Melissa R. Snyder, PhD completed her doctoral degree in Biochemistry through the Mayo
Graduate School in 1997. She followed that with a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical/basic
immunology, during which time she studied T-cell function in autoimmune disease, specifically
rheumatoid arthritis. She then completed a clinical chemistry fellowship at the Mayo Clinic,
where she focused on laboratory diagnostics and autoimmune disease. After completing her
clinical fellowship, she was board-certified in Clinical Chemistry by the American Board of
Clinical Chemistry. Dr. Snyder is currently Co-Director of the Antibody Immunology
Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic, with an academic appointment as Assistant Professor of
Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. The Antibody Immunology Lab performs clinical testing
that aids in the diagnosis of a variety of autoimmune diseases, which allows Dr. Snyder to
continue to pursue her long-standing interest in autoimmunity.
Throughout her career, Dr. Snyder has had a significant interest in education. She serves as a
member of the Education Committee for the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology.
She has also worked with and served as a mentor for fellows and residents from a variety of
clinical specialties. Dr. Snyder is also active in a variety of professional organizations, including
the Association of Medical Laboratory Immunologists, the American Association for Clinical
Chemistry, and the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry. For the past several years, she
has also served on the College of American Pathologist’s Diagnostic Immunology Resource
Committee. Dr. Snyder has worked with these various organizations to promote the field of
clinical laboratory immunology. She has served on organizing committees, moderated symposia,
and served as a speaker at numerous meetings, all on topics related to diagnostic immunology
testing within the clinical laboratory. Her goal is to provide educational opportunities, to raise
awareness among laboratorians and clinicians about the challenges and opportunities that exist
within the diagnostic immunology laboratory, and to attract new scientists and investigators to
the area of clinical immunology.