November 5. 2026
Transcript
Elizabeth McMahon
Getting more information from Less Tissue. A new analysis looks at the promise and limitations of multiplex immunofluorescence. Plus, a new series of interviews with CAP's newest committee chairs. First up, Neha Varshney, who is making plans for the New- in-Practice Committee. Welcome to CAP News for Thursday, November 5th. I'm Elizabeth McMahon of the College of American Pathologists. Here's what's making news in pathology and laboratory medicine. An upcoming article by the CAP Personalized Healthcare Committee explores how multiplex immunofluorescence, or MIF, is helping labs evaluate multiple protein markers on the same tissue section while preserving spatial relationships among cells on slides. The imaging technique can help pathologists better characterize tumor cells, immune cells, and the surrounding tumor microenvironment. This has the potential to identify therapeutic targets more quickly. But the article acknowledges that the technology likely won't replace traditional immunofluorescence because of the expense, infrastructure needs such as imaging platforms and software, and complexities in interpretation. Quote, MIF should not be adopted simply because it can generate more data. It should be adopted when the added information is reproducible, interpretable, clinically actionable, and worth the tissue, time, and cost required to produce it. Precision care will also top the agenda at next week's Association for Molecular Pathology Conference in Seattle. If you're attending AMP, don't miss the CAP's opening day session on how laboratory evidence can be used to address gaps in precision oncology. Led by Dr. Jordan Laser of the Personalized Healthcare Committee and Dr. Joel Moncur, Chair of the Council on Scientific Affairs, the 90-minute session will explore findings from CAP proficiency testing and practice studies involving neoplastic cellularity and next generation sequencing performance. The discussion will include insights into how the CAP applies these findings in its laboratory improvement activities, including in its upcoming Biomarker OneSource platform. That's slated to be released early next year. The CAP will welcome a new slate of leaders to nearly 20 of its committees in January, bringing fresh vision to the college's top priorities.
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Elizabeth McMahon
Neha Varshney will lead the New- in- Practice Committee, a home for members who are adjusting to the realities of their first years out of training.
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Elizabeth McMahon
Varshney, an assistant professor of pathology at Northwestern University, came to the U.S. from India as a resident in 2014. She got involved in the New-in-Practice Committee because she saw a need early on for a group that could support pathologists navigating their new careers.
Dr. Neha Varshney
I think there's a gap because we do a lot of stuff for residents and fellows, and then we have a lot of things for like a more seasoned senior pathologist. But I thought there was a gap there. I was on visa, so I actually think that that's the area I could help with. So that's another thing I have been doing for many, many years now.
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Varshney says she's looking forward to continuing the committee's programs and initiatives, including job prep boot camp, career webinars, podcasts, and collaborations with other CAP committees. She praises her predecessor.
Dr. Neha Varshney
We had an amazing chair, Dr. Yasmin Butt. She's fantastic. Obviously, just to kind of fill her shoes would be the aim. We have been doing brilliant work. We have very nice, very passionate, uh, very dedicated uh pathologists.
Elizabeth McMahon
Stay tuned to CAP News to meet other new committee leaders in the coming weeks. And finally, a first of its kind genetic test can now predict which men with prostate cancer will develop a life-threatening form of the disease. The new lab test, commercialized by GoPath Diagnostics, was developed from two major studies that tracked genetic and clinical outcomes for more than 14,000 prostate cancer patients. Unlike tumor tests that examine the biology of a biopsy sample, the testing method looks at a patient's inherited DNA. The genetic test adds a complementary layer of information to traditional evaluation, including gliesen grading and other tumor characteristics. Importantly, insurance coverage is expected to be available in the first quarter of next year. That's all for today. Be sure to check the show notes for more information on today's stories. Got a story you'd like to hear on the podcast? Write to us at stories at CAP.org. We're back at 5 AM Eastern for another episode of CAP News. I'm Elizabeth McMahon. Have a great day.