Bio-Trac® Training Programs is pleased to be conducting a Hands-On "Scientific Reproducibility & Rigor: Antibody Characterization/Validation; Cell Line Authentication; Mycoplasma Detection" training workshop on Wednesday, October 18 – Friday, October 20, 2017 at the MC Bioscience Education Center in Germantown, MD.

Taught by active researchers from the NIH, NIST and Walter Reed, this hands-on three-day workshop is designed for scientists involved in laboratory research using cell cultures and or antibodies. Identified as significant contributors to the current quality-control challenges in cell culture-based research (NIH Workshop on Reproducibility in Cell Culture Studies, September 28-29, 2015), this workshop will address methods and practices to ensure reproducibility and good cell culture practice (GCCP). Benefits also will extend to satisfy the new NIH grant requirements as well as those of publication outlets.

Registration Fee: $895
Registration is on a first come, first serve basis with a class limit of 20.

Special Hotel Rates - $99 per night
Special rates are available for Bio-Trac attendees near the training facility (Holiday Inn Express).

Further registration information can be obtained from Mark Nardone at Bio-Trac® Training Programs (301-802-7708, www.biotrac.com). The following links will assist you with registration and a Bio-Trac calendar of upcoming events.

Topics:
Cross Contamination/Misidentification: Consequences Detection and Prevention; GCCP

Cell Line Authentication: Authentication of Human Cell Lines by STR Profiling Including Data Analysis; STRs Polymorphism; Interpretation of Electropherograms; Levels of Concordance; Artifacts, and Trouble Shooting;
NIST STR Current Status of Standards; Authentication of Non-Human Cell Lines: Isozyme Analysis; CO1 Multiplex Assays, SNPs, and STRs of Standards; Electropherogram Analysis; Lab: Test DNA from a human cell line (PowerPlex 18D) amplifying 17 STR markers and Amelogenin (sex determination marker); Amplify STR regions; Analyze and Interpret CE Data; compare STR Profile to Reference Databases. Non-Human Authentication: participants will run an species-specific multiplex PCR assay that identifies 8 different species that are most common in cell culture (pig, human, Chinese hamster, rhesus monkey, African green monkey, rat, dog, and mouse). The primers are designed so that each species will result in a different size amplicon which can be separated and visualized using gel electrophoresis. Several DNA samples of unknown origin will be provided and participants will be able to identify the origin of species by the end of the lab.

Mycoplasma Contamination: Severity, Causes, Effects and Prevention; Testing Regimens: Efficacy of Various Mycoplasma Tests; FDA Gold Standard, WHO Protocol, Culture test, DNA stain (Hoechst 33258), and PCR Tests; Rescue of Valuable Contaminated Cell Lines; Alterations in Gene Expression; Detection of Transcriptisome Contamination Studies (RNA-seq); How to Detect Contaminated Transcript files using NGS

Antibodies: Overview: Specific Issues Associated with the Use of Antibodies Including Antibody Origins (Mabs vs. Polyclonal Abs), Cross-Reactivity, Genetic Drift of Hybridomas; Care and Maintenance of Hybridomas; Consequences of Using “Bad” Antibodies; Purity of Antibody Preparations: Antibody Contamination, Standard Methods for Detection (SDS-PAGE, HPLC), in vivo vs. in vitro; Purification of Antibodies Bias: Changing Isotype Distribution/Profile of Polyclonal Antibodies Depending on Purification Method; Antibody Validation: Addressing the Difference Between Validation and Batch-to-Batch Variations; Isotype Confirmation: ELISA Based Checks for Contamination with Other Ab; Western Blot: Advantages and Limitations; Immunoprecipitation followed by SDS-PAGE: Overcoming WB-limitation of Many Mabs (how does IP work, how to “adapt” it to use of mabs); Flow Cytometry; Blocking studies: Using Competing Antibodies, Blocking Peptides/Proteins to Verify Specificity

Register