How Unilabs’ dermatopathology competence centre is transforming the diagnostic experience for patients and healthcare practitioners alike.

In December 2024, Unilabs welcomed esteemed Swiss dermatopathology laboratory, kempf und pfaltz histologische diagnostik, into its growing pathology network.

Today, this partnership is transforming Unilabs’ ability to serve customers and patients in the German and Italian speaking regions of Switzerland, and beyond, through access to a high-level dermatopathology competence centre. By combining this expertise with Unilabs’ leading digital and molecular pathology capabilities, the partners are unlocking notable innovations in the dermatopathology field.

We spoke to one of kempf und pfaltz founders, Prof. Dr. Werner Kempf, about the bright future the companies are building together, guided by the highest medical standards and a strong focus on specialisation.

Unrivalled support for healthcare professionals

Unilabs’ dedicated dermatopathology competence centre is made up of a highly specialised team of experienced surgical pathologists and dermatopathologists, many with dual training in clinical dermatology and skin pathology. This unique combination of expertise allows the team to interpret skin biopsies not only under the microscope but also with a deep understanding of how diseases present clinically on the skin.

These services provide clinicians with rapid access to specialist insights, offering exceptional support to both healthcare professionals and their patients.

Putting patients first

The strength of Unilabs’ dermatopathology competence centre lies in its ability to perform clinico-pathologic correlation, combining clinical information (how a skin disease appears on the patient) with histology (how the tissue appears under the microscope) to refine diagnoses. When necessary, patients can be referred to the laboratory for direct clinical evaluation, which is critical for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

This comprehensive approach is particularly valuable for diagnosing cutaneous lymphoproliferations as well as common inflammatory skin diseases, such as eczema and psoriasis, which can be difficult to differentiate based on histology alone due to overlapping features. Molecular testing also plays a central role in the diagnostic process, including clonality assays for lymphoproliferative disorders, pathogen detection for infectious skin diseases, and mutation analysis in melanocytic and non-melanoma skin cancer.

Advancing diagnostics through innovation

Most recently, the centre introduced gene expression profiling as an ancillary test for inflammatory skin diseases, marking a significant advance in diagnosing common conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. These innovative molecular tools, including PsorX, allow experts to distinguish more accurately between clinically and histologically challenging cases and can also guide targeted therapy decisions.

“Accuracy is essential in this field, given the high costs involved and the need to ensure patients receive the right therapy. These tests will transform how we manage inflammatory diseases. Our goal is to combine clinical photos, skin biopsy, and molecular testing data to deliver precision diagnostics in dermatology,” says Prof. Dr. Kempf.

Unilabs experts are also actively integrating AI tools into their workflows alongside other digital tools, including imaging management systems which already in place to ensure smoother processes for customers and patients.

Although based in Switzerland, the competence centre supports all Unilabs markets and ensures direct, personal contact for healthcare practitioners, making communication faster and more effective. “We speak the same language as our customers,” adds Prof. Dr. Kempf.

A commitment to continuous learning

The team is equally committed to education and knowledge sharing, actively training medical students as well as pathology and dermatology residents. Prof. Dr. Kempf has organised scientific meetings, including EORTC Cutaneous Lymphoma Histopathology meetings, and regularly speaks at national and international conferences, helping to shape the next generation of dermatopathologists. “More than 200 publications have emerged from our labs to date. This work drives innovation and distinguishes our laboratory in the field,” says Prof. Dr. Kempf.

Together, these advancements in research and innovation ensure healthcare practitioners have access to the latest expertise and technologies, fostering closer collaboration, stronger relationships, and better outcomes for patients worldwide.