Additional Information
Level of instruction: Beginning
Author information: Heather MacDonald, M(ASCP), MB(ASCP) has over 10 years of clinical laboratory experience and oversees a Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory. She is currently the Advanced Diagnostics Manager for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta in Georgia. Along with performing routine diagnostic assays, implementing laboratory-developed qualitative and quantitative molecular assays (both singleplex and multiplex) is her primary focus. Heather has published numerous articles and presents her research at national and international meetings. She has also worked with numerous corporations to bring commercial assays to market.
Coauthor information: Robert C. Jerris, PhD, D(ABMM) is currently the Medical Director of Clinical Microbiology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta in GA. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Jerris has directed clinical microbiology and molecular diagnostic laboratories for over 30 years. In that time, he has developed and brought to market a number of clinical laboratory systems and assays. He is well published and presents his research at national and international meetings. As current Chair for the American Society of Microbiology's Professional Affairs Committee, Dr. Jerris is committed to the workforce and regulatory oversight for clinical laboratories.
Reviewer information: Julie Ann West, PhD, is certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) and as a Specialist in Microbiology (SM). She has earned a PhD in Public Health - Infectious Disease Epidemiology - and is Certified in Public Health (CPH) by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. Dr. West is experienced as a Technical Specialist, Safety Officer, Educator, and Lead in the Veterans Administration Healthcare System, and has prior experience as an Administrative Laboratory Director.
Course description: This course will briefly describe the basic principles of MALDI-TOF MS through the pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases and update the laboratorian to current applications of this technique.