Programme and timings

Day 1 - Thursday 10 June 12:00-16:00 (BST)

12:00 Welcome and introduction - Neil Almond, SoGAT Chair

Session 1: 12:00-13:45 - Understanding the challenges

Chair: Bert Niesters

12:05 Evolution of SARS CoV molecular detection

Maria Zambon, PHE, UK

12:25 The Abbott Global Surveillance Program: SARS-CoV-2 variant vigilance

Mary Rodgers Abbott, USA

12:45 Validation of SARS-CoV-2 molecular assays - the WHO 'Emergency Use Listing' experience

Ute Ströher, WHO, Switzerland

13:05 Evaluation of NAT and Ag testing devices

Wayne Dimech, NRL, Australia

13:25 Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 IVD in the EU

Micha Nübling, PEI, Germany

13:45 Break

Session 2: 14:00-16:00 - Developing reference materials

Chair: Roberta Madej

14:00 Molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 EQA- Can Ct values be used as an indicator of the viral load?

Sanjiv Rughooputh, NEQAS, UK

14:20 Molecular INSTAND EQA schemes for SARS-CoV-2 detection and a study with National Reference Materials for linking Ct values with SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads”.

Heinz Zeichhardt/Martin Kammel, INSTAND, Germany

14:40 External Quality Assessment (EQA) for SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Detection – Experiences from 2020

Oliver Donoso, QCMD, UK

14:55 Round table discussion session

Chairs: NIBSC

Lessons learned – future pandemics, how can we do things better

How can EQA data be used to improve assays?

15:55 Close

Day 2 - Friday 11 June 12:00-16:00 (BST)

12:00 Welcome and introduction - Neil Almond, SoGAT Chair

Session 3: 12:00-14:00 - dPCR and NGS methods to detect covid19

Chair: Neil Berry

12:05 The CCQM Nucleic Acid Working Group (NAWG) and its response to SARS-CoV-2

Jim Huggett, Chair of the NAWG

12:20 Strategy of the whole genome SARS-CoV-2 Certified Reference Material from the National Measurement Institute, Australia

Daniel Burke, NMIA, Australia

12:35 Digital PCR Measurements of SARS-CoV-2: Lessons Learned (So Far…)

Peter Vallone, NIST, USA

12:50 The impact of targeting different regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome on the measured quantity

Denise O’Sullivan, NML at LGC, UK

13:05 Using NGS to identify SARS CoV2 variants

Dr Charles Chiu, University of California.

13:25 Round table discussion session 3 - Chairs: NIBSC

How can we best use NGS data to understand viral evolution?
How can qPCR and dPCR work together?

14:00 Break

Session 4: 14:15-16:00 - Development of reference materials

Chair: Micha Nübling

14:15 Overview of challenges faced when developing reference materials for SARS CoV2

NIBSC

14:30 Development of a WHO SARS CoV2 NAT International Standard

Giada Mattiuzzo, NIBSC, UK

14:50 SARS CoV2 Antigen detection, not all controls are suitable

Jacqueline Fryer, NIBSC, UK

15:10 Calibration of secondary SARS CoV2 reference material

John Sninsky, USA

15:30 Round table discussion session 4 - Chairs: NIBSC

What other reference materials are needed?
Challenges of clinical relevance vs analytic sensitivity

16:00 Close

Please note programme and timings are subject to change.

SARS CoV2 Workshop