Nicholas Hoo-Fatt receives two clinical achievement awards

Inova Histology Program Coordinator and PhD candidate Nicholas Hoo-Fatt has been named one of the Top 55 Laboratory Professionals in the U.S. by Medical Laboratory Observer (https://www.mlo-online.com/management/careers/article/55130051/55-under-55). He also is the recipient of the 2024 Excellence in Whole Slide Imaging & Image Analysis Award, given by the National Society for Histotechnology. This award recognizes one individual’s outstanding dedication and achievements in digital pathology and contributions to the field of immunochemistry. 

The big picture: Nic was nominated due to his innovative work combining bioinformatics, histo-molecular techniques and digital imaging to pioneer a method of detecting non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma, colo-rectal and thyroid cancer. The technique has since been implemented in Inova’s diagnostic labs.

Why it matters: As part of his role at Inova, Nic leads the recruitment and training of histology practitioners for Inova’s competitive training program. Histotechnicians and histotechnologists are detail-oriented professionals who work behind the scenes studying patients’ tissue samples to help identify and diagnose diseases. The shortage of trained laboratory scientists is a current issue in the healthcare industry. 

The bottom line: By setting a great example for the next generation of histology professionals at Inova, Nic is helping enrich and grow one part of the future healthcare workforce to serve Inova’s patients better.