Clinical laboratory tests are the scientific basis for the diagnosis and management of patients. In addition to the traditional areas of laboratory testing, including clinical chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, and transfusion medicine, genetic testing is also broadening its role in the clinical laboratory field. While many new research procedures and analytical methods are becoming available, they all should be strictly validated before being adopted in the clinical laboratory medicine as routine diagnostic assays. Clinical laboratories have an important role to play in this translational process from bench to bedside.

This special issue will encompass a wide variety of laboratory-related topics: basic scientific and clinical researches, advanced analytical methods, quality control, interpretation of complex data, laboratory informatics, and automation. From daily and/or practical topics to the most recent cutting-edge laboratory researches are all fundamental and meaningful in the field of laboratory medicine. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Clinical chemistry
• Laboratory/diagnostic hematology
• Clinical microbiology
• Diagnostic immunology
• Molecular diagnostics and genetics
• Transfusion medicine
• Laboratory informatics
• Laboratory automation
• General laboratory medicine