Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative is a NIFA funding opportunity for integrated activities (research, education, and/or extension/outreach/service) in support of national networks that provide for the defense of American agriculture. This Project Narrative sets forth the objectives, roles, responsibilities, and activities for the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) Laboratory (Austin, TX) to maintain Level 3 Laboratory designation within the structure of the USDA's National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018.This project will facilitate the Nation's agriculture security with the TAHC Lab's continued participation in USDA's swine surveillance programs, especially concerning swine pseudorabies surveillance and surge capacity for molecular detection of classical swine fever virus. These swine surveillance programs are pivotal because of higher risks in Texas from feral swine encroachment on swine operations, multiple ports of entry for swine and swine products, and expansive international border.The TAHC Lab will continue to enhance its currentQuality Management System by sendingtwo Lab personnel to participatein the 2019 NAHLN/AAVLD Quality Management System Training and fund the annual license renewal of the Lab's Qualtrax document control software system.The TAHC Lab will upgrade itslaboratory information management system (LIMS) tosuccessfully achieve electronic messaging (reporting) of NAHLN-related testing from the Lab's LIMS to NAHLN.The TAHC Lab willsustain NAHLN-related molecular detection capability using approved polymerase chain reaction equipment.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
100%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
This project will provide for additional Quality System enhancements including:two Lab personnel participating in the 2019 NAHLN/AAVLD Quality Management System Training and annual license renewal of the Lab's Qualtrax document control software system. The TAHC Lab already maintains a moderately advanced Quality Management System with an assigned Quality Manager, approved procedures that are periodically reviewed/updated, document control, calibrated equipment, and personnel training and proficiency testing.The TAHC Lab has a satisfactory laboratory information management system (LIMS; LabLynx, Marietta, GA) concerning effective data management and test results reporting to our submitting clients. Unfortunately, the support personnel for this current LIMS have not been successful at implementing improvements to enable NAHLN messaging. The funding associated with this FY 2018 project will allow the Lab to complete a prognosis on LABLynx successfully achieving NAHLN messaging or, if a likelihood of not been successful, a turnkey transition to a veterinary lab LIMS that already includes NAHLN messaging functions.The TAHC Lab currently sustains NAHLN-related molecular detection capability using a ThermoFisher 7500 FAST Real Time PCR System, a ThermoFisher MagMax 9DW magnetic particle processor, and associated equipment and reagents. This project's funding will sustain this capability and enable transition to contemporary molecular biology procedures as required by NAHLN.This project will also facilitate the Nation's agriculture security with the TAHC Lab's continued participation in USDA's swine surveillance programs, especially concerning swine pseudorabies surveillance and surge capacity for molecular detection of classical swine fever virus. These swine surveillance programs are pivotal because of higher risks in Texas from feral swine encroachment on swine operations, multiple ports of entry for swine and swine products, and expansive international border.
Project Methods
The Project Director, the Director of the TAHC State-Federal Lab, will oversee the performance of the following key personnel:The QA Manager will work on this NAHLN support proposal at approx. a 10% effort, while ensuring quality control of all equipment, sample testing, and results reporting. Key contributions will include maintenance of all Quality Management System (QMS) documents. The Quality Manager serves as the Administrator of the Lab's Qualtrax document control software system. Also, the Quality Manager conducts QMS training for all lab staff and works with staff on a daily basis to ensure understanding of and compliance with QMS. The Quality Manager ensures all corrective and preventive actions are completed. The Quality Manager verifies successful completion of proficiency testing as required by USDA. The Quality Manager coordinates Lab input into the APHIS Laboratory Portal, including periodic lab verification. The Quality Manager participates in applicable NAHLN conference calls and webinars.The Lab Manager will work on this NAHLN support proposal at approx. a 5% effort, while planning, directing, and overseeing NAHLN-testing by Lab staff. The Lab Manager will also serve as the primary administrator for our web-hosted laboratory information management system (LIMS; LabLynx, Marietta, GA). In this capacity, he will oversee continual efforts toward the LIMS NAHLN messaging functions. This position will also be key for prognosing if LABLynx can successfully achieving NAHLN messaging or assessing the need for an alternative turnkey transition to a veterinary lab LIMS that already includes NAHLN messaging functions.The Administrative Assistant will work on this NAHLN support proposal at approx. a 7.5% effort, serving as the primary test data specialist for NAHLN-related sample submissions and test data reporting (including pseudorabies virus bar-coded submissions). Also, this position will perform the direct work involved with trouble-shooting electronic messaging of Lab results from the Lab's LIMS to NAHLN.