New ARUP University Business Unit Focuses on Patients and Services at University of Utah Health

SALT LAKE CITY—ARUP Laboratories has appointed Dan Albertson, MD, president of the newly formed University Business Unit. ARUP, which grew out of the University of Utah Hospital laboratories, has provided laboratory testing for the U Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Institute, and U Health clinics since its inception 40 years ago. 

The new business unit is part of ARUP’s commitment to deliver the highest quality laboratory and transfusion medicine to the patients of U Health, even as ARUP grows as a reference laboratory that serves hospital and health system clients in all 50 states. The new unit will seek to optimize quality and efficiency, increase the capacity of university operations, and provide resources to raise the level of ARUP’s services to U hospitals and clinics.

“The University Business Unit will be laser-focused on this aspect of ARUP’s diverse business, prioritizing solutions for issues and capitalizing on opportunities unique to the U,” said Andy Theurer, ARUP's CEO.

The creation of the University Business Unit follows the creation of ARUP’s Innovation Business Unit in July 2023, which is comprised of the ARUP Institute for Research and Innovation in Diagnostics and Precision Medicine™, the ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology^®, and the company’s Clinical Trials and PharmaDx groups. The Innovation Business Unit is led by President Tracy George, MD, who is also ARUP’s chief scientific officer.

Theurer said that as ARUP continues to grow in size and complexity, it is transitioning to a multidivisional structure made up of distinct business units to ensure quality and increase the level of service while also allowing for nimbleness.

ARUP Blood Services, the sole provider of blood products to U Health and the Huntsman Cancer Institute, will also be part of the University Business Unit. Albertson said he will work to align all laboratory medicine at ARUP, U Health, and the Huntsman Cancer Institute in a manner that benefits the organizations and puts patients first.

“It is important for me personally to approach every leadership position with service to others at the forefront,” said Albertson. “As I help lead this new business unit, providing the highest quality laboratory testing to U patients and looking for opportunities to continuously improve patient care will be the primary focus.”

In his new role, Albertson will also become a member of ARUP’s executive committee. He will remain the division chief of Anatomic Pathology and Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology. Albertson joined the U’s Division of Anatomic Pathology in 2012 as a fellow in Surgical Pathology after completing medical school at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and residency at Creighton University.

About ARUP Laboratories

Founded in 1984, ARUP Laboratories is a leading national reference laboratory and a nonprofit enterprise of the University of Utah 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. ARUP serves clients in all 50 states, including many of the nation’s top university teaching hospitals and children’s hospitals, as well as multihospital groups, major commercial laboratories, group purchasing organizations, military and other government facilities, and major clinics. 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 Diagnostics and Precision Medicine™. ARUP is ISO 15189 CAP accredited.

ARUP Media Contact

Bonnie Stray, bonnie.stray@aruplab.com, 801-583-2787 ext. 2823