Laboratory of medical analysis in Egypt

The Hormones unit offers to the medical specialists a reliable tool to cover different range of functional aspects of the pathologies related to their respective clinical areas being mainly endocrinology, oncology and prenatal diagnosis.

In the field of endocrine pathologies, tthe unit routinely performed a large number of parameters, serum, plasma, urine and saliva, that allow to know the proper functioning of all endocrine glands and through the functional tests, the proper state of all hormone axes.

In the oncology field, our main work is focuse on determining tumor markers that allow clinical oncologists, along with other range of clinical trials, diagnose, characterise, give treatment and monitor the patients progress.

In the field of prenatal diagnosis, using biochemical markers as well as scan markers, we can individually establish the pregnancy risk affected by chromosome disorders in the first trimester and chromosome disorders and neural tube defects in the second trimester.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Gamma and beta RIA systems
Elisa systems
Automatic chemiluminescence Analysers
Liquid chromatography (HPLC)

ACTION FIELD:

The unit analyses around 120 serum, plasma, saliva and urine parameters as a matter of routine. These can be classified into four groups:

Hormones: This allows the exploration of the functioning of all endocrinE glands: hypophysis, thyroid, gonads, supra-renal, pancreas, placenta, etc., helping Doctors to establish a diagnosis.

Tumor markers: Molecules that are of great assistance in evaluating the different aspects of tumor biology, allowing the oncology doctor to characterise, treat and monitor the progress of the cancer. The presence of a tumor marker elevation should always be ruled out as false positive, which could be due to benign pathologies associated with tissues which were synthesized, catabolised and/or eliminated.

Vitamins B6, B12 and derivatives of Vitamin D. These help the diagnosis of anaemia, osteomalacia, chronic kidney insufficiency and hyperparathyroidism.

Biochemical screening for chromosome disorders and neural tube defects: Using certain substances of fetal, placental or fetal-placental origin, such as free BHCG (Beta human chorionic gonadrotrofin), AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) and PAPP-A (Pregnancy Asociated Protein A)(biochemical markers) whose concentrations in maternal serum are substantially altered in the presence of certain chromosome anomalies or neural tube defects.

The main activity of the Biochemistry unit is the performance of the laboratory trials of most common measurements in blood (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides…) and in urine (urea analysis, urine sediment …), that shows data that is necessary for diagnosing diseases and facilitates its prognosis, control and monitoring.

Also it is used for more specific parameters, such as drug abuse screening in urine, hemoglobin studies, glycosylated hemoglobin (For diabetis monitoring & control) or tests related to oxidative stress.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Automatic biochemical analysers.
Automatic urine analysers.
Capillary electrophoresis.
Agar jelly electrophoresis.
Liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Spectrophotometry.
Computer-aided image analysis.
Optical microscopy (light field, phase contrast, dark field).
Fluorescence microscopy.
Polarisation microscopy.
Reflection microscopy.
Nitric oxide analyser in biological liquids by chemoluminescence.
Cytometry by image analysis.

ACTION FIELDS:

Basic biochemistry.
Special biochemistry.
Biological liquid biochemistry.
Drugs used in abuse (screening in urine).
Electrophoresis, isoenzymes.
Electrophoresis and immunofixing proteins.
Study of haemoglobin disorders.
Urine sediment microscopy.
Oxidative stress.
Fertility testing.
Sperm capacitation (diagnostic level).
Biochemistry in seminal plasma.
Anti-spermatozoa antibodies in semen and cervical mucus.
Semen-cervical mucus interaction tests.
Spermatozoa functional tests.
Level of DNA fragmentation in spermatozoa.
Meiosis in semen and testicular biopsy.
Evaluation of retrograde ejaculation.
Arthritic disorders caused by crystals.
Biological indicators of exposure to asbestos.
Determination of the concentration of nitrates and nitrites.
Development of applications using image analysis.
Macroscopic and microscopic digital photography.

Molecular genetics unit offers support a wide range of physicians for the pathology diagnose based on nucleic acid detection technologies. Genetic tests are in the vanguard of diagnosis and every time more diseases can take advantage of these techniques for diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Genomic amplification through PCR: qualitative & quantitative (QF-PCR).
Real Time PCR.
Methylation-specific PCR.
RFLP (Restriction enzyme digestions).
DNA arrays.
DNA sequencing.
Reverse hybridization on DNA strips.
Cell culture.
STR analysis.
Genetic expression through RNA analysis.

ACTION FIELDS:
Hereditary diseases
Monogenic diseases

Cystic fibrosis.
Hemochromatosis.
Myopathies and neuromuscular diseases.
Neurological diseases.
Thrombosis risk and hemoglobinopathies (thalassemias).
Hereditary mental retardation.

Repeat expansion diseases

Fragile X.
Myotonic dystrophy.
Friedreich ataxia.
Spinocerebelar atàxies (SCA).
Huntington disease.

Common diseases risk

Cardiovascular risk (i.e. coagulation factors).
Sterility.
Pulmonary disease (alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency).
Alzheimer.
HLA Typing (type I- A, B, C – type II- DR, DQ). Autoimmune disease risk: celiac disease, narcolepsy, arthropathies, lupus, psoriasis, diabetes…

Aneuploidy detection
Prenatal trisomies analysis (trisomies 13, 18, 21, sex chromosomes X and Y and triploidy cases).

Oncological Genetics

Hereditary cancers (breast, ovary, colon and prostate).
Hematologic malignancies (molecular analysis of leukemias and lymphomas: JAK2 gene and BCR-ABL quantification…).
Solid cancer detection: colon cancer (ms9 gene), prostate cancer (PCA-3 gene) and bladder cancer (BTA antigen).

Reproductive genetics

Sterility studies.
Donors studies.
Carriers genetic test.

Forensic genetics

Paternity test.
Genetic DNA profile.
Chromosome Y study.
Invasive / Non Invasive Prenatal Paternity Test.

Molecular Microbiology
Virological analysis

Viral load quantification: HIV, HBV, HCV.
Genotyping and drug resistance analysis: HIV, HBV, HCV.
Herpes viridae group analysis: Herpes Simplex 1+2, Citomegalovirus (Detection and quantification), Varicela Zoster and Epstein Barr.
Other viruses: JC virus, Enterovirus, B19 arvovirus, BK Virus…

Molecular bacteriology

Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection and molecular antibiogram. Atypical mycobacteria detection.
Sexual transmitted diseases: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Chlamydia trachomatis.
Periodontal disease-causing pathogens.
Other bacterias: Bordetella sp, Whipple disease…

Parasites and other pathogens

Toxoplama gondii detection.
Leishmania infantum detection.

Cytogenetics Unit processes amniotic fluid & chorionic villus samples for prenatal diagnosis, ovarian remnants samples, karyotypes in peripheral blood & oncohematologic karyotypes in bone marrow and peripheral blood.

