FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The Silliker Food Science Center co-sponsored the first annual Molecular Methods in Food Microbiology Symposium and Workshop, held this summer Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.
More than 25 participants attended the one-and-a-half-day symposium that featured lectures by the organizers: Kendra Nightingale of Colorado State University, Martin Wiedmann of Cornell University, and Mark Carter and Sarita Raengpradub of Silliker.
Symposium lecture topics included Fundamentals of Nucleic Acids, Molecular Biology and PCR, Concepts in Microbial Taxonomy and Implications for Molecular Detection, Assay Validation and Approval, How to Evaluate Commercial Genetic Tests and Considerations for Application of Molecular Detection Methods. Representatives from Applied Biosystems, Bio-Rad, Dupont Qualicon and Idaho Technology were on hand to discuss their assays and answer questions for the symposium participants.
Twenty attendees remained for the three-day workshop and participated in hands-on laboratory activities including lysate preparation, conventional PCR, real-time PCR (both SYBR Green- and TaqMan-based), agarose gel electrophoresis, sample preparation for DNA sequencing, and sequencing data analysis. Participants had the opportunity to design and set up their own custom PCR assay. Workshop lectures included Introduction to DNA Sequence Databases and Programs, PCR Controls, DNA Sequencing and 16S-Based Detection Strategies.
Highlights of the week-long symposium and workshop included an opening reception that featured a keynote address delivered by Keith Lampel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration entitled "Molecular-based Detection of Foodborne Pathogens."
Tentative plans are underway to hold the same symposium and workshop March 30-April 3, 2009, at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. The 3rd annual workshop will then shift focus to molecular subtyping methods and applications to food microbiology.