Announcements

AABB Inspection

The three AABB assessors arrived unannounced on Monday, November 5, 2007 to perform the biennial AABB/College of American Pathologists (CAP) coordinated assessment of DeGowin Blood Center. AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) is an international standards setting association that accredits institutions involved in activities related to transfusion, blood product manufacture or cellular therapies. The AABB accreditation program assesses the quality and operational systems within a facility to ensure that there is compliance with the AABB Standards. In the DeGowin Blood Center, the following processes are evaluated for accreditation: blood collections, blood processing, testing, distribution and administration of blood and blood components.

The three assessors used the three AABB assessment tools (Quality System, Transfusion Service Activities and Donor Center Activities) as well as two of the CAP checklists (Transfusion Medicine and Laboratory General) in their evaluation. Each assessor performed a thorough, detailed review of her assigned area in the 1.5 days spent onsite. At the summation session, the assessors recognized the professionalism and dedication of the DeGowin Blood Center staff and staff in other areas of Pathology participating in the blood manufacturing process, acknowledging the Department of Pathology, overall, as an excellent laboratory.

There were a total of four nonconformances from the AABB assessment, with two parallel deficiencies from the CAP portion of the assessment. The team also submitted the informational inspection booklet, designed by Pathology Administration staff, to the AABB as a commendable practice (a practice that is a novel way, in the opinion of the assessor, to meet accreditation standard). What a GREAT outcome!!

Dr. Daniel Diekema has a new research contract negotiated with Merck & Company, Inc. for a research project titled Geographic Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibility of the Newly Described Species Candida orthopsilosis, in Comparison to the Closely-Related Species Candida parapsilosis. The contract total is $33,144. This contract is for the period of November 5, 2007 through October 31, 2008.

Dr. Daniel Diekema has a new research contract negotiated with MethylGene, Inc. for a research project titled Proposal for Combination Testing of MGCD290 (formerly MG3290) and Azole Antifungal Agents Against Azole-Resistant Clinical Isolates of Fungi. The contract total is $28,625. This contract is for the period of November 16, 2007 through January 31, 2008.

Dr. Daniel Diekema has a research contract negotiated with Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for a research project titled Evaluation of the In Vitro Activity of OP-001068 and OP-001516 Against a Diverse Collection of Candida, Asperigillus, Fusarium, Mucor and Rhizopus spp. The contract total is $7,500. This contract is for the period of August 15, 2007 through December 31, 2008.

Dr. Daniel Diekema has a new research contract negotiated with Astellas Pharma, Inc. for a research project titled Prospective In Vitro Antifungal Susceptibility of Fungal Blood Isolates from Long Term Care Facilities versus an Acute Care Hospital. The contract total is $14,500. This contract is for the period of October 10, 2007 through March 1, 2008.

Dr. Gary Doern has a research contract negotiated with the Schering-Plough Corporation for a research project titled RASP (Resistance Assessment by Schering-Plough). This nearly two-year contract total is $951,219, with an additional third year contract extension with funding if agreed upon by both parties in the amount of $493,500; bringing the entire award to the amount of $1,444,719. This contract is for the period of September 14, 2007 through June 30, 2009, with the possibility of additional funding through June 30, 2010.

Dr. Siegfried Janz has received a SPORE Developmental Research Project seed funding awarded from the Developmental Research and Executive Committees of the University of Iowa/Mayo Lymphoma SPORE. The title of the project is Comparative Oncogenomics of B Cell and Plasma Cell Neoplasms in Mice and Human Beings. This award is for the period of February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2009. The amount of the award is $50,000.

Dr. Jonathan Heusel and Dr. Kevin Legge, Co-Principal Investigators, received a notice of R21 funding from the National Institutes of Health. The title of the project is Innate Immune Control of Influenza Virus Infection. This award is for the period of September 25, 2007 through August 31, 2009. The amount of this award is $405,363.

Dr. Sandra Richter has a new research contract negotiated with Becton Dickinson & Company for a research project titled Product Evaluation: Phoenix and Vitek 2 Detection of MRSA. The contract total is $47,213. This contract is for the period of December 28, 2007 through December 31, 2009.

Dr. Ronald Strauss has a competitive research cooperative agreement renewed with the National Institutes of Health for a research project titled Transfusion Medicine/Hemostasis Clinical Research Network. The funding for the administrative operation for the entire project agreement period is $937,500. In addition, subject reimbursement will be paid based on enrollment up to $1,125,000 for the duration of the project. This agreement is for the period of September 1, 2007 through August 31, 2012.