Molecular cytogenetic tests are carried out with the (FISH) Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique. This technique is based on use DNA probes from specific regions of the chromosomes marked with different fluorochromes. One applications is in prenatal diagnosis, to rule out the most frequent trisomies (in chromosomes 13, 18 and 21) and for fetal sexing. it is used also for detecting micro deletions, such as Williams’ Syndrome, Di George’s Syndrome, etc.

Another important application of Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique (FISH) is in the field of oncohematology, with a wide range of probes extending the value of prognosis. The Unit incorporates also Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique (FISH) for spermatozoides, for infertility studies, evaluating the amplification of the gene Her2/neu in paraffin blocks in breast tumours and monitoring urothelial tumours in urine samples.

DNA arrays is the latest technology in this field and it has the ability to detect material gains or losses in the human genome. This technique offers an improved karyotype performance, reaching a resolution 100 times higher than the previous one, in detecting micro deletions and micro duplicationes.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Cell cultures
Culture extraction
Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH)
Image analysis system:

Optical microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Cytovision image analyser

ACTION FIELDS:

Prenatal diagnosis:

Kariotype in amniotic fluid, chorionic villus, foetal blood, ovaian remnants
Aneuploidy detection by Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH)
Postnatal diagnosis
Chromosome studies with high resolution techniques

Cytogenetic studies in neoplasias:

Kariotype in bone marrow and peripheral blood
Oncohematological molecular cytogenetic study (FISH)
FISH study in paraffinised samples (her2/neu)
FISH study in urine samples
Male fertility study (FISH in spermatozoids)

In-situ hybridisation (FISH):

Microdeletion detection
Centromeric probes
Single-sequence probes

Foetal maturity
Kariotype molecular array

The hematology unit offers a service that includes hemostasis coagulation tests and special tests. It is dedicated mainly to the study of the elemental blood, this determination is measured globally and in percentage erythrocyte series (red), leukocyte (white) and platelets.

The result obtained can get to be very important in certain pathological situations with more or less clinical significance, always accompanied by cytological studies & immune-hematology studies.

We also perform coagulation screening tests and other special tests which helps to determine blood clotting disorders and monitoring.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Haemotological counters, with automatic extensor / dyer
Flow cytometry: reticulocyte count
Automated coagulation analysers:

Coagulative techniques
Immunological techniques
Chromogenic substrate techniques

VSG Automatic analysers
Platelet aggregometer

ACTION FIELDS:
Haematological Cytology:

Diagnostic cytology in peripheral blood
Cytology in biological liquids
Bone marrow / haematopoietic tissue study
Cytochemical techniques
Immuno-cytochemical techniques and phenotyping

Clotting:

Clotting tests
Anti-clotting control
Study of factors and proteins
Platelet function tests

Erythrocyte Pathology:

Alterations of the erythrocyte membrane
Erythrocyte enzyme deficits
Haemoglobin disorders

Leukocyte disorders: Phagocytosis / bacteriolysis studies

Immunohaematology:

Immune haemolytic anaemia study
ABO and RH groups Determination
Irregular antibody study
Autoimmune neutropenia

The Immunology unit offers support to different medical specialities in the diagnosis, monitoring & progress of different pathologies, including those of auto-immune, infectious, hemato-oncological, rheumatic and immunodeficiency origin.

Within the field of infectious serology, this Unit has many decision algorithms to facilitate discrimination between current infections / antibodies recent waste (immunity), especially in the case of pregnancy-related serology. The Unit has available various methods of analysis for the same test to provide a better understanding of the result.

In the auto-immunity field, there is available a large catalogue of tests covering from non-specific organism antibodies to multiple specific antigens. The presence of antibodies against Tissular antigens and to specific organ are tested using immuno-indirect fluorescence on Hep2 cells, Crithidia Luciliae or tissue preparations, reserving ELISA, RIA and Immunoblot techniques for the detection of antibodies against specific antigens.

In the immunodeficiency and hemato-oncology pathologies, blood cell phenotyping techniques converge with quantification of lymphocytes cells, immunoglobulins, additional factors and plasma protein.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Indirect immunofluorescence
Nephelometry
Flow cytometry
Automated and manual ELISA
Automated chemoluminescence
Inmunoblot and Western Blot
Precipitation in gels
Haemagglutination and agglutination

ACTION FIELDS:

Autoimmunity
Onconeurology
Infectious serology
Blood cell phenotyping
Quantification of plasma proteins and additional factors
Inflammation
HLA

The unit of Clinical Microbiology has a multidisciplinary role. Its core activity consists on diagnose infectious diseases by showing the causing agent of these infections in the biological samples collected from the patient. Methods like antigen detection, staining or direct visualization provide quick and accurate diagnosis. The culture & identification of germs allows us along with an anti-biogram to know their sensitivity or resistance to anti-microbial agents and therefor find the most appropriate treatment, with greater therapeutic success.

Moreover, this unit also takes care the hospital areas under microbiological control and the isolation of pathogenic germs in those handling food.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Cultures
Automatic blood culture system
Automatic ID+ATB system
Automatic mycobacteria system
Optical microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Microbiological tests on hospital area environments and surfaces
Legionella antigen
Urine sediment
Selective culture for Streptococcus agalactiae

ACTION FIELDS:

Bacteriology
Mycobacteria
Mycology
Parasitology
Sterility tests on hospital areas and equipment (operating, blood dialysis, etc.)
Epidemiological tests on associated centres (epidemiological and resistance maps)
Molecular Microbiology

This unit core activity is based on the use of advanced methods of analysis, such as mass spectrometry coupled to gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and ICP.
The work field are biomarker analysis of occupational exposure to chemicals (mostly dissolvent and metals), Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), confirmation of drugs of abuse in saliva, urine, hair, blood, alcohol testing in blood and urine, laboratory trials to determine anti aging and nutrition related tests (metals, vitamins, fatty acids W3- W6,etc).

The unit also has a lot of experience working in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies to perform drugs analytical development in different clinical phases of human and veterinary field.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Liquid Chromatography (HPLC and UPLC) with detection by:

Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS / MS)
Ultraviolet
Fluorescence
Electrochemical Detector

Gas chromatography with detection by:

Mass Spectrometry (MS)
Flame ionization (FID)
Electron capture (ECD)

Mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP- MS)

Infrared spectrophotometry (FT- IR)

Molecular absorption spectrophotometry (UV -VIS)

ACTION FIELDS:

Detection and confirmation of drugs of abuse in urine, saliva, hair and blood.
Analysis of alcohol in blood and urine.
Bioanalysis for the pharmaceutical industry (Bioequivalence, drug depletion studies…)
Analysis of clinical samples related to occupational exposure control (exposure to heavy metals, solvents, etc.)
Analysis of clinical samples to determine several parameters such as vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, kidney stones and gallstones, porphyrins, hydroxyprolines, organic acids, metals, carboxihemoglobinas, thiopurine methyltransferase, serotonin, catecholamines and their metabolites, etc.
Drug Monitoring (TDM) (tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, etc).
Detection of Helicobacter pylori by urea breath test.

