BIOSPECIMEN PROFICIENCY TESTING

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 2025 Proficiency Testing Schemes

The 2025 PT programme includes 22 processing and testing schemes.

COMBINED PROCESSING AND TESTING SCHEMES:

CIRCULATING TUMOR 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

• 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

• 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 characterization/mapping and assessment of tissue tumor content

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