 Registration for this unique workshop and training opportunity is now open. The workshop will be held in Seattle June 15-17, 2008 at the Washington State DOH Lab and the Hotel Nexus. Many expressed interest in the workshop, so register early using the attached form. CLICK HERE for a printable registration form.Although the discount for doing so is modest, course capacity is limited to available lab space and so we must operate "first-come-first-served" Hands-on sessions include the paralytic shellfish toxins (saxitoxins) the okadaic acid ("DSP") group, microcystins, aflatoxins, malachite green, chloramphenicol, among others. We will also include some developments in portable (field) instrumentation, but most emphasis will be on the kits. Available Laboratory Instrumentation Our agenda does not include any pitches to pursue expensive proprietary instrumentation - We chose ELISA and LFIC as our focus since many laboratories already have microplate readers in place for ELISAs and other microplate-based assays, and laboratories not yet equipped can choose from variety of readers on the market. Field testing is now becoming more feasible, as impressive advances are being made in field-friendly LFIC kits - They are becoming increasingly available (cassettes, the format used in off-the-shelf pregnancy test kits, for example and also in dipstick formats). Course Goals 1) Overview of principles of ELISA, also, the course will include kits that are commercially available and several kit vendors will be participating. 2) Survey of available ELISA and LFIC kits including some hands-on sessions, 3) Discussions of testing needs and challenges involved, and 4) Training in basic lab techniques of using microplate-based methods. Generally, we want to go beyond the usual workshop format, and provide information and training so that attendees can make their own objective evaluations and choices. (Several kit vendors will participate but we do not endorse any specific products). Lab Instructors - Dr Lyn Briggs of AgResearch, New Zealand (lead instructor) and also Mark Poli (USAMRIID) and Stacey Etheridge (CFSAN/FDA). These experts have extensive experience with immunochemical method development and/or assay application. There will also be subject matter lectures tailored to the specific areas (EPA on cyanotoxin testing needs, etc.) When not in lab sessions, attendees will be able to attend lectures by test kit vendors. AOAC Pacific NW - Workshop attendees can register at reduced rate (see page 2 of form) for the AOAC meeting that follows the workshop June 18, 19 in Tacoma, WA and listen to world class keynote speakers from Italy, New Zealand, and the US. Food-safety related topics include clinical analysis of a recent PSP (recreational harvest) outbreak, keys to successful ELISA development, a banquet talk by David Fyfe of the NWIFC (who some of you also know from his ISSC involvement) and in microbiology, molecular methods for outbreak trace-back. Other keynote topics include Field Flow Fractionation for biotechnology and nanotechnology, and the history of analytical chemistry. On June 19 there is also validation-related training. Shortly we will release a detailed schedule. The Task Force on Marine and Freshwater Toxins will also meet at the AOAC Tacoma meeting in an open session that will also include expert presentations on methods for toxins (and other contaminants such as drug residues, melamine, etc) and also TF discussions, and TF progress update - See you in June in beautiful Seattle! James Hungerford, Ph.D. Overview The Task Force is an international group of experts on marine and freshwater toxins, and stakeholders who have a strong and practical interest in the development and validation of methods for detection of these toxins. Marine toxins and freshwater toxins require extensive monitoring programs and have a significant economic and human health impact. Although there is a strong and global need for improved testing methods for these toxins, the demand for new, officially validated methods has not been met. The Task Force addresses this need by focusing efforts, setting priorities, and identifying economic and intellectual resources. The group will establish methods priorities, determine fitness for purpose, identify and review available methodology, recommend methodology for validation, and identify complementary analytical tools. Once appropriate analytical methodology has been identified or developed, the Task Force will identify financial and technical resources necessary to validate the methodology. Contact: Task Force Chair Jim Hungerford at James.Hungerford@fda.gov, or
phone (425) 483-4894
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