The Hormones unit offers to the medical specialists a reliable tool to cover different range of functional aspects of the pathologies related to their respective clinical areas being mainly endocrinology, oncology and prenatal diagnosis.

In the field of endocrine pathologies, tthe unit routinely performed a large number of parameters, serum, plasma, urine and saliva, that allow to know the proper functioning of all endocrine glands and through the functional tests, the proper state of all hormone axes.

In the oncology field, our main work is focuse on determining tumor markers that allow clinical oncologists, along with other range of clinical trials, diagnose, characterise, give treatment and monitor the patients progress.

In the field of prenatal diagnosis, using biochemical markers as well as scan markers, we can individually establish the pregnancy risk affected by chromosome disorders in the first trimester and chromosome disorders and neural tube defects in the second trimester.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Gamma and beta RIA systems
Elisa systems
Automatic chemiluminescence Analysers
Liquid chromatography (HPLC)

ACTION FIELD:

The unit analyses around 120 serum, plasma, saliva and urine parameters as a matter of routine. These can be classified into four groups:

Hormones: This allows the exploration of the functioning of all endocrinE glands: hypophysis, thyroid, gonads, supra-renal, pancreas, placenta, etc., helping Doctors to establish a diagnosis.

Tumor markers: Molecules that are of great assistance in evaluating the different aspects of tumor biology, allowing the oncology doctor to characterise, treat and monitor the progress of the cancer. The presence of a tumor marker elevation should always be ruled out as false positive, which could be due to benign pathologies associated with tissues which were synthesized, catabolised and/or eliminated.

Vitamins B6, B12 and derivatives of Vitamin D. These help the diagnosis of anaemia, osteomalacia, chronic kidney insufficiency and hyperparathyroidism.

Biochemical screening for chromosome disorders and neural tube defects: Using certain substances of fetal, placental or fetal-placental origin, such as free BHCG (Beta human chorionic gonadrotrofin), AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) and PAPP-A (Pregnancy Asociated Protein A)(biochemical markers) whose concentrations in maternal serum are substantially altered in the presence of certain chromosome anomalies or neural tube defects.

The main activity of the Biochemistry unit is the performance of the laboratory trials of most common measurements in blood (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides…) and in urine (urea analysis, urine sediment …), that shows data that is necessary for diagnosing diseases and facilitates its prognosis, control and monitoring.

Also it is used for more specific parameters, such as drug abuse screening in urine, hemoglobin studies, glycosylated hemoglobin (For diabetis monitoring & control) or tests related to oxidative stress.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Automatic biochemical analysers.
Automatic urine analysers.
Capillary electrophoresis.
Agar jelly electrophoresis.
Liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Spectrophotometry.
Computer-aided image analysis.
Optical microscopy (light field, phase contrast, dark field).
Fluorescence microscopy.
Polarisation microscopy.
Reflection microscopy.
Nitric oxide analyser in biological liquids by chemoluminescence.
Cytometry by image analysis.

ACTION FIELDS:

Basic biochemistry.
Special biochemistry.
Biological liquid biochemistry.
Drugs used in abuse (screening in urine).
Electrophoresis, isoenzymes.
Electrophoresis and immunofixing proteins.
Study of haemoglobin disorders.
Urine sediment microscopy.
Oxidative stress.
Fertility testing.
Sperm capacitation (diagnostic level).
Biochemistry in seminal plasma.
Anti-spermatozoa antibodies in semen and cervical mucus.
Semen-cervical mucus interaction tests.
Spermatozoa functional tests.
Level of DNA fragmentation in spermatozoa.
Meiosis in semen and testicular biopsy.
Evaluation of retrograde ejaculation.
Arthritic disorders caused by crystals.
Biological indicators of exposure to asbestos.
Determination of the concentration of nitrates and nitrites.
Development of applications using image analysis.
Macroscopic and microscopic digital photography.

Molecular genetics unit offers support a wide range of physicians for the pathology diagnose based on nucleic acid detection technologies. Genetic tests are in the vanguard of diagnosis and every time more diseases can take advantage of these techniques for diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Genomic amplification through PCR: qualitative & quantitative (QF-PCR).
Real Time PCR.
Methylation-specific PCR.
RFLP (Restriction enzyme digestions).
DNA arrays.
DNA sequencing.
Reverse hybridization on DNA strips.
Cell culture.
STR analysis.
Genetic expression through RNA analysis.

ACTION FIELDS:
Hereditary diseases
Monogenic diseases

Cystic fibrosis.
Hemochromatosis.
Myopathies and neuromuscular diseases.
Neurological diseases.
Thrombosis risk and hemoglobinopathies (thalassemias).
Hereditary mental retardation.

Repeat expansion diseases

Fragile X.
Myotonic dystrophy.
Friedreich ataxia.
Spinocerebelar atàxies (SCA).
Huntington disease.

Common diseases risk

Cardiovascular risk (i.e. coagulation factors).
Sterility.
Pulmonary disease (alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency).
Alzheimer.
HLA Typing (type I- A, B, C – type II- DR, DQ). Autoimmune disease risk: celiac disease, narcolepsy, arthropathies, lupus, psoriasis, diabetes…

Aneuploidy detection
Prenatal trisomies analysis (trisomies 13, 18, 21, sex chromosomes X and Y and triploidy cases).

Oncological Genetics

Hereditary cancers (breast, ovary, colon and prostate).
Hematologic malignancies (molecular analysis of leukemias and lymphomas: JAK2 gene and BCR-ABL quantification…).
Solid cancer detection: colon cancer (ms9 gene), prostate cancer (PCA-3 gene) and bladder cancer (BTA antigen).

Reproductive genetics

Sterility studies.
Donors studies.
Carriers genetic test.

Forensic genetics

Paternity test.
Genetic DNA profile.
Chromosome Y study.
Invasive / Non Invasive Prenatal Paternity Test.

Molecular Microbiology
Virological analysis

Viral load quantification: HIV, HBV, HCV.
Genotyping and drug resistance analysis: HIV, HBV, HCV.
Herpes viridae group analysis: Herpes Simplex 1+2, Citomegalovirus (Detection and quantification), Varicela Zoster and Epstein Barr.
Other viruses: JC virus, Enterovirus, B19 arvovirus, BK Virus…

Molecular bacteriology

Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection and molecular antibiogram. Atypical mycobacteria detection.
Sexual transmitted diseases: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Chlamydia trachomatis.
Periodontal disease-causing pathogens.
Other bacterias: Bordetella sp, Whipple disease…

Parasites and other pathogens

Toxoplama gondii detection.
Leishmania infantum detection.

Cytogenetics Unit processes amniotic fluid & chorionic villus samples for prenatal diagnosis, ovarian remnants samples, karyotypes in peripheral blood & oncohematologic karyotypes in bone marrow and peripheral blood.

