November 15-16, 2007
Phillips Hall
Harold W. Siebens Medical Education Building
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Description

Real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) has broad applications for clinical microbiology testing. This workshop familiarizes the participant with currently available rapid cycle real-time methods including the principles of rapid thermocycling and probe detection formats with an emphasis on FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) hybridization probes. Pre-analytic processing of patient specimens including isolation, concentration and preservation of nucleic acid, quality control, and quality assurance issues are addressed. Applications of this technology for the detection and quantitation of microorganisms and mutation screening for antimicrobial resistance are presented. Participants have a close-up experience with these applications. In addition, primer-probe design, assay optimization, assay performance verification, validation, and interpretation of results using two common platforms will be presented.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of the program, the participant has information to:

• Describe the commercial systems currently available for rapid cycle real-time PCR, including principles of instrumentation, capacity for testing, turnaround time for analyses, and vendor-preferred detection (probe) formats
• Interpret clinical experience with rapid cycle real-time PCR
• Evaluate issues of sample collection, nucleic acid extraction, concentration, and preservation
• Review applications of rapid cycle real-time PCR, including detection and quantitation of microorganisms and mutation or polymorphism analysis
• Describe target nucleic acid selection and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probe design strategies
• Demonstrate specimen and amplicon contamination prevention procedures
• Define PCR optimization strategies and perform analyses and interpretation of data
• Review quality control procedures and regulatory requirements for rapid real-time PCR assays
• Examine implementation issues into the clinical laboratory, including process changes, work flow, cost-effectiveness, and reimbursement

Disclaimer

Attendance at this Mayo course does not indicate nor guarantee competence or proficiency in the performance of any procedures which may be discussed or taught in this course. The majority of the real-time PCR clinical and developmental applications in the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic are performed on the Roche LightCycler platform.

Intended Audience

This course is designed for clinical microbiologists, laboratory directors, supervisors, medical technologists, public health microbiologists, pathologists, and infectious disease specialists. A basic understanding of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is recommended.

Credit

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 11 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Mayo Medical Laboratories is approved as a Continuing Education Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science for State of California and State of Florida credit and the ASCLS P.A.C.E ® program. The level of instruction for this program is intermediate. This program is approved for 11 contact hours.