Red Cell Centre - Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory

Red Cell Centre Overview

The King’s College Hospital based Red Cell Centre (RCC) is a national references centre for clinical and laboratory services for patients with a range of red cell disorders, providing a comprehensive and integrated approach to the diagnosis, management and treatment of a variety of disorders .

The Centre looks after a large number of patients with Sickle Cell disease.  Care pathways have been established for both paediatric and adult patients.  This includes specialist wards for inpatient management and day wards for transfusion and assessment of both adults and children with red cell abnormalities. 

Viapath Analytics form the core laboratory component of the RCC and comprise of a designated national centre for neonatal screening of sickle cell diseases, antenatal screening and diagnosis and prenatal molecular diagnosis of haemoglobinopathies. The laboratories are divided into two, one focusing on phenotype and screening the other definitive molecular diagnosis. The two laboratories work closely together to offer a comprehensive service aiming to achieve a diagnosis for cases of unexplained anaemia. 

Red Cell Centre - Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at King's College Hospital

The Molecular Diagnostics laboratory works in collaboration with other pathology departments, such as Biochemistry and Haematology offering confirmatory DNA testing and producing a combined report. In addition the laboratory receives its own workload from referring labs, providing their own phenotypic information. This collaborative approach has built a wide network of referrals across the UK and overseas. Our customers include Genetic counsellors, Specialist midwives, Haematologists and GP’s.

Key Features

• Definitive diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis for haemoglobinopathies.
• Haemoglobin variant identification, in partnership with the Red Cell Centre.
• Investigation into thalassaemia, in partnership with the Red Cell Centre.
• Investigation into raised HbF and secondary modifiers of sickle cell disease, such as Gilberts syndrome
• Genotyping for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in partnership with Biochemistry.
• Genotyping for thrombophilia in partnership with Haematology.
• Full gene sequencing for Acute Intermittent Porphyria and Variegate Porphyria, in partnership with Biochemistry.
• Genetic investigation into iron overload including hereditary haemochromatosis

Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory is known for

• It is a National reference Centre for haemoglobinopathies.
• Largest prenatal diagnosis laboratory for haemoglobinopathies in Europe. >95% of PND samples are completed within the 3 day TAT irrespective of fetal risk.
• Genetic screening for sickle cell disease in bloodspots from transfused babies. Part of the Newborn Screening Programme.
• Understanding the genetic inheritance of HbF.
• Developed a Next Generation Sequencing method for mapping large structural variations causing thalassaemia.