Endocrinology
Quality Assurance Letter
Download: Clincal Endocrinology Laboratory Quality Assurance Letter (PDF)
External Quality Assurance Participation. The Service has participated in the Society for Comparative Endocrinology (SCE) External Quality Assurance Program (EQUAS) since the program’s inception in 1988. The Chair of the program is Dr. R.F. Nachreiner, AHDL, Endocrine Section, P.O. Box 30076, Lansing, MI 48909-7576. The Service has also subscribed to the Veterinary Laboratory Association (VLA) Quality Assurance program since 2000, provided by Diagnostic Chemicals Limited, 16 First Street, West Royalty Industrial Park, Charlottetown, PE C1E 1BP. The two programs provide for assessment of laboratory proficiency by providing unknown samples for assay to participating laboratories. Each laboratory conducts analysis on the samples for specific hormonal concentrations and results are reported back to the programs where the data is evaluated and correlation of results with other laboratories is conducted and reported to all participants.
In-House Quality Assurance Program. The Service has an in-house quality control program, in addition to participating in the external programs above. The Service purchases canine controls from ICN/MP Biomedicals, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 for use with the various assay procedures. The controls have established ranges in which results must fall for each specific hormone analyzed. Kit calibrators, controls and patient samples are assayed in duplicate and must fall within 20% CV. Disposable precision pipetting supplies (RAININ™ and Eppendorf) are utilized to ensure accuracy. Pipetting equipment is frequently calibrated and serviced by Rainin Instrument Company, Inc., Mack Road, Box 4026, Woburn, MA 01888-4026 and Calibrate, Inc., The Pipet People, 200 East Robert Toombs Ave., Washington, GA 30673.
Good Laboratory Practices. Laboratory personnel participate in safety training seminars, and a written Chemical Hygiene Plan is maintained in the lab that outlines all standard operating procedures. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Safety Officer, to ensure safety in the workplace, conducts inspections of laboratory facilities each year.
Clinical Endocrinology Service Personnel. L. Kim Abney, B.A., who has been involved with laboratory technical work in the College for the past twenty-eight years (18 in this service), and serves as Supervisor of the Service; DeAnne Gibbs, B.S., who has been involved with laboratory technical work in the College for the past ten years (8 years in this service), and serves as Research Coordinator of the Service; Marilyn Cottrell who has been involved in laboratory technical work in the College for the past forty-one years (11 years in this service); Toni Conatser, B.S., who has been involved in laboratory technical work in this service for the past four years; Julie Haskew, B.S., who has worked in the service five years and been involved in laboratory technical work in this service for the past 3 years; Kelley Bastin, B.S., who has been involved in laboratory technical work in this service for the past 2 years; Amanda Widner, B.S., who has been involved in laboratory technical work in the College for the past five years (1 year in this service); Hugo Eiler, D.V.M., Ph.D., Consultant to the Service, whose training is in the disciplines of physiology and endocrinology. Dr. Eiler has been involved with diagnostic procedure development and has been a member of the College for the past thirty-five years; Kellie Fecteau, Ph.D., Director of the Service, has been a member of the College for the past twelve years (9 years in this service), and has pursued research studies in reproductive physiology and oncology and currently is involved in cell culture studies with adrenal cells concerning mechanisms of drug effects.
Radioactive Materials Usage. The Clinical Endocrinology Service is under the Broad Radioactive Materials License (R-47005-HO8) agreement held by the University of Tennessee, approved by the State of Tennessee. Tennessee has an agreement with the Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRC). The University of Tennessee Radiation Safety Department conducts frequent radiation safety checks of laboratory equipment and workspace. Contact for the Service: Clinical Endocrinology Service, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Tennessee 2407 River Drive, Room A105 Knoxville, TN 37996-4543 865-974-5638; 865-974-7147 (FAX).
07/2011