Precision diagnostics in transplantation: From bench to bedside

The Canadian and American Societies of Transplantation held a symposium on February 22, 2012 in Quebec City focused on discovery, validation and translation of new diagnostic tools into clinical transplantation. The symposium focused on antibody testing, transplantation pathology, molecular diagnostics and laboratory support for the incompatible patient. There is an unmet need for more precise diagnostic approaches in transplantation. Significant potential for increasing the diagnostic precision in transplantation was recognized through the integration of conventional histopathology, molecular technologies and sensitive antibody testing into one enhanced diagnostic system. This report summarizes a meeting jointly organized by the Canadian Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplantation with a focus on recent advances in transplant diagnostics, introducing the significant potential of these technologies, but stressing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to validate their true diagnostic precision.