of Chemical Pathology serves as the backbone of diagnostic laboratory services and provides the link between normal molecular/biochemical processes and the pathophysiological changes in disease states. The increasing number of analytes and their role in diagnosis of different disease processes has brought about computerization and automation in this field. This has enabled reporting times to be reduced from hours to minutes. The new knowledge of disease processes at cellular and gene level has introduced molecular techniques for biochemical analysis at cellular and sub-cellular levels. The Chemical Pathology Department at SIUT is a high volume, automated, comprehensive testing facility offering a full range of clinical chemistry tests, including tests for endocrinological disorders, metabolic disease, therapeutic drugs, metal ions and tumour markers. Last year this section performed over a million tests. This section is accredited by external quality control schemes. The department is recognized for fellowship training by college of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan. Research interests include Immunosuppressive drugs toxicity, risk factors for stone disease and lipid disorders in renal disease and transplant recipients.

Hematology / Blood Bank

In present day medical practice, haematology plays a key role in diagnosis and treatment. Use of newer interventional techniques reduces morbidity, mortality and cost of patient care. Over the last decade, there have been significant advances in haematological services due to introduction of newer technology such as automation in routine tests, coagulation and blood banking, cytogenetics, flowcytometry and DNA based diagnostic facilities.

The haematology department provides all the modern diagnostic facilities for routine cell analysis, thrombosis / haemostasis work and a state of the art blood transfusion laboratory. Hematology analyzers to perform complete blood counts on over 500 samples per day. A wide range of thrombosis and haemostasis tests are offered by the department including factor assays and red cell antibody screening. Automated analyzers based on 3rd generation gel technology along with fully automated machine for grouping and cross-matching, the blood bank has entered into a new era of transfusion medicine. Last year the department performed 700,000 counts, 28,000 blood screening, 50,000 blood products were issued to the patients. Procedural tests into plasmaphoresis, platelet concentrates and bone marrow exams. The haematology laboratory service is complemented by chemical pathology and immunology department for anemia studies and flowcytometry. The department participants in two external quality control schemes for hematology and blood bank.

The department is recognized by the college of Physician and Surgeons of Pakistan for Fellowship and thrombosis training. Research interests include anemia and thrombosis is transplant recipients.

Histopathology

Histopathology is the branch of pathology which deals with the tissue or cellular diagnosis of disease. A tissue or cellular diagnosis can be made on the basis of biopsy or cytology material taken from the patient, or from autopsy material. In addition to light microscopic examination of tissues the histopathologist also uses sophisticated immunohistochemical techniques to demonstrate antigens which are specific to a certain tissue. Tools also include Electron microscopy to identify sub-cellular changes which indicate the disease process; molecular biology techniques to identify cytogenetic and molecular genetic abnormalities.

The histopathology department of SIUT is equipped with state of art equipments with automated tissue processors and embedding equipment. Frozen section facility for urgent diagnosis and transmission electron microscope for complete workup of biopsy material. The department processed over 5000 specimens, 1000 cytologies and 500 graft biopsies last year. Over 10 thousand special and immuno-stains were performed on the biopsy material and 300 specimens were processed for EM. In collaboration with College of Physician and Surgeons of Pakistan, the department is recognised for fellowship training in histopathology. It has the largest collection of museum specimens relating to urology. Research interest include IgA nephropathy markers for chronic rejection of renal allograft and staging of bladder tumours.

Microbiology

Microbiology plays a key role in diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. Over the last decade, there have been significant advances in Microbiological services due to introduction of newer technology such as automation in routine tests, development of antibiotics, PCR based diagnostic facilities, emergence of new pathogens and resistance to antimicrobial agents.

Microbiology department at SIUT provides all the modern diagnostic facilities for routine cultures, their identification and sensitivity testing. Automated blood culture and TB culture system, have reduced the twin around time of reports and Molecular diagnostics techniques in collaboration with Molecular biology expedite diagnosis of infections. The department processed 150,000 culture specimens last year and over 50,000 routine screening was done for urine and faecal specimens. TB cultures were performed on 4000 specimens and fungal cultures on 1000. Beside routine microbiology, this department is also responsible for infection control in collaboration with the infection control department.

The department is recognized for fellowship training by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan. Research interest include post transplant infections, post transplant tuberculosis and drug resistance.

Molecular Biology / Immunology

Over the last three decades, phenomenal advances in biomedical information and technology have changed the practice of clinical pathology. These advances have been translated into patient care principally through the application of newer diagnostic techniques in the clinical laboratory. The department of molecular biology / immunology is equipped with state of art equipment including Flowcytometer, Immunofluoresce Microscopes, facilities for HLA typing by serology and DNA based methods, and protein electrophoresis systems. Molecular techniques, tissue culture systems and laboratory animals for diagnosis of viral infections and study of immune mechanisms.

This state of the art laboratory performs diagnosis of bacterial and viral infections by serological and molecular DNA based techniques, PCR assays, viral loads, genotyping, mutations analysis, DNA finger printing and sequencing. Last year more than 12,000 specimens were processed by the department including TB PCR, HCV PCR, Hepatitis Markers and Genotyping.

The department is recognised by the college physician and surgeon of Pakistan for fellowship training. Research interests include molecular characteristic of MTB, Molecular typing of HBV and autoimmune antibodies in children.