Laboratories
Blood bank laboratory
The Blood bank laboratory performs blood typing, antibody screening and
crossmatching, and provides blood components for the treatment of anemia,
thrombocytopenia, and coagulopathy. Transfusion support is provided for acute
emergencies, chronic transfusion needs, and special clinical problems such as
bone marrow and organ transplantation.
Phone: 773.880.4474
Laboratory director: Glenn Ramsey, MD
Clinical chemistry laboratory
The Clinical chemistry laboratory performs approximately 300,000 tests
annually. The laboratory provides a variety of standard pediatric tests on
blood, urine and other body fluids including spinal fluid. These standard tests
include electrolytes, proteins, hormones, enzymes and therapeutic drug
monitoring. The laboratory also offers specialty testing including a bone
metabolism panel, urine citrate/oxalate, screening for urine drugs of abuse,
Cystic Fybrosis Foundation-accredited sweat test, blood lead by atomic
absorption, and hemoglobin variant indentification by electrophoresis.
Phone: 773.880.4597
Diagnostic immunology and flow cytometry
The Diagnostic Immunology Laboratory offers
state-of-the-art local and outreach laboratory services for clinicians and
investigators involved in the diagnosis, monitoring and evaluation of pediatric
immunodeficiency, autoimmune and allergic diseases. Specialized testing includes
diagnostic screening for pediatric immune deficiency disease, leukemia/lymphoma
immunophenotyping by flow cytometry and full service testing for measuring
allergen specific antibody. Other services include the measurement of a wide
variety of autoantibodies, routine serum chemistries and customized 4-color flow
cytometry panels for the evaluation of novel lymphocyte subsets.
Phone: 773.880.4361
Medical director: Maurice R.G. O'Gorman, PhD, MBA, D(ABMLI)
Genetics laboratories
The Genetics laboratories offers cytogenetic, molecular and biochemical
testing for the diagnosis of inherited disorders. The Genetic laboratories
include two areas, Cytogenetics and Biochemistry.
The Cytogenetics laboratory performs the preparation of chromosomes from
patient material and the study of chromosome morphology. Chromosome
abnormalities are detected in approximately 1/150 live births and are the
leading known cause of mental retardation. In addition to the morphologic
evaluation of chromosomes, the lab also performs the molecular cytogenetics
technique of fluoresence in situ hybridization (FISH). FISH analysis allows for
the identification of specific chromosome abnormalities, which are beyond the
resolution of standard morphologic evaluation. The two tests are complementary
and often both evaluations must be performed in order to completely access the
chromosome architecture. Currently the laboratory offers FISH testing for eight
microdeletion syndromes (DiGeorge syndrome, Williams syndrome,
Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome, Kallman syndrome, Wolf-Hirschorn syndrome,
Cri-du-Chat syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, and Miller-Dieker syndrome).
Specialty FISH testing is also performed when warranted by morphologic
chromosome analysis. In addition to chromosome analysis and FISH, the laboratory
also serves as a cell culture facility for specimens that need specialized
(non-cytogenetic) testing.
The Biochemistry laboratory analyzes amino acid and organic acid levels and
performs enzyme assays to comprehensively diagnose metabolic processing
disorders such as phenylketonuria and galactosemia.
Phone: 773.880.4462 Genetics 773.880.4543 Cytogenetics
Medical director: Joel Charrow, MD
Sceintific director cytogenetics: Katrin Carlson, PhD
Hematology and special hematology
The Hematology and special hematology laboratory performs more than 117,000
routine hematologic tests annually on blood and body fluids, including special
tests such as osmotic fragility. The coagulation section offers routine and
special coagulation tests such as von Willebrand antigen, ristocetin cofactor,
inhibitor assays and platelet function analysis. Routine urinalysis is also
performed.
This laboratory suports the Hematology/Oncology services by offering
diagnostic testing for hematologic abnormalities. This includes the analysis of
over 400 bone marrow aspirates and the many related studies required.
Phone: 773.880.4424 Hematology 773.880.4071 Specialty Hematology
Medical director: Maria Proytcheva, MD
Microbiology laboratory
The Microbiology laboratory offers testing for medically important pathogens
including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Culture isolation,
identification, antimicrobial susceptibility, antibody, and molecular diagnostic
assays for infectious diseases such as viral DNA/RNA detection, and other
molecular genetic disorders are also offered.
Phone: 773.880.4432
Laboratory director: Xiaotian Zheng, MD, PhD, DABMM
Special infectious diseases laboratory
Special infectious disease laboratory performs tests for the indication of
potential HIV-infected patients; monitoring efficacy of antiviral drug therapy;
the detection of antiviral drug resistant viruses and the identification of
other HIV-related opportunistic infections. The laboratory also participates in
AIDS Clinical Treatment Groups (ACTG) in carrying out various clinical protocols
as well as helps to adapt and develop new molecular diagnostic methods for the
detection of HIV infection and related diseases.
Phone: 773.880.4207
Medical director: Ram Yogev, MD
Stem cell transplantation laboratory
The Stem cell transplantation laboratory offers the most sophisticated
testing needed for the management of transplant patients. Inclusive of the
laboratory techniques are processing stem cells, graft engineering and
engraftment detection by molecular techniques.
Phone: 773.880.6377
Medical director: Morris Kletzel, MD