Molecular cytogenetic tests are carried out with the (FISH) Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique. This technique is based on use DNA probes from specific regions of the chromosomes marked with different fluorochromes. One applications is in prenatal diagnosis, to rule out the most frequent trisomies (in chromosomes 13, 18 and 21) and for fetal sexing. it is used also for detecting micro deletions, such as Williams’ Syndrome, Di George’s Syndrome, etc.

Another important application of Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique (FISH) is in the field of oncohematology, with a wide range of probes extending the value of prognosis. The Unit incorporates also Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique (FISH) for spermatozoides, for infertility studies, evaluating the amplification of the gene Her2/neu in paraffin blocks in breast tumours and monitoring urothelial tumours in urine samples.

DNA arrays is the latest technology in this field and it has the ability to detect material gains or losses in the human genome. This technique offers an improved karyotype performance, reaching a resolution 100 times higher than the previous one, in detecting micro deletions and micro duplicationes.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Cell cultures
Culture extraction
Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH)
Image analysis system:

Optical microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Cytovision image analyser

ACTION FIELDS:

Prenatal diagnosis:

Kariotype in amniotic fluid, chorionic villus, foetal blood, ovaian remnants
Aneuploidy detection by Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH)
Postnatal diagnosis
Chromosome studies with high resolution techniques

Cytogenetic studies in neoplasias:

Kariotype in bone marrow and peripheral blood
Oncohematological molecular cytogenetic study (FISH)
FISH study in paraffinised samples (her2/neu)
FISH study in urine samples
Male fertility study (FISH in spermatozoids)

In-situ hybridisation (FISH):

Microdeletion detection
Centromeric probes
Single-sequence probes

Foetal maturity
Kariotype molecular array

The hematology unit offers a service that includes hemostasis coagulation tests and special tests. It is dedicated mainly to the study of the elemental blood, this determination is measured globally and in percentage erythrocyte series (red), leukocyte (white) and platelets.

The result obtained can get to be very important in certain pathological situations with more or less clinical significance, always accompanied by cytological studies & immune-hematology studies.

We also perform coagulation screening tests and other special tests which helps to determine blood clotting disorders and monitoring.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Haemotological counters, with automatic extensor / dyer
Flow cytometry: reticulocyte count
Automated coagulation analysers:

Coagulative techniques
Immunological techniques
Chromogenic substrate techniques

VSG Automatic analysers
Platelet aggregometer

ACTION FIELDS:
Haematological Cytology:

Diagnostic cytology in peripheral blood
Cytology in biological liquids
Bone marrow / haematopoietic tissue study
Cytochemical techniques
Immuno-cytochemical techniques and phenotyping

Clotting:

Clotting tests
Anti-clotting control
Study of factors and proteins
Platelet function tests

Erythrocyte Pathology:

Alterations of the erythrocyte membrane
Erythrocyte enzyme deficits
Haemoglobin disorders

Leukocyte disorders: Phagocytosis / bacteriolysis studies

Immunohaematology:

Immune haemolytic anaemia study
ABO and RH groups Determination
Irregular antibody study
Autoimmune neutropenia

The Immunology unit offers support to different medical specialities in the diagnosis, monitoring & progress of different pathologies, including those of auto-immune, infectious, hemato-oncological, rheumatic and immunodeficiency origin.

Within the field of infectious serology, this Unit has many decision algorithms to facilitate discrimination between current infections / antibodies recent waste (immunity), especially in the case of pregnancy-related serology. The Unit has available various methods of analysis for the same test to provide a better understanding of the result.

In the auto-immunity field, there is available a large catalogue of tests covering from non-specific organism antibodies to multiple specific antigens. The presence of antibodies against Tissular antigens and to specific organ are tested using immuno-indirect fluorescence on Hep2 cells, Crithidia Luciliae or tissue preparations, reserving ELISA, RIA and Immunoblot techniques for the detection of antibodies against specific antigens.

In the immunodeficiency and hemato-oncology pathologies, blood cell phenotyping techniques converge with quantification of lymphocytes cells, immunoglobulins, additional factors and plasma protein.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Indirect immunofluorescence
Nephelometry
Flow cytometry
Automated and manual ELISA
Automated chemoluminescence
Inmunoblot and Western Blot
Precipitation in gels
Haemagglutination and agglutination

ACTION FIELDS:

Autoimmunity
Onconeurology
Infectious serology
Blood cell phenotyping
Quantification of plasma proteins and additional factors
Inflammation
HLA

The unit of Clinical Microbiology has a multidisciplinary role. Its core activity consists on diagnose infectious diseases by showing the causing agent of these infections in the biological samples collected from the patient. Methods like antigen detection, staining or direct visualization provide quick and accurate diagnosis. The culture & identification of germs allows us along with an anti-biogram to know their sensitivity or resistance to anti-microbial agents and therefor find the most appropriate treatment, with greater therapeutic success.

Moreover, this unit also takes care the hospital areas under microbiological control and the isolation of pathogenic germs in those handling food.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Cultures
Automatic blood culture system
Automatic ID+ATB system
Automatic mycobacteria system
Optical microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Microbiological tests on hospital area environments and surfaces
Legionella antigen
Urine sediment
Selective culture for Streptococcus agalactiae

ACTION FIELDS:

Bacteriology
Mycobacteria
Mycology
Parasitology
Sterility tests on hospital areas and equipment (operating, blood dialysis, etc.)
Epidemiological tests on associated centres (epidemiological and resistance maps)
Molecular Microbiology

This unit core activity is based on the use of advanced methods of analysis, such as mass spectrometry coupled to gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and ICP.
The work field are biomarker analysis of occupational exposure to chemicals (mostly dissolvent and metals), Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), confirmation of drugs of abuse in saliva, urine, hair, blood, alcohol testing in blood and urine, laboratory trials to determine anti aging and nutrition related tests (metals, vitamins, fatty acids W3- W6,etc).

The unit also has a lot of experience working in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies to perform drugs analytical development in different clinical phases of human and veterinary field.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Liquid Chromatography (HPLC and UPLC) with detection by:

Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS / MS)
Ultraviolet
Fluorescence
Electrochemical Detector

Gas chromatography with detection by:

Mass Spectrometry (MS)
Flame ionization (FID)
Electron capture (ECD)

Mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP- MS)

Infrared spectrophotometry (FT- IR)

Molecular absorption spectrophotometry (UV -VIS)

ACTION FIELDS:

Detection and confirmation of drugs of abuse in urine, saliva, hair and blood.
Analysis of alcohol in blood and urine.
Bioanalysis for the pharmaceutical industry (Bioequivalence, drug depletion studies…)
Analysis of clinical samples related to occupational exposure control (exposure to heavy metals, solvents, etc.)
Analysis of clinical samples to determine several parameters such as vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, kidney stones and gallstones, porphyrins, hydroxyprolines, organic acids, metals, carboxihemoglobinas, thiopurine methyltransferase, serotonin, catecholamines and their metabolites, etc.
Drug Monitoring (TDM) (tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, etc).
Detection of Helicobacter pylori by urea breath test.

