Adapting platforms with ingenuity, determination and hard work
This Laboratory Professionals Week, we’re taking a moment to thank laboratory researchers, technicians, administrative staff and medical officers who are going above and beyond the call of duty to serve patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, ACLA is shining a light on Exact Sciences in Madison, Wisconsin, where dedicated lab professionals worked around the clock to adapt their colorectal cancer screening platform for COVID-19 testing.
Exact Sciences teams adapt colorectal cancer screening platforms for COVID-19 testing
At Exact Sciences in Madison, Wisconsin, teams are working around the clock to support testing for COVID-19. Over the last several weeks, dedicated lab professionals have worked tirelessly to adapt the company’s flexible, automated lab platform, which normally looks for biomarkers associated with colorectal cancer, to now look for COVID-19.
“Work that would normally take months is now being accomplished in weeks,” says Ana Hooker, Exact Sciences’ Senior Vice President of Operations. “It’s inspiring to see our laboratory professionals take on this public health challenge with optimism and determination, while at the same time continuing to deliver Cologuard and Oncotype DX results to providers and patients.”
Thanks to the efforts of these dedicated lab technicians and staff, Exact Sciences has been able to continue to support cancer screening while also providing COVID-19 testing.
“Everyone at Exact Sciences wants to do our part, and we thank all our colleagues for doing theirs,” says Hooker. “Together, we will overcome this pandemic and demonstrate the amazing ingenuity and talents of the people working in our industry.”
ACLA members, including Exact Sciences, have collectively performed 2.7 million tests for COVID-19 and continue to expand capacity nationwide.
