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Clinical Immunology Laboratory

The Clinical Immunology Laboratory is located at Jackson Memorial Hospital, This lab 1) is the area responsible for measuring clinical immunological parameters (e.g., humoral, cellular immune response to pathogens and intrinsic antigens) in all patients, 2) utilizes and develops assays for the evaluation and clinical care of patients with immunologic/inflammatory disorders, and 3) employs the use of specialized immunological methodology. These often complex tests are not only important for the everyday care of patients, but are crucial to integration of translational research provided by novel discoveries in basic immunology and equally important, evaluating the related and rapidly evolving immune-modifying therapeutic reagents being given to patients.

Among the areas that Clinical Immunology focuses upon is Flow Cytometry.  The flow cytometry area utilizes four Becton Dickinson FACSCanto™ cytometry analyzers. Among the tests offered are T-cell subsets for HIV-associated disease, CD34, CD55/59, Fetal Hemoglobin, DNA analysis and Leukemia/Lymphoma immunophenotyping. Last year, the lab processed close to 2700 leukemia/lymphoma analyses and about 15,000 T cell subsets. The CI lab also offers a variety of measurements for different autoantibodies (e.g., ANAs, ANCAs) and other immunological tests such as measurement of oligoclonal bands, and serum protein electrophoresis. Of the over 60,000 annual tests performed in Clinical Immunology, approximately 24,000 require professional interpretation. Pathology residents and fellows rotate for several months and participate in daily “sign-out” which is a group experience between the attending pathologist, housestaff and lab personnel. Aside from the housestaff, there are many other educational roles that the Clinical Immunology Lab at JMH currently provides that will be negatively affected (and essentially eliminated) if your plan to remove the lab is implemented. Physicians from all clinical services also routinely come to the Clinical Immunology lab to get results explained, discuss clinical implications, and to seek advice as to additional testing. Numerous research collaborations have developed with Clinical Immunology. Finally, Immunopathology and Clinical Immunology also serves as a training area for visiting physicians and scientists, training technologists and medical and undergraduate students interested in this discipline.

Future areas that are planned for development in Clinical Immunology include: a) cellular immunology tests for assessment of T cell function, immune cell repertoire, mononuclear phagocytic function, apoptotic cell enumeration and characterization; b) measurement of cytokines, chemokines, and other soluble immune-modulating molecules; c) additional testing for the assessment of systemic and organ-specific autoimmunity; d) monitoring of immune-based therapies.

Please visit our listing of available tests.

Phillip Ruiz, M.D., Ph.D. has been the Director of Clinical Immunology since 1989.

Contact us at:

Mailing Address for Specimens/Consult Slides - Forward specimens by courier or express mail to: 

Clinical Immunology Laboratory
Department of Pathology
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
1611 NW 12^th Avenue
JMH Holtz Center, Room #2101
Miami, Florida  33136