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C O M PA N Y P RO F I L EAurigen, diagnosis and preventionAurigen is a genetics and pathology centre based in French-speaking Switzerland that specializes in medical analysis,diagnosis, screening, expertise and medical advice. Created in 2008 by a group of laboratory medicine professionals, thecentre employs some fifty staff and offers the best preventive and diagnostic technologies in the field of medical geneticsand cytopathology. These two – traditionally separate – fields are combined under one roof in order to create synergies andto respond to the needs of doctors and their patients in the best way possible.The genetics laboratory works in many different fields,including fertility problems and paternity research, althoughthe major part of its work is dedicated to prenatal screeningand diagnosis, with more than 6000 tests carried out every year, asexplained by Alain Loertscher, the centre’s director, and ProfessorGraziano Pescia, who heads this laboratory.In contrast to invasive prenatal diagnostic procedures like amniocentesis,the current trend is to try and avoid aggressive interventions infavour of softer approaches such as screening, which is a combinedexamination by the gynaecologist and the geneticist to produce anindex, or probability. However, by taking a blood sample from thepregnant woman, the centre can determine with certainty both theRhesus factor of the baby and its sex. Aurigen is the only laboratory inFrench-speaking Switzerland that carries outprenatal research into the Rhesus factor, usingwhat in medical parlance is called an “innocuous”test. The laboratory also has close links with anassisted reproduction centre in Lausanne. All thecouples who resort to these technologies undergoa series of genetic tests in order to establish theoptimal starting conditions.Of course, the results of all these tests are supported by the appropriategenetic advice, dispensed by qualified staff. In a family with known orsuspected heredity problems, the patients are offered consultations toestablish the risk of illness, and to offer methods that might be capableof reducing or even eliminating these risks.This support is crucial, which is why Aurigen attaches particularimportance to the continuous training of its staff, who must be ableto express themselves professionally while meeting the doctors’requirements under optimum conditions.Pathology and cytopathology are the other major aspects of the laboratory’swork, an area managed by Dr Lorenzo Taminelli. Cytology essentiallyinvolves cervical screening, which constitutes a major part of the work.Currently, cases of infection of the human papillomavirus (HPV) arecausing major concern to the medical profession. Based on the testscarried out, in positive cases, the gynaecologist can quickly find out whattype of HPV is involved and so prescribe the necessary treatment. The otherwork of cytology is mainly in the area of oncology, i.e. testing biopsiestaken from various organs and other tissues to look for cancerous cells.Apart from the treatment of inflammatory pathologies, a large part ofpathology work relates to cancer care for patients. Within the cancertreatment chain, the pathologist is vital as he or she is the one whomakes it possible to reach an accurate diagnosis by means of some verypowerful tools, including those used in the analysis of genes and theirSwiss Label CHUV 2010© Aurigen SA© Aurigen SAexpression. These steps are crucial in providing the bestpossible care for patients. Pathologists often attend operationsin theatre in order that results can be obtainedvery quickly while operations are being performed(extemporaneous tests).Aurigen also offers a sample collection service fromdoctors’ surgeries, hospitals and clinics. Their courierscollect from all over French-speaking Switzerland.Currently, the doctor decides what type of test the laboratory willcarry out. However, the centre’s aim in the near future is to be able tochoose the method it deems the most appropriate (genetic orpathology) for reaching the most accurate diagnosis and at the lowestcost from the sample submitted by the doctor.It should be noted that most medical analysis laboratories do notpossess a pathology department or a genetics department, unless theyare part of a larger institution. This is one of Aurigen’s major assets andallows it to respond to all the needs of doctors, who in turn can entrustall their analyses to Aurigen, thanks to the network to which it isaffiliated. This network, comprising Dianalabs in Geneva, Polyanalyticin Morges, MCL in Berne and Aurigen in Lausanne, is a group ofSwiss laboratories that have the same philosophy and the same wish tomaintain their financial independence.Aurigen SAAvenue de Sévelin 18 - CH-1004 LausanneTel.: +41 (0)21 623 44 00 - Fax: +41 (0)21 623 44 10Website: www.aurigen.ch33