The Hormones unit offers to the medical specialists a reliable tool to cover different range of functional aspects of the pathologies related to their respective clinical areas being mainly endocrinology, oncology and prenatal diagnosis.

In the field of endocrine pathologies, tthe unit routinely performed a large number of parameters, serum, plasma, urine and saliva, that allow to know the proper functioning of all endocrine glands and through the functional tests, the proper state of all hormone axes.

In the oncology field, our main work is focuse on determining tumor markers that allow clinical oncologists, along with other range of clinical trials, diagnose, characterise, give treatment and monitor the patients progress.

In the field of prenatal diagnosis, using biochemical markers as well as scan markers, we can individually establish the pregnancy risk affected by chromosome disorders in the first trimester and chromosome disorders and neural tube defects in the second trimester.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Gamma and beta RIA systems
Elisa systems
Automatic chemiluminescence Analysers
Liquid chromatography (HPLC)

ACTION FIELD:

The unit analyses around 120 serum, plasma, saliva and urine parameters as a matter of routine. These can be classified into four groups:

Hormones: This allows the exploration of the functioning of all endocrinE glands: hypophysis, thyroid, gonads, supra-renal, pancreas, placenta, etc., helping Doctors to establish a diagnosis.

Tumor markers: Molecules that are of great assistance in evaluating the different aspects of tumor biology, allowing the oncology doctor to characterise, treat and monitor the progress of the cancer. The presence of a tumor marker elevation should always be ruled out as false positive, which could be due to benign pathologies associated with tissues which were synthesized, catabolised and/or eliminated.

Vitamins B6, B12 and derivatives of Vitamin D. These help the diagnosis of anaemia, osteomalacia, chronic kidney insufficiency and hyperparathyroidism.

Biochemical screening for chromosome disorders and neural tube defects: Using certain substances of fetal, placental or fetal-placental origin, such as free BHCG (Beta human chorionic gonadrotrofin), AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) and PAPP-A (Pregnancy Asociated Protein A)(biochemical markers) whose concentrations in maternal serum are substantially altered in the presence of certain chromosome anomalies or neural tube defects.

The main activity of the Biochemistry unit is the performance of the laboratory trials of most common measurements in blood (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides…) and in urine (urea analysis, urine sediment …), that shows data that is necessary for diagnosing diseases and facilitates its prognosis, control and monitoring.

Also it is used for more specific parameters, such as drug abuse screening in urine, hemoglobin studies, glycosylated hemoglobin (For diabetis monitoring & control) or tests related to oxidative stress.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Automatic biochemical analysers.
Automatic urine analysers.
Capillary electrophoresis.
Agar jelly electrophoresis.
Liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Spectrophotometry.
Computer-aided image analysis.
Optical microscopy (light field, phase contrast, dark field).
Fluorescence microscopy.
Polarisation microscopy.
Reflection microscopy.
Nitric oxide analyser in biological liquids by chemoluminescence.
Cytometry by image analysis.

ACTION FIELDS:

Basic biochemistry.
Special biochemistry.
Biological liquid biochemistry.
Drugs used in abuse (screening in urine).
Electrophoresis, isoenzymes.
Electrophoresis and immunofixing proteins.
Study of haemoglobin disorders.
Urine sediment microscopy.
Oxidative stress.
Fertility testing.
Sperm capacitation (diagnostic level).
Biochemistry in seminal plasma.
Anti-spermatozoa antibodies in semen and cervical mucus.
Semen-cervical mucus interaction tests.
Spermatozoa functional tests.
Level of DNA fragmentation in spermatozoa.
Meiosis in semen and testicular biopsy.
Evaluation of retrograde ejaculation.
Arthritic disorders caused by crystals.
Biological indicators of exposure to asbestos.
Determination of the concentration of nitrates and nitrites.
Development of applications using image analysis.
Macroscopic and microscopic digital photography.

Molecular genetics unit offers support a wide range of physicians for the pathology diagnose based on nucleic acid detection technologies. Genetic tests are in the vanguard of diagnosis and every time more diseases can take advantage of these techniques for diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Genomic amplification through PCR: qualitative & quantitative (QF-PCR).
Real Time PCR.
Methylation-specific PCR.
RFLP (Restriction enzyme digestions).
DNA arrays.
DNA sequencing.
Reverse hybridization on DNA strips.
Cell culture.
STR analysis.
Genetic expression through RNA analysis.

ACTION FIELDS:
Hereditary diseases
Monogenic diseases

Cystic fibrosis.
Hemochromatosis.
Myopathies and neuromuscular diseases.
Neurological diseases.
Thrombosis risk and hemoglobinopathies (thalassemias).
Hereditary mental retardation.

Repeat expansion diseases

Fragile X.
Myotonic dystrophy.
Friedreich ataxia.
Spinocerebelar atàxies (SCA).
Huntington disease.

Common diseases risk

Cardiovascular risk (i.e. coagulation factors).
Sterility.
Pulmonary disease (alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency).
Alzheimer.
HLA Typing (type I- A, B, C – type II- DR, DQ). Autoimmune disease risk: celiac disease, narcolepsy, arthropathies, lupus, psoriasis, diabetes…

Aneuploidy detection
Prenatal trisomies analysis (trisomies 13, 18, 21, sex chromosomes X and Y and triploidy cases).

Oncological Genetics

Hereditary cancers (breast, ovary, colon and prostate).
Hematologic malignancies (molecular analysis of leukemias and lymphomas: JAK2 gene and BCR-ABL quantification…).
Solid cancer detection: colon cancer (ms9 gene), prostate cancer (PCA-3 gene) and bladder cancer (BTA antigen).

Reproductive genetics

Sterility studies.
Donors studies.
Carriers genetic test.

Forensic genetics

Paternity test.
Genetic DNA profile.
Chromosome Y study.
Invasive / Non Invasive Prenatal Paternity Test.

Molecular Microbiology
Virological analysis

Viral load quantification: HIV, HBV, HCV.
Genotyping and drug resistance analysis: HIV, HBV, HCV.
Herpes viridae group analysis: Herpes Simplex 1+2, Citomegalovirus (Detection and quantification), Varicela Zoster and Epstein Barr.
Other viruses: JC virus, Enterovirus, B19 arvovirus, BK Virus…

Molecular bacteriology

Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection and molecular antibiogram. Atypical mycobacteria detection.
Sexual transmitted diseases: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Chlamydia trachomatis.
Periodontal disease-causing pathogens.
Other bacterias: Bordetella sp, Whipple disease…

Parasites and other pathogens

Toxoplama gondii detection.
Leishmania infantum detection.

Cytogenetics Unit processes amniotic fluid & chorionic villus samples for prenatal diagnosis, ovarian remnants samples, karyotypes in peripheral blood & oncohematologic karyotypes in bone marrow and peripheral blood.

