In this webinar, Kevin Balbi, head of bioinformatics at Sarah Cannon Molecular Diagnostics, will discuss the validation of targeted sequencing panels on the Ion Torrent platform using Horizon Discovery’s Tru-Q controls. He will also discuss how those controls are being used for ongoing internal quality control (IQC) and how this has supported a recent laboratory inspection by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service under ISO15189.

Sarah Cannon Molecular Diagnostics, part of HCA Laboratories in London, offers a range of molecular assays, from single-gene variant analyses through to a 50-gene panel somatic variant analysis, MLH1 promoter hypermethylation, T & B cell clonality assessment, and microsatellite instability status.

Validation of targeted sequencing panels for clinical diagnostic use requires reference material with a range of known variants and confirmed variant frequencies. Additionally, the continual assessment of assay performance is key to ensuring robust and reliable results. Dr. Balbi will demonstrate how his team has validated three targeted DNA sequencing panels for clinical diagnostic use and assessed their limit of detection using the Horizon Discovery Tru-Q controls. He will explain the lab’s approach to IQC, also showing the reliability of the assays over time. These data contributed to the accreditation of the bioinformatics workflow under ISO15189.