Molecular Pathology Services
Molecular tests that analyse DNA or RNA are increasingly utilised to diagnose, predict or monitor disease. The Exeter Molecular Pathology Laboratory brings together scientists from across the traditional pathology disciplines who are delivering or developing a diverse range of molecular tests. These include testing for viral and bacterial infections, an intraoperative assay to detect metastatic breast cancer, diagnosis and monitoring of haematological malignancies, the testing of solid tumours to predict the response for targeted therapy and a range of >60 genetic disorders (see below). Future developments include non-invasive prenatal diagnosis for Down syndrome and anti RhD prophylaxis.
Test repertoire
| Service | Examples | Pathology Discipline |
| Molecular virology | Hepatitis C, Cytomegalovirus | Microbiology |
| Molecular bacteriology | Chlamydia | Microbiology |
| Cervical screening | Human papilloma virus | Cytology |
| Intra-operative sentinel node analysis | Metastatic breast cancer | Cellular pathology/Cytology |
| Haemochromatosis | Predisposing variants | Chemistry/Molecular genetics |
| Thrombophilia | Factor V Leiden and prothrombin variants | Haematology/Molecular genetics |
| Molecular haemato-oncology | Tests for diagnosis, prediction and treatment monitoring for leukaemia and lymphoma | Haematology/Cellular pathology/Molecular genetics |
| Molecular oncology | Tests for solid tumours that predict response to targeted treatment | Cellular pathology/Molecular genetics |
| Genetic disorders | Cystic fibrosis, monogenic diabetes, familial cancers, rare inherited disease | Molecular genetics |
