July 7, 2009 | July 7, 2009 | Crediting his scientific publications and his work in the clinical lab at UAMS, the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) recently announced UAMS faculty member Joshua Bornhorst, Ph.D., as recipient of its 2009 Clinical Chemistry Young Investigator Award.

Bornhorst, 34, is assistant professor of pathology in the UAMS College of Medicine and the director of the clinical chemistry, immunology, neonatal, and point-of-care testing sections in the UAMS Medical Center clinical lab. He was credited with working with hospital staff and pathology department colleagues in revamping the clinical chemistry and immunology areas to fully automate chemistry testing, reduce turnaround time, improve results reporting, and expand test menus.

“When you’re dealing with around 4 million samples coming in, you need systems in place to deal with such a large amount in an efficient and effective manner,” Bornhorst said.

He said the lab automation improved the turnaround time from when patient fluid or tissue samples come to the lab for testing to when results can be sent out to physicians.

Bornhorst joined the UAMS faculty in 2006 following fellowship training in clinical chemistry at the University of Utah. At UAMS, his research has expanded to include alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, laboratory automation, point-of-care testing, and the clinical evaluation of multiple myeloma and other bone marrow disorders.

He has published 18 papers, including in the New England Journal of Medicine and Clinical Chemistry. He has presented more than 20 abstracts, including at meetings of the AACC, the Association of Molecular Pathology, and the Association of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists.

He previously received the Paul E. Strandjord Young Investigator Award of the Association of Clinical Laboratory Scientists and was twice awarded student abstract travel grant awards by the AACC. An active member of several professional groups, including the AACC, he has spoken nationally on behalf of the Society of Young Clinical Laboratorians to stimulate interest among doctoral candidates in a career in clinical chemistry.

At UAMS, he also works with the pathology resident physicians with their clinical pathology and chemistry training. “My hope is that I can help instill a desire to participate in medical research,” he said.

The AACC Young Investigator Award “recognizes and encourages the professional development of a young investigator who has demonstrated exceptional scientific achievements early in his or her career.” More information regarding the award can be found at http://www.aacc.org/about/awards/hall_of_fame/Pages/bornhorst.aspx

Bornhorst traced his interest in science to an early age. “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in science,” he said.

He parlayed that interest into an undergraduate degree in chemistry and later his doctorate in biochemistry. His route to work in the clinical lab grew from his desire to help patients.

“It was a chance to apply the chemistry I had learned in a manner that had an immediate impact on patients’ lives,” he said.