Adam Seegmiller, MD, PhD, has been named vice chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology as well as executive medical director of the newly formed Pathology and Laboratory Medicine — Clinical Service Center.
In his new roles, Seegmiller, professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, will be responsible for the overall operational and strategic leadership of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Diagnostic Laboratories.
Seegmiller, who is also vice chair and executive medical director of Clinical Pathology and medical director of Hematopathology, joined VUMC in 2009.
“Adam’s groundbreaking work on the use of Diagnostic Management Teams in the practice of Hematopathology and his series of successively responsible leadership positions at VUMC make him uniquely suited for these new roles. His strong leadership of the laboratory team during the COVID pandemic has been invaluable,” said Alice Coogan, MD, professor and chair of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, and executive medical director of Anatomic Pathology.
Diagnostic Management Teams are an approach Seegmiller developed to apply evidence-based standards to test ordering for bone marrow biopsies. Seegmiller designed metrics and data collection tools to monitor the application of the standards and to refine the process. The approach has significantly improved test ordering and interpretation in hematopathology.
Seegmiller also oversaw the collaborative effort last year that enabled the rapid ramping up of testing at VUMC for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“I am excited to serve in this new role. The diagnostic laboratory plays an important role in the care of our patients at VUMC, and I hope to be able to help the lab expand, adapt and innovate as the VUMC clinical enterprise continues to grow,” Seegmiller said. “We have a fantastic team in the laboratory, and I am thrilled to be able to continue to work with them.”
Seegmiller’s clinical interests are in the practice of laboratory medicine and hematopathology. He has particular interests in test utilization strategies and the application of flow cytometry to the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of blood cancers including leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
Seegmiller earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah. He received his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where he also completed a clinical pathology residency and hematopathology fellowship. Seegmiller is a fellow of the College of American Pathologists and the American Society for Clinical Pathology. He currently serves as vice president and president-elect of the International Clinical Cytometry Society. He received a Vanderbilt Physician Scientist Development Program Award in 2010.