Molecular cytogenetic tests are carried out with the (FISH) Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique. This technique is based on use DNA probes from specific regions of the chromosomes marked with different fluorochromes. One applications is in prenatal diagnosis, to rule out the most frequent trisomies (in chromosomes 13, 18 and 21) and for fetal sexing. it is used also for detecting micro deletions, such as Williams’ Syndrome, Di George’s Syndrome, etc.

Another important application of Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique (FISH) is in the field of oncohematology, with a wide range of probes extending the value of prognosis. The Unit incorporates also Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique (FISH) for spermatozoides, for infertility studies, evaluating the amplification of the gene Her2/neu in paraffin blocks in breast tumours and monitoring urothelial tumours in urine samples.

DNA arrays is the latest technology in this field and it has the ability to detect material gains or losses in the human genome. This technique offers an improved karyotype performance, reaching a resolution 100 times higher than the previous one, in detecting micro deletions and micro duplicationes.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Cell cultures
Culture extraction
Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH)
Image analysis system:

Optical microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Cytovision image analyser

ACTION FIELDS:

Prenatal diagnosis:

Kariotype in amniotic fluid, chorionic villus, foetal blood, ovaian remnants
Aneuploidy detection by Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH)
Postnatal diagnosis
Chromosome studies with high resolution techniques

Cytogenetic studies in neoplasias:

Kariotype in bone marrow and peripheral blood
Oncohematological molecular cytogenetic study (FISH)
FISH study in paraffinised samples (her2/neu)
FISH study in urine samples
Male fertility study (FISH in spermatozoids)

In-situ hybridisation (FISH):

Microdeletion detection
Centromeric probes
Single-sequence probes

Foetal maturity
Kariotype molecular array

The hematology unit offers a service that includes hemostasis coagulation tests and special tests. It is dedicated mainly to the study of the elemental blood, this determination is measured globally and in percentage erythrocyte series (red), leukocyte (white) and platelets.

The result obtained can get to be very important in certain pathological situations with more or less clinical significance, always accompanied by cytological studies & immune-hematology studies.

We also perform coagulation screening tests and other special tests which helps to determine blood clotting disorders and monitoring.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Haemotological counters, with automatic extensor / dyer
Flow cytometry: reticulocyte count
Automated coagulation analysers:

Coagulative techniques
Immunological techniques
Chromogenic substrate techniques

VSG Automatic analysers
Platelet aggregometer

ACTION FIELDS:
Haematological Cytology:

Diagnostic cytology in peripheral blood
Cytology in biological liquids
Bone marrow / haematopoietic tissue study
Cytochemical techniques
Immuno-cytochemical techniques and phenotyping

Clotting:

Clotting tests
Anti-clotting control
Study of factors and proteins
Platelet function tests

Erythrocyte Pathology:

Alterations of the erythrocyte membrane
Erythrocyte enzyme deficits
Haemoglobin disorders

Leukocyte disorders: Phagocytosis / bacteriolysis studies

Immunohaematology:

Immune haemolytic anaemia study
ABO and RH groups Determination
Irregular antibody study
Autoimmune neutropenia

The Immunology unit offers support to different medical specialities in the diagnosis, monitoring & progress of different pathologies, including those of auto-immune, infectious, hemato-oncological, rheumatic and immunodeficiency origin.

Within the field of infectious serology, this Unit has many decision algorithms to facilitate discrimination between current infections / antibodies recent waste (immunity), especially in the case of pregnancy-related serology. The Unit has available various methods of analysis for the same test to provide a better understanding of the result.

In the auto-immunity field, there is available a large catalogue of tests covering from non-specific organism antibodies to multiple specific antigens. The presence of antibodies against Tissular antigens and to specific organ are tested using immuno-indirect fluorescence on Hep2 cells, Crithidia Luciliae or tissue preparations, reserving ELISA, RIA and Immunoblot techniques for the detection of antibodies against specific antigens.

In the immunodeficiency and hemato-oncology pathologies, blood cell phenotyping techniques converge with quantification of lymphocytes cells, immunoglobulins, additional factors and plasma protein.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Indirect immunofluorescence
Nephelometry
Flow cytometry
Automated and manual ELISA
Automated chemoluminescence
Inmunoblot and Western Blot
Precipitation in gels
Haemagglutination and agglutination

ACTION FIELDS:

Autoimmunity
Onconeurology
Infectious serology
Blood cell phenotyping
Quantification of plasma proteins and additional factors
Inflammation
HLA

The unit of Clinical Microbiology has a multidisciplinary role. Its core activity consists on diagnose infectious diseases by showing the causing agent of these infections in the biological samples collected from the patient. Methods like antigen detection, staining or direct visualization provide quick and accurate diagnosis. The culture & identification of germs allows us along with an anti-biogram to know their sensitivity or resistance to anti-microbial agents and therefor find the most appropriate treatment, with greater therapeutic success.

Moreover, this unit also takes care the hospital areas under microbiological control and the isolation of pathogenic germs in those handling food.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Cultures
Automatic blood culture system
Automatic ID+ATB system
Automatic mycobacteria system
Optical microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Microbiological tests on hospital area environments and surfaces
Legionella antigen
Urine sediment
Selective culture for Streptococcus agalactiae

ACTION FIELDS:

Bacteriology
Mycobacteria
Mycology
Parasitology
Sterility tests on hospital areas and equipment (operating, blood dialysis, etc.)
Epidemiological tests on associated centres (epidemiological and resistance maps)
Molecular Microbiology

This unit core activity is based on the use of advanced methods of analysis, such as mass spectrometry coupled to gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and ICP.
The work field are biomarker analysis of occupational exposure to chemicals (mostly dissolvent and metals), Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), confirmation of drugs of abuse in saliva, urine, hair, blood, alcohol testing in blood and urine, laboratory trials to determine anti aging and nutrition related tests (metals, vitamins, fatty acids W3- W6,etc).

The unit also has a lot of experience working in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies to perform drugs analytical development in different clinical phases of human and veterinary field.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Liquid Chromatography (HPLC and UPLC) with detection by:

Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS / MS)
Ultraviolet
Fluorescence
Electrochemical Detector

Gas chromatography with detection by:

Mass Spectrometry (MS)
Flame ionization (FID)
Electron capture (ECD)

Mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP- MS)

Infrared spectrophotometry (FT- IR)

Molecular absorption spectrophotometry (UV -VIS)

ACTION FIELDS:

Detection and confirmation of drugs of abuse in urine, saliva, hair and blood.
Analysis of alcohol in blood and urine.
Bioanalysis for the pharmaceutical industry (Bioequivalence, drug depletion studies…)
Analysis of clinical samples related to occupational exposure control (exposure to heavy metals, solvents, etc.)
Analysis of clinical samples to determine several parameters such as vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, kidney stones and gallstones, porphyrins, hydroxyprolines, organic acids, metals, carboxihemoglobinas, thiopurine methyltransferase, serotonin, catecholamines and their metabolites, etc.
Drug Monitoring (TDM) (tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, etc).
Detection of Helicobacter pylori by urea breath test.

