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Successful Training Course Held on LC for PSP OMA 2005.6
Inauguration of Training and Support Initiative and associated Cadres
Our training course was the first in a series of courses held to benefit our stakeholders as part of our Training and Support Initiative. Instruction in this series will always be conducted by members of training and support cadres to ensure instruction and support from those with years of experience and, when possible, direct involvement with the development and validation of the methods. Our first example is the OMA 2005.6 group consisting of Barbara Niedzwiadek and Jim Lawrence of Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada (Jim is now retired) and Ana Gago-Martinez of University of Vigo, Spain. The inaugural course was held in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Section of AOAC. |
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Our first laboratory training course was held June 19-21, 2006 in Seattle, WA.
The training course was very well received by a group of 24 students from various state health departments in the US as well as federal agencies in the US, Canada, and Europe. Students in the course stated that all three days of the course were very helpful including the overview lecture, discussions of implementation issues, and the two laboratory sessions in the Washington DOH Laboratory. The most frequent comment was appreciation for clarity and attention to detail shown by Health Canada’s Barbara Niedzwiadek in conducting the laboratory course. The laboratory portion of the course was two (half) days long and included detailed instruction in sample extraction, reaction, correct use of the SPEs, and also examples and course exercises on data interpretation and workup.
The first day, Monday June 19, was held at the Hotel Nexus in Seattle. Ana Gago Martinez, University of Vigo, Spain, presented a comprehensive overview lecture on the method designed by the method’s training cadre to introduce the students to the principles of the method. Dr. Gago Martinez also described her own experiences with the method and answered questions. Other presentations were given earlier that day by two key Task Force regional stakeholders. These included a course welcome and brief Washington DOH Lab overview by Nathan Lacy, Environmental Division Chief, followed by a lecture on paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), the history of PSP in Washington State, and the state’s marine biotoxin monitoring programs by Frank Cox, Biotoxins Program Coordinator.
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To express your interest in
additonal Task Force training
courses please contact (stating)
regional preference)
James_Hungerford@hotmal.com
Pacific Northwest Section Meeting AOAC and the Task Force
The connection between the course and the Pacific NW section at their annual summer meeting also helped to advance other Task Force activities. Following the training course, this June 2006 the Task Force held a Brevetoxins Subgroup meeting and inaugurated a new Histamine and Biogenic Amines (Scombrotoxins) Subgroup at the Pacific Northwest AOAC Section meeting at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, USA. Task Force member Mark Poli of USAMRIID presented a keynote talk on Natural Toxins as Agents of Bioterror. Subgroups had very detailed and engaging discussions following two relevant presentations. Francie Coblentz, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, addressed the UNCW ELISA for brevetoxins (Topic Advisor Jerome Naar, UNCW) and Heidi Marks of FDA's Seafood Products Research Center presented an LC-MS method for biogenic amines. Jim Hungerford, TF Chair (also of SPRC) and Sevim Kose of the Faculty of Marine Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey, will be surveying histamine detection methodology with the aim of fostering validation studies. |
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Ron Manger, Director of Biologics Production, also provided visits to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center during the half-day afternoon breaks, and hosted a Task Force discussion group on continuity of biological reagents at FHCRC following the Pacific Northwest AOAC meeting.
We wish to express our thanks to all of the above individuals and also the Washington State DOH Laboratory (both Environmental and Training divisions) for the facilities, equipment, supplies, and assistance, and the National Research Council, Canada, for analytical standards. The staff of Hotel Nexus of Seattle also did an excellent job in providing lodging, meals, and transportation services.
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