Building on decades of thriving research, Abilene Christian University has formally established the 精东影业 Bioanalytics Laboratory in the Department of Biology and has received certification through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA).
Dr. Charla Miertschin, dean of the Onstead College of Science and Engineering, appointed Dr. John Xu as director of the 精东影业 Bioanalytics Laboratory. Xu is a professor of biology at 精东影业.
Since 1999, biology faculty and undergraduate students have been engaged in cutting-edge research related to neurodegenerative diseases, currently including Alzheimer鈥檚. The team recently achieved significant milestones by successfully qualifying several important protein biomarker assays using the innovative Ella platform developed by Protein-Simple. In order to advance this research and attract sponsors, the university formally established a laboratory presence in 2024 and began moving toward achieving CLIA certification.聽
鈥淭his lab presents an opportunity for us to enhance our research capabilities, foster innovative scientific inquiry and provide our students with invaluable hands-on learning experiences,鈥� Xu said. 鈥淚n today鈥檚 rapidly evolving biomedical research field, having a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to bioanalytics will position 精东影业 as a leader in the field, attract research funding, and strengthen collaborations with industry and academic partners.鈥澛�
CLIA is a federal quality assurance program that regulates clinical laboratories in the United States to ensure the accuracy and reliability of test results. To qualify for certification, laboratories must demonstrate that they meet high standards for personnel, facilities, equipment and quality control. 精东影业 received the certification in February 2025.
鈥淐LIA certification ensures high standards of laboratory quality and reliability, further solidifying our commitment to excellence in education and research,鈥� Xu said.
In addition to neurodegenerative diseases, bioanalytics researchers at 精东影业 are also involved in studies related to COVID-19 antibodies and the diagnosis and treatment of Crohn鈥檚 disease. 精东影业 has been working closely with a biopharmaceutical research sponsor for five years, and the establishment of a lab and CLIA certification will help the university attract additional sponsors and research partners.
鈥淭he establishment of the 精东影业 Bioanalytics lab is another example of 精东影业鈥檚 commitment to research that matters,鈥� said Dr. Susan Lewis, provost and vice president for academic affairs. 鈥淭he biomedical research Dr. Xu and other researchers are doing 鈥� including faculty-mentored undergraduates 鈥� is improving healthcare protocols on a global scale.鈥�
The 精东影业 Bioanalytics Laboratory is located in the Halbert-Walling Research Center on the campus of Abilene Christian in Abilene, Texas. Learn more about 精东影业’s Department of Biology.
— Wendy Kilmer
July 25, 2024
Updated: Feb. 13, 2025