PATH News Network Daily Edition

CAP Council on Scientific Affairs chair looks ahead

• College of American Pathologists

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SPEAKER_01

Keeping testing on the cutting edge, how the Council on Scientific Affairs tackles this critical work. Plus, rogue DNA invading cells in nanotubes. It sounds a little sci-fi, but it's a discovery giving us new clues about cancer. This is Path News Network Daily Edition from the College of American Pathologists. I'm Nancy Johnson. It's Wednesday, May 27th. There are now more than 8,400 CAP accredited labs across 60 countries. Ensuring that testing meets CAP standards of excellence and diagnostic confidence for patients is no small feat. That's where the Council on Scientific Affairs, or CSA, and its many volunteers come in, serving as a leading scientific resource for the CAP. CSA Chair Dr. Joel Moncourt spoke with me recently as part of a series highlighting the CAP's 2025 accomplishments and its plans for the future. We discussed how the CSA and other committees are keeping current and looking ahead in an evolving scientific and clinical landscape.

SPEAKER_00

We are looking to implement horizon scanning for each of our 28 committees so that they can have some assistance in monitoring what's new in their field so we can stay abreast of developments. And so we're implementing that across all of the different committees. And then we're also really challenging ourselves to ask where is artificial intelligence entering into clinical practice? And can we support labs by providing proficiency tests for those? So we're actively looking at that rapidly evolving area to see how we can support it.

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The CAP added 21 new proficiency tests to a roster of more than 750 in the last year. For Dr. Moncor, the impact on daily practice and patient care is the most rewarding part of leading the CSA.

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We are changing the way medicine is practiced by generating, by supporting labs first and foremost through proficiency testing, which is so much more than just meeting CLIA requirements, but also by generating data that informs their practice and helps them abide by best standards and understand what the cutting-edge laboratories are doing so that they can be their best and uh and have the greatest positive impact.

SPEAKER_01

You can find my full series of conversations with council chairs by following the podcast link on the CAP homepage. A discovery about how damaged DNA infiltrates cells is raising exciting insights about how cancer may spread. Research reported in the journal CEL this month found that damaged DNA common in cancer cells can escape and move into neighboring cells via tubular proteins or nanotube-like structures extending from the cell cytoplasm. Once the faulty DNA infiltrates its new home, it can potentially influence the cell, inserting mutations affecting both healthy and cancerous cells. The research, led by a team at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, bolsters previous research that suggested DNA transfer may occur via bubbles or thread-like nanotube connections between cells. The discovery is prompting new questions about why faulty DNA travels, how it can be detected in tumors, and why cells establish these nanotube connections in the first place. For many pathologists, peripheral blood smear reviews can be a routine part of the day until abnormal red blood cells show up in their review. If your usually trained eye is feeling a little rusty when you encounter defects in a blood smear, or you're seeking to stay abreast of the latest knowledge, the online clinical pathology improvement program, or CPIP, is here to help. This month's featured hematology course gives you a deep dive into red blood cell defects and how abnormalities can help you identify diseases. The course is packed with example cases, slides, and discussions with guidance from experts on practical approaches when uncertainty arises. Register for the course using the Clinical Pathology Improvement Program links on the CAP education page. And finally, if you're a lab manager or director, the annual budgeting process may make you feel like an unqualified clairvoyant. In an uncertain scientific and economic landscape, it can be harder than ever to predict your lab's expenses. A recent article in Lab Manager magazine provides tips for taking the lab budgeting process from a traditional fixed model to a more flexible one, from accounting for sudden cost increases to shifting funds quickly for big projects. The article explores real-time budgeting strategies while also accounting for labs that might need a more hybrid approach. One key takeaway: timing is critical. Don't wait until budget season to discuss your financial needs with decision makers. Regular, informal check-ins are critical to healthy lab operations, even if your crystal ball remains a little murky. That's all for today's Daily Edition. Be sure to check the show notes for more information on today's stories. Got a story you'd like for us to cover on the daily edition? Write to us at stories at org. We're back at 5 a.m. Eastern for another episode of the Daily Edition. I'm Nancy Johnson. Have a great day.