Microbiology Training Day
Chairs: Katie Hadfield and Naomi Gadsby
Method evaluation – interactive workshop - George Allen
Dr Shoshanna May (Clinical Scientist, Virology) and Dr George Allen (Clinical Scientist, Biochemistry) will lead a joint session for delegates of both the Biochemistry and Microbiology training days covering the topic of method verification and validation. Shoshanna will introduce method evaluation, verification and validation with particular reference to the UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations (SMI) and the key parameters used for assessment of diagnostic methods in both microbiology and biochemistry. George will then give a detailed and practical examination of the key experiments for a quantitative method verification: precision studies and method comparison. Following this, there will be a workshop on method verification with an opportunity to work in groups to plan, analyse data, interpret results and decide if the assay can be accepted. The workshop will focus on one of the assays that is commonly shared across our disciplines, with all of the background information provided for both specialties. We are really excited about the opportunity for trainees from both specialities to spend time working together and sharing experiences from their own parts of the laboratory. Method evaluation is a key skill for clinical scientists from all disciplines and we expect this workshop to help hone those skills for trainees at all stages of training.
The morning will run jointly across the Biochemistry and Microbiology groups.
Naomi Gadsby has a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and completed her pre- and post-registration clinical scientist training in Medical Microbiology in NHS Lothian. She became a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists by examination in Medical Microbiology in 2017. Since 2019 she has been working as a Consultant Clinical Scientist in Medical Microbiology at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and is currently Head of Specialty for Microbiology.
George is a Principal Clinical Scientist working in Biochemistry at Royal Devon University Healthcare in Exeter. Before coming to Exeter, he undertook a PhD at the UCL Institute of Neurology working with the Neurometabolic Unit on inherited disorders of neurotransmitter metabolism. Following this, he researched cell signalling and autophagy at the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit in Dundee before training in Exeter as a Clinical Scientist. George has extensive real world experience of method verification for a range of blood sciences and serology tests.
