Elevation Diagnostics addresses the growing demand for fast, accurate diagnostic testing in our community. With our flagship location at Fitzsimons Innovation Community, we are committed to providing continuing high-quality testing to meet the needs of our clients. We offer both clinical and environmental testing in our state-of-the-art labs.

Colorado BioScience Association President and CEO, Elyse Blazevich, asked Kristen Gracom, CSO and CCO of Elevation Diagnostics, CBSA’s Key Questions for Life Sciences Innovators.

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Q: Tell us about your company or organization.

A: Elevation Diagnostics, LLC has two divisions: a CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified clinical molecular biology laboratory and a chemistry-based environmental testing laboratory. Our clinical laboratory is focused on the war against the SARS-CoV-2 virus with plans to further assist public health with other infectious diseases, such as influenza, urinary tract infections, and sexually transmitted infections. Our environmental testing laboratory is focused on keeping our soil and water free from contaminants and pollutants, such as heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and fertilizer run-off.

Q: Describe your team culture. How does your culture shape what your company or organization produces or offers?

A: We have diverse backgrounds, from our business-driven professionals to our laboratorians. We  come together and communicate to develop the best ideas for the best outcome, with our focus on quality, innovation, improving health care, and nurturing the earth. We use innovative techniques and state-of-the-art equipment, which ensures we’re able to provide more sensitive results, faster.

Q: What are you working on right now?

In our clinical laboratory, we are working with SalivaDirect™ to further saliva-based testing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, saliva proved to be an ideal specimen source for the comfort of the patient, protection for the health care worker, and ease of use for the laboratorian.

In our environmental laboratory, we are busily validating our platforms for certification through A2LA to The NELAC Institute (TNI) and ISO 17025 standards.

Q: How will your work save or change lives?

A: Elevation Diagnostics offers a two-fold approach to public health. We want to help doctors to heal the patient and help companies keep the earth free of toxins with accurate, timely results.

Working with campuses and businesses to provide students and employees with a different health care option or working directly with the patient, we want to empower people to take charge of their healthcare.

Being able to work directly with remediation companies allows us to deliver results directly which aids in faster, more thorough clean up.

Q: Tell us about your team’s biggest breakthroughs.

A: In the height of the pandemic, we were able to maintain our turnaround time of 24-48 hours for qPCR SARS-CoV-2 testing. With our electronic reporting system, the patient and doctor were notified immediately of their results without waiting for a call from the local health department. This helped our patients make more informed decisions when planning their daily lives.

Q: CBSA champions a collaborative life sciences ecosystem because we are #strongertogether. How has being an active participant in our life sciences community supported your success?

A: If COVID-19 has taught us anything, we are stronger together. Laboratories helped each other by sharing supplies, information, and referring samples to help patients get results faster. Many relationships were formed where competitions were in place before. The only way for science to progress is if we work together. The sharing of knowledge and collaboration will only propel innovation. With innovation comes new discoveries and this is where the future is. It’s no longer us and them, it’s we. We at Elevation Diagnostics are forever grateful to the Fitzsimons Innovation Community for fostering these relationships.

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