The Hormones unit offers to the medical specialists a reliable tool to cover different range of functional aspects of the pathologies related to their respective clinical areas being mainly endocrinology, oncology and prenatal diagnosis.

In the field of endocrine pathologies, tthe unit routinely performed a large number of parameters, serum, plasma, urine and saliva, that allow to know the proper functioning of all endocrine glands and through the functional tests, the proper state of all hormone axes.

In the oncology field, our main work is focuse on determining tumor markers that allow clinical oncologists, along with other range of clinical trials, diagnose, characterise, give treatment and monitor the patients progress.

In the field of prenatal diagnosis, using biochemical markers as well as scan markers, we can individually establish the pregnancy risk affected by chromosome disorders in the first trimester and chromosome disorders and neural tube defects in the second trimester.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Gamma and beta RIA systems
Elisa systems
Automatic chemiluminescence Analysers
Liquid chromatography (HPLC)

ACTION FIELD:

The unit analyses around 120 serum, plasma, saliva and urine parameters as a matter of routine. These can be classified into four groups:

Hormones: This allows the exploration of the functioning of all endocrinE glands: hypophysis, thyroid, gonads, supra-renal, pancreas, placenta, etc., helping Doctors to establish a diagnosis.

Tumor markers: Molecules that are of great assistance in evaluating the different aspects of tumor biology, allowing the oncology doctor to characterise, treat and monitor the progress of the cancer. The presence of a tumor marker elevation should always be ruled out as false positive, which could be due to benign pathologies associated with tissues which were synthesized, catabolised and/or eliminated.

Vitamins B6, B12 and derivatives of Vitamin D. These help the diagnosis of anaemia, osteomalacia, chronic kidney insufficiency and hyperparathyroidism.

Biochemical screening for chromosome disorders and neural tube defects: Using certain substances of fetal, placental or fetal-placental origin, such as free BHCG (Beta human chorionic gonadrotrofin), AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) and PAPP-A (Pregnancy Asociated Protein A)(biochemical markers) whose concentrations in maternal serum are substantially altered in the presence of certain chromosome anomalies or neural tube defects.

The main activity of the Biochemistry unit is the performance of the laboratory trials of most common measurements in blood (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides…) and in urine (urea analysis, urine sediment …), that shows data that is necessary for diagnosing diseases and facilitates its prognosis, control and monitoring.

Also it is used for more specific parameters, such as drug abuse screening in urine, hemoglobin studies, glycosylated hemoglobin (For diabetis monitoring & control) or tests related to oxidative stress.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Automatic biochemical analysers.
Automatic urine analysers.
Capillary electrophoresis.
Agar jelly electrophoresis.
Liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Spectrophotometry.
Computer-aided image analysis.
Optical microscopy (light field, phase contrast, dark field).
Fluorescence microscopy.
Polarisation microscopy.
Reflection microscopy.
Nitric oxide analyser in biological liquids by chemoluminescence.
Cytometry by image analysis.

ACTION FIELDS:

Basic biochemistry.
Special biochemistry.
Biological liquid biochemistry.
Drugs used in abuse (screening in urine).
Electrophoresis, isoenzymes.
Electrophoresis and immunofixing proteins.
Study of haemoglobin disorders.
Urine sediment microscopy.
Oxidative stress.
Fertility testing.
Sperm capacitation (diagnostic level).
Biochemistry in seminal plasma.
Anti-spermatozoa antibodies in semen and cervical mucus.
Semen-cervical mucus interaction tests.
Spermatozoa functional tests.
Level of DNA fragmentation in spermatozoa.
Meiosis in semen and testicular biopsy.
Evaluation of retrograde ejaculation.
Arthritic disorders caused by crystals.
Biological indicators of exposure to asbestos.
Determination of the concentration of nitrates and nitrites.
Development of applications using image analysis.
Macroscopic and microscopic digital photography.

Molecular genetics unit offers support a wide range of physicians for the pathology diagnose based on nucleic acid detection technologies. Genetic tests are in the vanguard of diagnosis and every time more diseases can take advantage of these techniques for diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Genomic amplification through PCR: qualitative & quantitative (QF-PCR).
Real Time PCR.
Methylation-specific PCR.
RFLP (Restriction enzyme digestions).
DNA arrays.
DNA sequencing.
Reverse hybridization on DNA strips.
Cell culture.
STR analysis.
Genetic expression through RNA analysis.

ACTION FIELDS:
Hereditary diseases
Monogenic diseases

Cystic fibrosis.
Hemochromatosis.
Myopathies and neuromuscular diseases.
Neurological diseases.
Thrombosis risk and hemoglobinopathies (thalassemias).
Hereditary mental retardation.

Repeat expansion diseases

Fragile X.
Myotonic dystrophy.
Friedreich ataxia.
Spinocerebelar atàxies (SCA).
Huntington disease.

Common diseases risk

Cardiovascular risk (i.e. coagulation factors).
Sterility.
Pulmonary disease (alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency).
Alzheimer.
HLA Typing (type I- A, B, C – type II- DR, DQ). Autoimmune disease risk: celiac disease, narcolepsy, arthropathies, lupus, psoriasis, diabetes…

Aneuploidy detection
Prenatal trisomies analysis (trisomies 13, 18, 21, sex chromosomes X and Y and triploidy cases).

Oncological Genetics

Hereditary cancers (breast, ovary, colon and prostate).
Hematologic malignancies (molecular analysis of leukemias and lymphomas: JAK2 gene and BCR-ABL quantification…).
Solid cancer detection: colon cancer (ms9 gene), prostate cancer (PCA-3 gene) and bladder cancer (BTA antigen).

Reproductive genetics

Sterility studies.
Donors studies.
Carriers genetic test.

Forensic genetics

Paternity test.
Genetic DNA profile.
Chromosome Y study.
Invasive / Non Invasive Prenatal Paternity Test.

Molecular Microbiology
Virological analysis

Viral load quantification: HIV, HBV, HCV.
Genotyping and drug resistance analysis: HIV, HBV, HCV.
Herpes viridae group analysis: Herpes Simplex 1+2, Citomegalovirus (Detection and quantification), Varicela Zoster and Epstein Barr.
Other viruses: JC virus, Enterovirus, B19 arvovirus, BK Virus…

Molecular bacteriology

Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection and molecular antibiogram. Atypical mycobacteria detection.
Sexual transmitted diseases: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Chlamydia trachomatis.
Periodontal disease-causing pathogens.
Other bacterias: Bordetella sp, Whipple disease…

Parasites and other pathogens

Toxoplama gondii detection.
Leishmania infantum detection.

Cytogenetics Unit processes amniotic fluid & chorionic villus samples for prenatal diagnosis, ovarian remnants samples, karyotypes in peripheral blood & oncohematologic karyotypes in bone marrow and peripheral blood.

