3 Questions with Lynnette Pineault, MBA, SCT(ASCP)

Across her career, Lynnette Pineault, MBA, SCT(ASCP), has deepened her passion for precision medicine and the laboratory’s pivotal in its advancement. This stems from her unique position managing both laboratory operations and genetic counseling services, where she leads clinical and laboratory genetic counselors and supports her organization’s community health genetic screening research program. Her leadership experiences—including spearheading the ASCP Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Virtual Summit and Biomarker Testing Navigation initiatives—have provided invaluable insights into precision medicine’s clinical pathways, from the bench to the bedside. Collaborating with experts and contributing to meaningful advancements has solidified her commitment to driving forward innovations that improve patient outcomes and truly transform healthcare practices. 

Here, Ms. Pineault shares her reflections on the impact of her work on patients, collaboration with other clinicians, and more.  

What impact do you hope to make through your work in this field? 

I hope to play a part in making precision medicine more personalized, practical, and accessible for every patient, while elevating the visibility and critical contributions of the medical laboratory in this space. An important part of my work, from contributing to ASCP biomarker testing initiatives to leading genetic counseling at HealthPartners, is focused on improving precision medicine workflows and fostering seamless communication. The goal is simple: to help ensure patients receive the most accurate and timely diagnostic information and that the foundational role of the laboratory in delivering this essential information is widely recognized and leveraged for truly informed care, ultimately enhancing the quality and efficiency of their care. 

When I look back, I hope my legacy in the laboratory is one of meaningful transformation. I aspire to have fostered a truly integrated, collaborative, and patient-centric environment in a new era of personalized medicine. I want to be remembered as the connector who helped break down barriers, elevating the laboratory's role to that of an indispensable and proactive partner in patient care. Through my leadership of clinical and laboratory genetic counselors, I envision a future where genetic services are seamlessly integrated into laboratory testing, optimizing workflows and utilization. I want my legacy to be one where the laboratory is recognized for its pivotal role in advancing precision medicine, consistently delivering the highest quality results that directly translate into better outcomes for patients. This means leaving behind a blueprint for streamlined clinical pathways, robust communication, and laboratory professionals that not only excel in diagnostics but deeply understand their clinical implications and contribute to improved patient outcomes, even for those they never meet face-to-face.  

How do you personally see the impact of your work on patients, even though you may not interact with them directly? 

Even without direct patient interaction, I feel a profound connection to their journey. Every sample we process, every test we perform, represents a patient waiting for answers, a family hoping for a path forward. The role of the laboratory in cancer biomarker navigation and testing directly informs critical treatment decisions – whether a patient is eligible for a specific targeted therapy, or if they might benefit from a clinical trial. My experience leading genetic counselors, who ensure that individuals understand their hereditary risks, empowering them to make informed health decisions, has given me the opportunity to amplify the importance and reach of these crucial patient interactions. I see the impact my teams have on the delivery of diagnoses that guide life-saving treatments in optimized workflows that reduce diagnostic delays, and in the delivery of testing results and insights that offer hope and improved quality of life. We are providing the foundational information that allows patients to receive personalized, effective care. 

How do advancements in pathology or laboratory medicine inspire you in terms of improving patient care? 

I’m inspired by the way innovation is shrinking the gap between uncertainty and clarity. It’s not just about better tests—it’s about smarter pathways, where biomarker data informs treatment faster and more thoughtfully. The evolution of cancer biomarker testing allows us to move beyond a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to highly personalized, targeted therapies, minimizing side effects and maximizing efficacy.  Community research programs like myGenetics, where we’re working to extend the promise of precision medicine beyond the academic setting into everyday care, further drives this inspiration and fuels my passion.