UCL Advanced Diagnostics Information

UCL-Advanced Diagnostics (UCL-AD) stands as the immunohistochemistry, in situ and molecular diagnostics service arm of UCL-Cancer Institute and a bridge between translational research at the Cancer Institute and diagnostic testing associated with University College Hospitals NHS Trust (UCLH). It is also the host laboratory for UKNEQAS ICC & ISH. Modern personalised cancer treatments depend upon an accurate characterisation of the disease with an ever increasing array of protein and genetic biomarkers available to assist in this process. UCL-AD has one of the largest collections of antibodies and in situ probes in the country for use on formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections, and is a major centre for HER2 testing using both immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation (ISH). With the drive towards personalized, targeted cancer treatments, recent advances in diagnostic testing have seen the expansion of UCL-AD molecular diagnostic services to include validated tests EGFR, KRAS and BRAF for lung, colorectal cancer and melanoma patients, together the analysis of the ALK fusion gene for lung cancer patients. We strongly believe that rapid, accurate and cost effective diagnostic testing; enabling assignment of targeted therapeutics should be available to all cancer patients, providing pathologists, oncologists and clinicians alike with the best possible tools to aid in the diagnostic and therapeutic decision making process.