Laboratory for Molecular Medicine

The Laboratory for Molecular Medicine (LMM) is a CLIA-certified clinical diagnostic laboratory operating within the Partners HealthCare Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine. The LMM received its final regulatory approval and began offering testing services in November of 2003. The mission of the LMM is to bridge the gap between research and clinical medicine, translating novel discoveries into cutting-edge tests and accelerating the adoption of new molecular tests into clinical care. The laboratory is in a unique position to accomplish this by virtue of its two primary assets – access to the cutting edge technologies of the PCPGM, and access to prominent researchers and physicians within the Harvard Medical School and Partners Healthcare systems, who will provide the breakthroughs leading to next generation diagnostics.

We are located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and work to develop gene tests, particularly DNA sequencing assays, for complex as well as traditional single gene disorders within selected clinical areas, initially including hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, and cancer genetics. By focusing on building a deep portfolio of tests in these domains, the LMM seeks to provide the most comprehensive service within these areas, both from the standpoint of the range of tests offered, as well as the depth of clinical knowledge to guide test selection and interpretation.

While direct DNA sequencing assays for inherited gene disorders will continue to be the cornerstone of the laboratory’s test offerings for some time to come, the LMM is actively taking advantage of the other technologies available within the PCPGM, particularly in the field of pharmacogenomics and the opportunity for personalized medicine.