Investigational Diagnostics

Summary

Fry Laboratories has opened the use of its advanced research laboratory for use in physician and researcher driven investigational and research diagnostics. This capability offers two main services. First, we link health care professionals directly with the capabilities to design and create custom molecular diagnostic methods with the guidance of our research staff to identify infectious organisms in patients with chronic illness. The second aspect of the investigational diagnostic service affords companies, physicians, and individuals the ability to outsource aspects of development of products and/or services. Fry Laboratories works closely with these parties to create and design custom microscopy, molecular, and serologic workflows for device or treatment validation, quality control, or a wide range of research applications. We encourage contact by email or phone to discuss project specifics.

Clinical Need

Traditional infectious organism identification typically relies on three main principals. First, microscopic and direct detection of organisms usually requires the organism to be present in sufficiently high numbers for observation. While powerful and overtly confirmatory it is becoming increasingly evident that chronic illnesses usually do not result in high concentrations of the offending infectious organism. Next, in an attempt to address the deficiencies in direct detection a multitude of culture technologies have been used. Even with extensive advances in culture techniques many known organisms continue to be exceptionally difficult to grown if at all. Lastly, the recent advent of molecular testing technologies has made great strides in the detection of infectious organism DNA in patient samples and has improved the detection of fastidious and unculturable organisms. Unfortunately many laboratories have chosen a route of specificity over a wider detection level. This results in many exceptionally sensitive tests targeted to specific species and even strains of organisms. Taken together patients and physicians often times must navigate a maze of testing options to ultimately identify infectious organisms involved in chronic illnesses. All to often, after all testing options are exhausted and after excessive testing costs, patients and physicians are left with no concrete answers or diagnosis. Fry Laboratories is now aiming to meet the needs of both doctors and patients in this capacity. Our laboratory uses broad-spectrum identification techniques and gene sequencing to determine organisms on a case-by-case investigational diagnostics basis. Physicians are encouraged to contact us about their unique tough-to-crack case.

Industrial and Research Applications

Fry Laboratories was established as an independent clinical diagnostics and research laboratory. Under the direction of Stephen E. Fry, M.D. and supported by a diverse and active research and clinical diagnostics staff with a commitment to the study of chronic infections and the advancement of diagnostics technology we aim to address many of the deficits in the industrial environment. The laboratory, located in Scottsdale Arizona, has conducted a wide array of diverse and varied research studies. Through our investigational diagnostics service our research laboratory conducts feasibility, studies, and other diagnostics contract work. It is our aim to bring the experience and capabilities of a modern research and diagnostics laboratory into the hands of the industrial community. Our service provides assay development, data collection, and studies during the development and/or testing of products and services. Fry Laboratories can contribute to the science of the project and will advise and inform manufacturers and researchers on the development and refinement of research studies and diagnostics to reduce the time from concept and accelerate projects to final product or results.