Molecular cytogenetic tests are carried out with the (FISH) Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique. This technique is based on use DNA probes from specific regions of the chromosomes marked with different fluorochromes. One applications is in prenatal diagnosis, to rule out the most frequent trisomies (in chromosomes 13, 18 and 21) and for fetal sexing. it is used also for detecting micro deletions, such as Williams’ Syndrome, Di George’s Syndrome, etc.

Another important application of Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique (FISH) is in the field of oncohematology, with a wide range of probes extending the value of prognosis. The Unit incorporates also Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization technique (FISH) for spermatozoides, for infertility studies, evaluating the amplification of the gene Her2/neu in paraffin blocks in breast tumours and monitoring urothelial tumours in urine samples.

DNA arrays is the latest technology in this field and it has the ability to detect material gains or losses in the human genome. This technique offers an improved karyotype performance, reaching a resolution 100 times higher than the previous one, in detecting micro deletions and micro duplicationes.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Cell cultures
Culture extraction
Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH)
Image analysis system:

Optical microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Cytovision image analyser

ACTION FIELDS:

Prenatal diagnosis:

Kariotype in amniotic fluid, chorionic villus, foetal blood, ovaian remnants
Aneuploidy detection by Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH)
Postnatal diagnosis
Chromosome studies with high resolution techniques

Cytogenetic studies in neoplasias:

Kariotype in bone marrow and peripheral blood
Oncohematological molecular cytogenetic study (FISH)
FISH study in paraffinised samples (her2/neu)
FISH study in urine samples
Male fertility study (FISH in spermatozoids)

In-situ hybridisation (FISH):

Microdeletion detection
Centromeric probes
Single-sequence probes

Foetal maturity
Kariotype molecular array

The hematology unit offers a service that includes hemostasis coagulation tests and special tests. It is dedicated mainly to the study of the elemental blood, this determination is measured globally and in percentage erythrocyte series (red), leukocyte (white) and platelets.

The result obtained can get to be very important in certain pathological situations with more or less clinical significance, always accompanied by cytological studies & immune-hematology studies.

We also perform coagulation screening tests and other special tests which helps to determine blood clotting disorders and monitoring.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Haemotological counters, with automatic extensor / dyer
Flow cytometry: reticulocyte count
Automated coagulation analysers:

Coagulative techniques
Immunological techniques
Chromogenic substrate techniques

VSG Automatic analysers
Platelet aggregometer

ACTION FIELDS:
Haematological Cytology:

Diagnostic cytology in peripheral blood
Cytology in biological liquids
Bone marrow / haematopoietic tissue study
Cytochemical techniques
Immuno-cytochemical techniques and phenotyping

Clotting:

Clotting tests
Anti-clotting control
Study of factors and proteins
Platelet function tests

Erythrocyte Pathology:

Alterations of the erythrocyte membrane
Erythrocyte enzyme deficits
Haemoglobin disorders

Leukocyte disorders: Phagocytosis / bacteriolysis studies

Immunohaematology:

Immune haemolytic anaemia study
ABO and RH groups Determination
Irregular antibody study
Autoimmune neutropenia

The Immunology unit offers support to different medical specialities in the diagnosis, monitoring & progress of different pathologies, including those of auto-immune, infectious, hemato-oncological, rheumatic and immunodeficiency origin.

Within the field of infectious serology, this Unit has many decision algorithms to facilitate discrimination between current infections / antibodies recent waste (immunity), especially in the case of pregnancy-related serology. The Unit has available various methods of analysis for the same test to provide a better understanding of the result.

In the auto-immunity field, there is available a large catalogue of tests covering from non-specific organism antibodies to multiple specific antigens. The presence of antibodies against Tissular antigens and to specific organ are tested using immuno-indirect fluorescence on Hep2 cells, Crithidia Luciliae or tissue preparations, reserving ELISA, RIA and Immunoblot techniques for the detection of antibodies against specific antigens.

In the immunodeficiency and hemato-oncology pathologies, blood cell phenotyping techniques converge with quantification of lymphocytes cells, immunoglobulins, additional factors and plasma protein.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Indirect immunofluorescence
Nephelometry
Flow cytometry
Automated and manual ELISA
Automated chemoluminescence
Inmunoblot and Western Blot
Precipitation in gels
Haemagglutination and agglutination

ACTION FIELDS:

Autoimmunity
Onconeurology
Infectious serology
Blood cell phenotyping
Quantification of plasma proteins and additional factors
Inflammation
HLA

The unit of Clinical Microbiology has a multidisciplinary role. Its core activity consists on diagnose infectious diseases by showing the causing agent of these infections in the biological samples collected from the patient. Methods like antigen detection, staining or direct visualization provide quick and accurate diagnosis. The culture & identification of germs allows us along with an anti-biogram to know their sensitivity or resistance to anti-microbial agents and therefor find the most appropriate treatment, with greater therapeutic success.

Moreover, this unit also takes care the hospital areas under microbiological control and the isolation of pathogenic germs in those handling food.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Cultures
Automatic blood culture system
Automatic ID+ATB system
Automatic mycobacteria system
Optical microscopy
Fluorescence microscopy
Microbiological tests on hospital area environments and surfaces
Legionella antigen
Urine sediment
Selective culture for Streptococcus agalactiae

ACTION FIELDS:

Bacteriology
Mycobacteria
Mycology
Parasitology
Sterility tests on hospital areas and equipment (operating, blood dialysis, etc.)
Epidemiological tests on associated centres (epidemiological and resistance maps)
Molecular Microbiology

This unit core activity is based on the use of advanced methods of analysis, such as mass spectrometry coupled to gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and ICP.
The work field are biomarker analysis of occupational exposure to chemicals (mostly dissolvent and metals), Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), confirmation of drugs of abuse in saliva, urine, hair, blood, alcohol testing in blood and urine, laboratory trials to determine anti aging and nutrition related tests (metals, vitamins, fatty acids W3- W6,etc).

The unit also has a lot of experience working in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies to perform drugs analytical development in different clinical phases of human and veterinary field.

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES:

Liquid Chromatography (HPLC and UPLC) with detection by:

Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS / MS)
Ultraviolet
Fluorescence
Electrochemical Detector

Gas chromatography with detection by:

Mass Spectrometry (MS)
Flame ionization (FID)
Electron capture (ECD)

Mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP- MS)

Infrared spectrophotometry (FT- IR)

Molecular absorption spectrophotometry (UV -VIS)

ACTION FIELDS:

Detection and confirmation of drugs of abuse in urine, saliva, hair and blood.
Analysis of alcohol in blood and urine.
Bioanalysis for the pharmaceutical industry (Bioequivalence, drug depletion studies…)
Analysis of clinical samples related to occupational exposure control (exposure to heavy metals, solvents, etc.)
Analysis of clinical samples to determine several parameters such as vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, kidney stones and gallstones, porphyrins, hydroxyprolines, organic acids, metals, carboxihemoglobinas, thiopurine methyltransferase, serotonin, catecholamines and their metabolites, etc.
Drug Monitoring (TDM) (tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, etc).
Detection of Helicobacter pylori by urea breath test.