On the 23rd of June IQN Path organised the first IQN Path workshop on circulating free DNA testing. This meeting was held in the beautiful city of Florence, Italy. The meeting had over 100 registrants and drew attendees from 23 different countries in total demonstrating the importance and interest in the topic of quality for cfDNA testing.
This one day workshop entitled “From sample collection to clinical integration of the results – ensuring end to end quality “, was divided into educational sessions on different topics relating to the details of cfDNA testing and a breakout session in the afternoon with delegate participation.
In the educational session, in-depth technical topics covered ranged from blood drawing and collection tubes, cfDNA extraction methods, methodologies for cfDNA testing, current clinical applications, and introduction to quality processes and the importance of quality, and the initial results of the IQN Path pilot for cfDNA that had been organised by UK NEQAS Molecular Genetics, EMQN, ESP EQA and AIOM under the umbrella of IQN Path.
There was also a series of talks from companies describing new tools and technologies available in the field. Talks were given by Biocartis, Seracare, Qiagen, Horizon and ThermoFisher Scientific.
Publications resulting from this work shall be submitted to peer reviewed journals, including a consensus report on cfDNA testing drawing on the main themes and discussions from the ctDNA workshop.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank both the sponsors of the cfDNA workshop and the sponsors of the cfDNA pilot for helping us to create this event as a successful and educational day.
Many thanks to the EQA providers UK NEQAS, EMQN, AIOM and the ESP EQA for all their hard word in delivering the joint IQN Path ctDNA pilot and in preparing and delivering the workshop and many thanks to the IQN Path staff who helped to organise the event.
