About the HLA Lab
The Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory (HLA Lab) provides a full range of testing services to support hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplantations, transfusion medicine (blood product testing), and HLA-related disease association/pharmacogenetics analysis.
We service Stanford Health Care, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, and other transplant centers and hospitals in the Bay Area and beyond.
As part of Stanford Blood Center (SBC), the HLA Lab is accredited by ASHI, certified by CLIA, and licensed by the State of California for high-complexity testing.
Clinical Services
Our HLA Laboratory offers comprehensive testing services to support clinical needs in transplantation and disease management, including:
Transplant and Disease Association Testing:
- HLA Antibody Testing: Detection and characterization of HLA antibodies to assess transplant compatibility.
- Flow Crossmatches: Immunological assessment to ensure compatibility between donor and recipient.
- HLA Typing: High and intermediate resolution typing for solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplants.
- Chimerism Testing: Monitoring of donor and recipient DNA post-transplant to detect graft rejection or relapse.
HLA-related Disease Association and Pharmacogenetic Testing:
- Identification of genetic markers associated with specific diseases and response to medications.
HLA Platelet Compatibility Testing:
- For patients with platelet refractoriness, ensuring compatibility in platelet transfusions.
Order Clinical Services
Stanford Entities: Log in to EPIC with your Stanford credentials to order. Sample requirements and reasons for rejection are listed under the “Specimen” tab per each test type. For a list of services available in the EPIC system, click here.
Please note: Online ordering is currently unavailable while we perform upgrades. Contact secure-HLAsupport@lists.stanford.edu for assistance.
Disease Association & Pharmacogenetic Panels
Description: There are several HLA specificities known to be associated with certain diseases or drug-induced adverse reactions. The confirmation of presence or absence of HLA factors associated with certain diseases can make a significant impact in the diagnosis and/or treatment of patients. The Stanford Blood Center HLA Lab provides a wide range of HLA disease association and pharmacogenetic testing panels, offering comprehensive and locus-specific HLA genotyping services. Our flexible testing solutions can be tailored to meet all customized HLA disease association and pharmacogenetic testing needs, ensuring accurate test results and interpretations for clinicians and researchers.
Resolution & Use Case: Please click button below for detailed information.
Our most frequently requested panels are as follows:
- Abacavir Hypersensitivity
- Allopurinol Hypersensitivity
- Spondyloarthropathies (Ankylosing Spondylitis, Reactive Arthritis, Juvenile Arthritis)
- Eye Disease HLA Association (Acute Anterior Uveitis, Behçet’s Disease, Birdshot chorioretinopathy)
- Carbamazepine Hypersensitivity
- Celiac Disease
- Narcolepsy
- Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)
- Psoriasis
- IL-1 and IL-6 Inhibitors Hypersensitivity
- HLA typing Custom Panel (at intermediate resolution)
- HLA NGS typing (Full High Resolution)
Additional panels are available upon request. Please email us at secure-HLAsupport@lists.stanford.edu
Chimerism by NGS
Description: Chimerism testing by NGS is essential for monitoring donor and recipient cell populations post-transplantation. NGS’s high sensitivity allows for the detection of even small quantities of chimeric cells, making it an invaluable tool in ensuring successful grafts and early detection of potential complications.
Resolution: High sensitivity and resolution, capable of detecting low-level chimerism, crucial for accurate post-transplant monitoring.
Use Case: Enables precise detection and monitoring of donor and recipient DNA post-transplantation, allowing for early identification of graft rejection or relapse in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Side-by-Side Comparison: NGS vs. SSO
| Feature | NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) | SSO (Sequence-Specific Oligonucleotide) |
| Description | Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) represents a groundbreaking advancement in HLA typing, enabling precise DNA sequencing that examines the entire HLA gene region. This method significantly enhances the accuracy, resolution, and speed of typing, making it a vital tool in transplantation medicine. By sequencing longer segments of DNA without the need for tiered testing, NGS minimizes ambiguities and reduces turnaround time. As Dr. Marcelo Fernández-Viña, Co-director of the HLA Lab, notes, “This is one of those breakthrough technologies that come only once every 20 years and changes the field.” | Sequence-Specific Oligonucleotide (SSO) typing is a well-established method that provides reliable HLA typing by detecting specific alleles through hybridization. While it offers less detailed results compared to NGS, SSO remains a dependable option for routine clinical testing and research where high resolution is not mandatory. |
| Resolution | High resolution. Allows for detailed identification of HLA alleles at the four-digit level (e.g., HLA-A*01:01) | Intermediate resolution. Typically identifies HLA alleles at the two-digit level (e.g., HLA-A*01) |
| Accuracy | Extremely high accuracy, enabling detection of minor allelic variations | Moderate accuracy, suitable for less detailed analysis |
| Sensitivity | High sensitivity, ideal for detecting low-level chimerism and fine variations. | Moderate sensitivity, suitable for standard HLA typing |
| Applications | Best for critical clinical applications, including transplantation and detailed research studies | Suitable for routine clinical testing, initial HLA screening, and basic research |
| Turnaround Time | Reduced turnaround, potentially as low as 7-10 days due to direct sequencing | Generally faster, depending on the test complexity |
| Use Case | Ideal for precise donor-recipient matching, high-resolution disease association studies. NGS improves patient outcomes by shortening the time required to match donors with recipients, reducing the turnaround time from 14 days to as few as 7 days. This speed is crucial for patients awaiting urgent procedures like hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplants. | Useful for general clinical HLA typing, initial disease screening, and routine lab work. SSO is suitable for general clinical applications, including initial HLA screening, where a less detailed but accurate result is sufficient. |
Research Services
Research Services
The HLA Laboratory is at the forefront of research and innovation, offering specialized services for research and development purposes, including:
Research Testing Services:
- NGS (Next Generation Sequencing): Advanced DNA sequencing methodology offering high-resolution, accurate, and rapid HLA typing.
- SSO (Sequence-Specific Oligonucleotide Typing): Reliable molecular method for identifying HLA alleles, particularly useful for typing samples with known alleles.
- NGS Chimerism: High-resolution chimerism analysis to assess donor-recipient cell mixtures, critical for monitoring post-transplant engraftment.
Custom Research Services: Our HLA lab also offers the flexibility to collaborate on specialized research projects beyond the listed services.
Please reach out with your specific research requests, and our team will work with you to develop a tailored solution.
Order Research Services
Please complete “Research Study Application for Services” Form by clicking the gray button below. Email the completed form to sonianb@stanford.edu.
The information in this form helps us understand your request and aids in drafting a Statement of Work for your signature.
This document will detail sample requirements, packing instructions, shipping instructions, reporting, cost and billing.
17th IHIW Sponsorship
In 2017, the Stanford Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Laboratory hosted the 17th International Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Workshop and Conference (17th IHIW) in Pacific Grove, California.
The 17th Workshop was held to further advance the continued international collaboration in research in HLA and Immunogenetics projects. The major goal was to define HLA and KIR genomics, map serologic epitopes using NGS and single antigen bead technologies, and develop robust research and clinical informatics tools for HLA and KIR.