Innovation and Business Development Unit, LHUB-ULB, Groupement Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles (GHUB), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
Division of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Clin Microbiol Rev. 2020 Feb 26;33(2). doi: 10.1128/CMR.00057-19. Print 2020 Mar 18.
Clinical microbiology is experiencing revolutionary advances in the deployment of molecular, genome sequencing-based, and mass spectrometry-driven detection, identification, and characterization assays. Laboratory automation and the linkage of information systems for big(ger) data management, including artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, also are being introduced. The initial optimism associated with these developments has now entered a more reality-driven phase of reflection on the significant challenges, complexities, and health care benefits posed by these innovations. With this in mind, the ongoing process of clinical laboratory consolidation, covering large geographical regions, represents an opportunity for the efficient and cost-effective introduction of new laboratory technologies and improvements in translational research and development. This will further define and generate the mandatory infrastructure used in validation and implementation of newer high-throughput diagnostic approaches. Effective, structured access to large numbers of well-documented biobanked biological materials from networked laboratories will release countless opportunities for clinical and scientific infectious disease research and will generate positive health care impacts. We describe why consolidation of clinical microbiology laboratories will generate quality benefits for many, if not most, aspects of the services separate institutions already provided individually. We also define the important role of innovative and large-scale diagnostic platforms. Such platforms lend themselves particularly well to computational (AI)-driven genomics and bioinformatics applications. These and other diagnostic innovations will allow for better infectious disease detection, surveillance, and prevention with novel translational research and optimized (diagnostic) product and service development opportunities as key results.
临床微生物学在应用分子技术、基于基因组测序和质谱驱动的检测、鉴定和特征分析方面正在经历革命性的进步。实验室自动化和信息系统的链接也正在被引入，用于大数据管理，包括人工智能 (AI) 方法。与这些发展相关的最初乐观情绪现在已经进入了一个更加现实的阶段，反思这些创新带来的重大挑战、复杂性和医疗保健益处。考虑到这一点，正在进行的临床实验室整合，覆盖了大片地理区域，为高效和具有成本效益地引入新的实验室技术以及改进转化研究和开发提供了机会。这将进一步定义和生成验证和实施更新的高通量诊断方法所需的强制性基础设施。有效地、有组织地从联网实验室获得大量记录良好的生物银行生物材料，将为临床和科学传染病研究释放无数机会，并产生积极的医疗保健影响。我们描述了为什么临床微生物学实验室的整合将为许多（如果不是大多数）独立机构已经提供的服务的各个方面带来质量效益。我们还定义了创新和大规模诊断平台的重要作用。这些平台特别适合计算（AI）驱动的基因组学和生物信息学应用。这些和其他诊断创新将通过新的转化研究和优化的（诊断）产品和服务开发机会，实现更好的传染病检测、监测和预防，作为关键结果。
