Diagnostic Toxicology Support for the VetLRN

The objective of this proposal is to describe our laboratory's involvement in the FDA's Veterinary Laboratory Response Network (VetLRN). It will explain how we plan to provide analytical support for the analysis of animal tissues, feeds, foods, and other matrices of concern in the event that there is a chemical contamination incident that potentially compromises the safety of our nation's animal food supply or the health and safety of livestock, companion animals, or people. We propose to participate, as needed, in the development and expansion of analytical methods designed to screen a variety of matrices for diverse and potentially harmful chemicals, including unknown compounds, using GC/MS, LC/MS, ICP/MS, ELISA, and other analytical methodologies. Laboratory personnel will participate in training exercises designed to assess the ability of VetLRN to respond to surveillance, emergency response, and recovery scenarios, participate in national and regional meetings, and assist with the development and validation of methods for the analysis of chemical contaminants. <p>Specific objectives include:</p><p><ol><li>Training of laboratory personnel in analytical methodologies needed by the VetLRN</li><li>Provision of analytical expertise to the improvement, expansion, and validation of existing VetLRN methods</li><li>Assistance with the development of new methods for the VetLRN as needed</li><li>Participation in VetLRN proficiency testing programs</li><li>Collaboration with other VetLRN member laboratories to ensure the effectiveness of the VetLRN program</li><li>Participation in surveillance, emergency response, or recovery exercises as the need arises</li><li>Effectively communicating with other VetLRN laboratories via the use of eLEXNET