Principles and Applications of Molecular Diagnostics

Principles and Applications of Molecular Diagnostics serves as a comprehensive guide for clinical laboratory professionals applying molecular technology to clinical diagnosis. The first half of the book covers principles and analytical concepts in molecular diagnostics such as genomes and variants, nucleic acids isolation and amplification methods, and measurement techniques, circulating tumor cells, and plasma DNA; the second half presents clinical applications of molecular diagnostics in genetic disease, infectious disease, hematopoietic malignancies, solid tumors, prenatal diagnosis, pharmacogenetics, and identity testing. A thorough yet succinct guide to using molecular testing technology, Principles and Applications of Molecular Diagnostics is an essential resource for laboratory professionals, biologists, chemists, pharmaceutical and biotech researchers, and manufacturers of molecular diagnostics kits and instruments.

• Explains the principles and tools of molecular biology
• Describes standard and state-of-the-art molecular techniques for obtaining qualitative and quantitative results
• Provides a detailed description of current molecular applications used to solve diagnostics tasks

Andrea Rita Horvath’s key research interests include evidence-based laboratory medicine (EBLM) including evidence-based monitoring, guideline development, and evaluation of new biomarkers and overdiagnosis. She holds advisory roles on test utilization and reimbursement policy at the National Prescribing Service of Australia and Medicare. She has published 160 research papers and 16 book chapters and has been an invited speaker at over 100 international conferences. Her national and international leadership positions include Chair of the IFCC Committee on EBLM (2003-2008); European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) Secretary (2005-2007); President of the Hungarian Society (2005-2008) and the Hungarian College of Laboratory Medicine (2008-2009); President-Elect (2007-2009), President (2009-2011) and Past President (2012-2013) of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM); chair of the EFLM working group on Test Evaluation (2011-2015) and member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (2014-2016).