Welcome Letter

It is with great pleasure that I welcome the inaugural issue of the Journal of Clinical and Molecular Pathology.

The field of molecular diagnostics came to me abruptly, up close and personal. About 10 years ago I left my Pathology practice to try something new. I started a consulting company that, among other services, helps people launch, license, manage and invest in clinical laboratories. At the time, I knew nothing about genomics or molecular pathology. Yet, that was where clinical laboratories were heading and I was placed in a position of having to provide laboratory medical directorships for them. Discovering this new field proved to be one of the most exciting and rewarding adventures of my 35-year career.

I am certainly not alone in this discovery. Over the years, my service to the College of American Pathologists has had me speak to many Pathology Residents. When I inquire about their fellowship plans, I no longer hear about dermatology or cytology. Now they tell me about genomics and molecular pathology. Molecular pathology fellowships, barely known not all that long ago, now number almost 40 [1].

Pathology is looking nothing like what it did when I entered practice. Clinical information provided on specimens processed on cutting edge platforms are poised to replace and improve upon that obtained on platforms far more cumbersome and primitive. The horizon is endless: infectious disease, genetics, companion diagnostics, and personalized therapeutics to mention a few. The number of new tests available grows daily. One research organization expects the molecular market to reach over $17 billion by 2024 [2].

Driving this massive industry is an endless thirst for new information. The Journal of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, innovative, authoritative and erudite will be a major wellspring filling this need. As an editor, I am honoured to be associated with their mission.

References

1. https://pathinfo.wikia.com/wiki/Molecular_Genetics_Pathology_Fellowship_Directory. Accessed January 4, 2017.
2. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-molecular-diagnostics-market. Accessed January 4, 2017.