Mohamed A. Virji, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Virji is a member of the Division of Clinical Chemistry. More information about this division is available here. Office Location: Rm. 5845 CHP Main Tower Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Contact Information: Phone: (412)647-3761 Fax: (412)647-5934 E-mail Address: virjima@upmc.edu Research Interests: Dr. Virji's research interests are in the following areas of clinical pathology: Tumor Markers: The focus of current work is application of tumor markers for clinical management of malignancies of prostate, liver, colon, and breast. Liver cancer forms an area of specific interest because of referral of patients with malignancies of this organ to the clinical programs for disease management and treatment at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Prostate cancer markers indicative of tumor behavior and prognosis could provide guidance for selection of patients for specific clinical therapeutic protocols for disease free survival. Endocrine Assays for Intra-operative Patient Management: The prime example of an endocrine assay for decision during surgical management is of patients diagnosed with hyper-parathyroidism. Rapid assay for parathyroid hormone available during surgery provides guidance for the surgeon about complete removal of hyper-functioning gland identified by pre-surgery radiological scanning, the decline of PTH and the completeness of removal of hyper-functioning tissue. This well established approach proven effective for parathyroidectomies can also be applied to selected cases for tumors of the pituitary, endocrine pancreas, and the adrenals. Laboratory Automation and Robotics: Clinical laboratories are undergoing transformation as process automation has enabled samples to be managed in coordination with analyses and laboratory information as integrated functions. The work in the laboratory focuses on determinants of existing laboratory structure; the changes that would provide optimal gain in efficiencies in laboratory functions for patient care, laboratory operations, integration of work, and personnel satisfaction. Information Management in Clinical Laboratories: The traditional laboratory information management has been driven by the need to handle and process tests based data stream from order placement for a test to result entry and fiscal management. The software algorithms for handling these have evolved into laboratory information systems (LIS). The recent introduction of robotics in the clinical laboratory environment has required availability of information concerning the management of processes from sample acquisition, analyses, and instrument monitoring. This has resulted in development of automation information systems (AIS) categorized as middleware. The management of several other key aspects of information handling in the clinical laboratory environment has not been addressed fully. These include point-of-care testing (POCT), and several operational functions. We have approached the issue of comprehensive information management in a clinical laboratory through the use of Internet technologies with the eventual development of an integrated information management system (IIMS). Selected Publications: Sharma A, Jana T, Kesavamoorthy R, Shi L, Virji M, Finegold D, Asher S. A general photonic crystal sensing motif: Creatinine in body fluids. J Am Chem Soc. 2004; 126: 2971-2977 Strauss KA, Mazariegos GV, Sindhi R, Squires R, Finegold DN, Vockley G, Robinson DL, Hendrickson C, Virji M, Cropcho L, Puffenberger EG, McGhee W, Seward LM, Morton DH. Elective liver transplantation for the treatment of classical maple syrup urine disease. Am J Transpl. 2006, 6:557-564 Babu R, Zhang J, Beckman E J, Virji M, Pasculle WA, Wells A. Antimicrobial activities of silver used as a polymerization catalyst for a wound healing matrix. Biomaterials 2006, 27:4304-4314 Virji MA, Mohan D, Borysenko CW, Trucco G, Blair HC. Serum phosphate and lactate vary with FSH in an early post-menopausal population. Clin Biochem 2006,39:1164-1167 Sosanko E, Lower D, Virji M, Krasowski M. Simultaneous determination of lamotrigine, zonisamide, and carbamazepine in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography. Biomed Chromatography 2007, 21:225-228