ARUP’s Advanced Practice Laboratory: A National Model for Bridging Education and Industry
September 30, 2025
September 30, Salt Lake City—In a groundbreaking collaboration between ARUP Laboratories and the University of Utah, the new Advanced Practice Clinical Laboratory Training Center opened its doors this week and took a bold step toward solving a nationwide shortage of clinical laboratory scientists. This state-of-the-art facility is more than a training site; it’s a model for how industry and academia can unite to meet urgent workforce needs and transform STEM education.
The lab directly addresses a critical bottleneck in clinical training: the lack of hands-on training sites for students pursuing careers in medical laboratory science (MLS). “There are not enough laboratories to train these students,” said Tracy George, MD, ARUP chief scientific officer and Innovation Business Unit president. “We created a training center where they can learn with real samples, state-of-the-art equipment, and excellent teachers.”
This partnership will double the number of students trained through the U’s MLS program, with the goal of reaching 80 graduates annually. In the past few years, 100% of graduates have received job offers before they even finish their studies. “We want to graduate students who are in a field where they’re needed and where they have opportunities for career growth,” said Diana Wilkins, PhD, MS, MLS(ASCP), division chief, MLS, and C. Scott and Dorothy E. Watkins Endowed Professor of Pathology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the U.
The facility itself mimics a hospital laboratory, complete with core instruments and a dedicated laboratory information system. It offers students a real-world environment that prepares them to step directly into clinical roles across Utah and beyond. “This is absolutely about as real as it gets,” said Jon Genzen, PhD, MD, MBA, ARUP chief medical officer and senior director of governmental affairs. “It’s a one-of-a-kind educational opportunity.”
The project was made possible through congressionally directed Community Partnership Funding, secured with support from Congressman Chris Stewart’s office. The proposal was submitted in April 2022 and signed into law later that year, with final funding awarded in September 2023. “We put forth our best idea for a project that would advance health care across the nation,” said George.
Beyond its immediate impact, the lab is designed to be scalable and replicable. “This can be a model for the nation,” George emphasized. It’s a vision shared by all collaborators, who see the lab not only as a solution to a local training gap but as a blueprint for how communities can invest in the future of healthcare through education.
Watch Drs. Genzen, George, and Wilkins describe the APL.
Visit this page to learn more about the programs within the Division of Medical Laboratory Sciences. Additional information about the profession is also available at ARUP’s MLS Faculty and Student Resource Center.
About ARUP Laboratories
Founded in 1984, ARUP Laboratories is a leading national reference laboratory and a nonprofit enterprise of the University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and its Department of Pathology. ARUP offers more than 3,000 tests and test combinations, ranging from routine screening tests to esoteric molecular and genetic assays. In addition, ARUP is a worldwide leader in innovative laboratory research and development, led by the efforts of the ARUP Institute for Research and Innovation in Diagnostic and Precision Medicine™. ARUP is ISO 15189 and CAP accredited. For more information, visit www.aruplab.com.
ARUP Media Contact
Bonnie Stray, bonnie.stray@aruplab.com