Off the Bench

Just in time for spooky season, Kelcey Harper, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, sits down with Doryan and Sophia to share their experience in wastewater surveillance. Learn about what wastewater surveillance entails, how the important information is used, and some challenges faced in the field.

In this episode, Sophia Chandrasekar sits down with Dr. Letycia Nuñez-Argote , Dr. Tara C. Moon, and Dr. Juan Ulises Rojo, to learn about the Clinical Laboratory Science Journal. The three are associate editors of the CLS Journal, and they share their advice and expertise on the importance of having a laboratory journal and how to start your own manuscript to submit to the CLS journal!

Doryan and Sophia sit down with Stacey Robinson, Cherie Petersen, and Holly Covas to explore the multigenerational workforce in the medical laboratory. From communication styles and workplace expectations to work-life balance and generational stereotypes, the group discusses where differences can create both challenges and opportunities for understanding. Listen along as they explore how we can learn from one another and how laboratory leaders can help bridge generational differences to build a stronger, more collaborative workplace.

Recorded live and in person at the 2026 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, it’s the return of Query Check! Hosts Doryan Redding, Sophia Chandrasekar, and Emily Woten take the stage once again for this Off the Bench game show tradition. Contestants Dr. Kathryn Golab, Dr. Elizabeth Fisher, and Federico Rodriguez Quezada face off in a fast-paced battle of laboratory-ish knowledge, creative scenarios, and just the right amount of chaos. So … who earned the bragging rights and took home the coveted Query Check Champion Trophy? Listen and play along to find out!

Dr. Rodney E. Rohde, University Distinguished Regents' Professor and Chair for the Clinical Laboratory Science Program at Texas State University, joins Sophia and Doryan to discuss some of the infectious diseases currently making headlines: Hantavirus, Ebola and more. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in microbiology, virology, and public health, Dr. Rohde helps us separate fact from fiction while exploring the critical role clinical laboratories play in outbreak response.

Preparing for a medical laboratory Board of Certification exam? In this episode, Doryan and Sophia share study tips, memory tricks, and test-day wisdom to help you study smarter, not harder. Whether you’re taking the exam, supporting a student, or mentoring future laboratorians, this episode is packed with practical advice and encouragement.

In this episode, Doryan and Sophia are joined by Dr. Melody Boudreaux Nelson, Stephanie Whitehead, and Aaron Odegard, the amazing trio behind the children's book, Little Lab Learners: The ABCs of Laboratory Medicine. Tune in as we ask how the book came to life, what else they have planned, and the importance of reaching younger learners about the laboratory profession.

In a showdown to determine which TV show gets medical laboratory science right, who will come out on top? And even more entertaining, who ends up dead last? Join Sophia and Doryan as they break down scenes from The Pitt, Scrubs, and more, diving into how lab science is portrayed in media, and what it all means for the broader branding and visibility of the profession. Check out: “Go with O Pos” – Blood transfusion during mass casualty in The Pitt

Join Doryan and Sophia as they take a look at the stats for the 2025 Off the Bench Season, and share upcoming events for 2026. Happy New Year and see you all in March 2026!

Scientific communication isn’t just about sharing data. It’s how laboratorians build trust, advocate for their profession, and protect patient care. In this episode, host Doryan Redding sits down with ASCLS President Kyle Riding, Past President Pat Tille, and Leadership Development Committee Vice Chair Nickola Chin as they explore communication in the clinical laboratory, from feedback loops to leadership strategies. Join us as we break down what it really takes to be heard behind the closed doors of the laboratory.