BIOSPECIMEN PROFICIENCY TESTING

We provide a Proficiency Testing (PT) programme to laboratories working with biospecimens, including biorepositories, clinical laboratories, research organisations and bioservice providers. Our research focus on biospecimen science, our dedication to quality and our range of in-house services make us an ideal partner for PT. Our PT programme is endorsed by the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER).

Take PART

Validate your routine lab methods

The PT programme provides an external quality assessment tool to verify the precision and accuracy of your biospecimen testing methods, and the efficiency of your processing methods.

Compare your performance to others

The principle of performance benchmarking applied in our PT programme means that your results will be compared to those of other laboratories, from different sectors all over the world.

Comply with certification & accreditation requirements

Proficiency testing offers organisations that are seeking compliance with ISO 20387, ISO 17025, ISO 15189, CLIA, CAP or equivalent, the opportunity to fulfill the respective normative requirements.

Gain more credibility & visibility

By participating in our PT programme you can assure customers, collaborators, funding agencies and regulatory bodies of the validity of your results. This can help build your reputation for high quality laboratory methods and gain international visibility. 

Improve performance & prove consistency

The assessment of your laboratory’s proficiency allows you to monitor and improve performance by identifying potential problems and providing additional motivation. Regular participation in our PT programme will also prove consistency of performance over time.

Our 2023 Proficiency Testing Schemes

The 2023 PT programme includes 22 processing and testing schemes.

You can decide to participate in one or more schemes for 1, 2 or 3 consecutive years.

COMBINED PROCESSING AND TESTING SCHEMES

CIRCULATING TUMOUR CELLS (CTC) ISOLATION AND DETECTION

  • VyCAP system
  • Siemens system with Whatman membranes
PROCESSING SCHEMES

DUAL DNA/RNA EXTRACTION FROM FROZEN TISSUE

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Salting out
  • Phenol Trizol

CSF ALIQUOTING

  • Aliquoting

VIABLE PBMC ISOLATION

  • Manual extraction
  • Automated extraction

DNA EXTRACTION FROM BUFFY COAT – NEW!

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Salting out

DNA EXTRACTION FROM WHOLE BLOOD

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Salting out

DNA EXTRACTION FROM FFPE MATERIAL

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Salting out

DNA EXTRACTION FROM FROZEN TISSUE

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Salting out

MICROBIAL DNA EXTRACTION FROM SALIVA

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Salting out

MICROBIAL DNA EXTRACTION FROM STOOL

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Salting out

CELL FREE DNA (cfDNA) EXTRACTION FROM WHOLE BLOOD

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Salting out

RNA EXTRACTION FROM BUFFY COAT – NEW!

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Phenol Trizol

RNA EXTRACTION FROM WHOLE BLOOD

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Phenol Trizol

RNA EXTRACTION FROM FFPE MATERIAL

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Phenol Trizol

TOTAL RNA EXTRACTION FROM FROZEN TISSUE

  • Magnetic bead-based
  • Silica membrane-based
  • Phenol Trizol

CELL FREE RNA (cfRNA) EXTRACTION FROM PLASMA

  • Magnetic Bead-Based
  • Silica Membrane-Based
  • Trizol

TESTING SCHEMES

DNA QUANTIFICATION AND PURITY

  • Spectrophotometry (ng/µl and 260/280 ratio)
  • Spectrofluorometry (ng/µl)
  • Microfluidics LabOnchip (ng/µl)
  • Lunatic Spectrophotometry (ng/µl and 260/280 ratio)

RNA QUANTIFICATION AND PURITY

  • Spectrophotometry (ng/µl and 260/280 ratio)
  • Spectrofluorometry (ng/µl)
  • Microfluidics LabOnchip (ng/µl)
  • Lunatic Spectrophotometry (ng/µl and 260/280 ratio)

