Originally published on Cornerstone, the CHOP Research Blog.

I conducted, transcribed, and edited this interview, and wrote the introduction.

Excerpt:

Laboratory medicine specialists in pediatrics have a lot in common with Santa’s elves. They are less visible and receive far less of children’s attention than the ones who directly deliver gifts or bedside care, but their behind-the-scenes contributions are essential for the whole enterprise to function correctly. Just think how often you and your family members of any age need to have blood drawn and wait for lab test results to receive the doctor’s diagnosis or a treatment decision.

Michael J. Bennett, PhD, FRCPath, FACB, chief of laboratory medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is at the forefront of the professional group representing these essential experts in analyzing blood, tissue, chemicals, and cells. Dr. Bennett will serve on the board of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) beginning in January 2016 as president-elect, then in 2017 as AACC president.

On the occasion of this new leadership role, Cornerstone sat down with Dr. Bennett, who is director of the Michael J. Palmieri Metabolic Laboratory at CHOP and a professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania to discuss his insights from 40 years of experience in clinical chemistry in pediatrics.