Jack H. Ladenson, PhD

Research Interests

My laboratory has long been interested in the development of rapid, accurate techniques for the diagnosis and/or prognosis of human disease and the enhancement of basic or clinical research. Our previous work concerned the diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI). A monoclonal antibody specific to the creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) isoenzyme was developed which did not react with CK-BB, CK-MM or mitochondrial CK. This antibody was then widely utilized in virtually all commercially available assays for CK-MB. The work was extended to the development of the first assays for Troponin I and myoglobin. We have also developed a monoclonal antibody to calmodulin, a highly conserved protein throughout animal species and plants which has proved to be a very useful reagent for research investigations. Our current work involves the development and validation of assays to improve the diagnosis of renal damage and the diagnosis and prognosis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

For the last twenty years, I have run the clinical pathology programs for Pathologists Overseas, an organization whose mission is to help improve and provide affordable pathology and clinical laboratory services to under-served patients worldwide: http://www.pathologistsoverseas.com/. This has led to a variety of short- and long-term projects especially in the countries of Eritrea and Bhutan. These efforts, sustained by volunteers, have the goal of upgrading laboratory services, upgrading the training of laboratory personnel, extending laboratory testing to regional hospitals, clinician education, and helping to develop standardized national laboratory systems.

Diagnostic Expertise

• Clinical Chemistry
• Biomarkers
• Laboratory Medicine in developing countries