1912	Acknowledging urgent need for local laboratory services to serve growing South Bend area population, 23 area physicians pool their resources to establish South Bend Medical Laboratory. Dr. A.M. Petersen, a woman, was appointed first director.
1922	Dr. Alfred S. Giordano becomes Medical Foundation's first pathologist and begins 30-year term as director.
1927	Dr. Giordano develops skin reaction test for Bang's Disease caused by drinking unpasteurized milk. His findings capture national attention and are instrumental in establishing regulations on pasteurization. { read more }
1942	Medical Foundation launches Plasma Bank during early years of World War II.
1949	Polio outbreak hits St. Joseph County. Medical Foundation provided field trial support for Salk vaccine. { read more }
1951	Central Blood Bank established.
1953	Two-thirds of employees at Singer Sewing plant are infected with parasitic infection, entamoeba histolycia. Medical Foundation works with Center for Disease Control on testing and treatment of employees.
1987	SBMF becomes one of first ten National Institute of Drug Abuse certified laboratories in country.
1989	Medical Foundation becomes a fully computerized laboratory by adopting and implementing the HP-Cerner Interface.
1992	The TransLogic system virtually eliminates manual transportation of specimens throughout the laboratory, moving specimens on aluminum track at speed of 120 feet per minute.
1994	Telepathology equipment makes it possible to transfer images and data within and between hospitals and other healthcare providers.
1996	Pneumatic tube system installed under South Bend's St. Joseph River to link Medical Foundation with St. Joseph Regional Medical Center and transport specimens 4,500 feet in just four minutes.
1996	SBMF supports establishment of Michiana Health Information Network (MHIN) to provide community-wide healthcare information system for more enhanced delivery of health services and cost savings through shared technology.
1997	The Clinical Laboratory Automation System (CLAS) unveiled, making the South Bend Medical Foundation the first laboratory in the U. S. to install the new robotics system.
1999	Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) of donated blood increases the safety of the blood supply.
2008	CLAS system upgraded to Modular Pre-Analytics® (MPA) enhancing laboratory's pre-analytical processes.