RNA INTEGRITY

  • Agilent Bioanalyzer (RIN)
  • Biorad Experion (RQI)
  • Agilent TapeStation Systems (SDV)
  • Fragment Analyzer (RQN)
  • QIAxcel System (RIS)
  • Caliper LabChip GX (RQS)
  • Qubit 4 Fluorometer (RNA IQ)

CELL VIABILITY

  • Staining-based (e.g. trypan blue)
  • Flow Cytometry

DNA INTEGRITY

  • Agilent TapeStation (DIN)
  • Caliper LabChip GX (GQS)
  • Fragment Analyzer (GQN)
  • QIAxcel System

TISSUE HISTOLOGY

  • Tissue characterisation/mapping and assessment of tissue tumor content

Key dates to keep in mind

08 May 2023: Registration opens online
31 August 2023: Registration closes
October 2023: Standardised samples will be shipped to your location
November 2023: Data submission deadline
March 2024: Your report(s) will be sent electronically

Pricing

PT schemes fall under three different price categories. The prices indicated in the table below are per individual scheme.

If you decide to participate in 2 or 3 consecutive years for a defined scheme, you will benefit from a 7.5 or 15% discount, respectively. ISBER members benefit from a 15% discount on all the listed fees. You can participate in one or more PT schemes.

The table below summarises the fees ** (in EUR) for the 2023 PT programme:

SchemesCode2023
DNA Quantification and Purity*DNAQ23 €499
RNA Integrity*RNAI23 €499
RNA Quantification and Purity*RNAQ23 €499
Cell Viability*CELL23 €499
DNA integrity*DNAI23 €499
Tissue Histology*THIS23 €399
CSF Aliquoting***CSAL23 €399
 DNA Extraction from Buffy Coat – NEW!***DNABLD23 €299
 DNA Extraction from Whole Blood***DNABFF23 €299
 DNA Extraction from FFPE Material***DNAFFC23 €299
 RNA Extraction from Buffy Coat – NEW!***DNABFF23 €299
 RNA Extraction from Whole Blood***RNABLD23 €299
 RNA Extraction from FFPE Material***RNAFFC23 €299
 Microbial DNA Extraction from Saliva***DNASAL23 €299
 Microbial DNA Extraction from Stool***DNASTL23 €299
 Cell Free DNA (cfDNA) Extraction from Whole Blood***cfDNA23 €299
 DNA Extraction from Frozen Tissue***DNAFRT23 €299
 Total RNA Extraction from Frozen Tissue***RNAFRT23 €299
Viable PBMC Isolation***PBMC23 €299
Cell Free RNA (cfRNA) Extraction from Plasma***cfRNA23 €299
Dual DNA/RNA Extraction from Frozen Tissue***DUALFRT23 €299
Circulating Tumour Cells (CTC) Isolation and DetectionCTC23 €299

* For these schemes, you may test multiple methods in the same run according to the lists of accepted methods. For DNAQ23, RNAQ23, RNAI23, DNAI23, CELL23 and THIS23, you may enter up to 10 replicate measurements.

**Prices are subject to change. Terms and conditions apply. 

***Shipping costs to IBBL will be covered by the participants.

No refunds are available after the registration deadline. Partial refunds are available for cancellation requests received in writing prior to the end of the registration period, after an administrative cancellation fee of 100€ (EUR) is applied.

French clients are normally eligible for tax relief of up to 50% on their R&D expenditure at IBBL. Read more about the Crédit d’impôt recherche.

N.B.: the street address on the registration form will be used as the SHIPPING address. If the samples should be shipped to a different address, please send that address to ISBERPT@ibbl.lu.

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How does it work?

Our PT programme works as an external quality assessment tool that lets you verify and benchmark the performance of your biospecimen processing or testing methods through the following steps:

What do you receive?

In the end, each participant receives:

  • a personalised report
  • a certificate of participation
  • a label of participation

Participants

If you have registered for the 2023 PT programme, you can access your account by clicking on the login button below.
You should also download the Participant Manual, the Instructions for Shipment (only for Processing Schemes) and the information sheets corresponding to the schemes you have signed up for:

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