Rapid Methods - PCR

Course description.

This is a Level 2 course intended for food regulatory professionals and laboratory analysts with previous experience in general microbiology and a basic knowledge of biochemistry. This course describes in detail the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and its applications in foodborne pathogen detection and identification. In addition, the chemistry and different platforms used in Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) are presented. Some of the issues associated with using PCR as diagnostic tool such as contamination issues are discussed at the end of the course.

Learning outcomes.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Define the basic vocabulary and concepts used in molecular diagnosis
2. Discriminate between detection and identification methods
3. Describe the Polymerase Chain Reaction and its components
4. Identify key similarities and differences between PCR and RT-PCR
5. Recognize error types in molecular diagnosis
6. Identify potential contamination issues in laboratory workflows
7. Detect pitfalls in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) plans used in molecular diagnosis laboratories