Proficiency testing (PT) has been part of Immunogenetics since its early days. Starting from spontaneous interlaboratory comparisons, it gradually moved to more elaborate quality control exercises. Immunogenetics PT finally evolved into a formalized system comprising a range of testing schemes, the rules of which have been fine-tuned and approved with the assistance of professional societies.
Current external PT (EPT) schemes offer to survey laboratory performance in all spectra of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (H & I) applications, ranging from HLA typing at various resolution levels, to detection and identification of HLA antibodies and crossmatching, to name the most sought categories.
Successful performance in EPT has been considered a prerequisite to laboratory accreditation. EPT has been vital to patient care by ensuring valid, clinically relevant typing data is obtained according to recognized standards. In prevailing opinion, participation in EPT contributes to increased laboratory organization and enhanced lab-wide comprehension of the significance of laboratory work in clinical settings. Secondarily, experience with proficiency testing may help raise scientific research quality by emphasizing data validity.
The Editors invite all members of histocompatibility and immunogenetics communities, who have been involved in various aspects of PT, to submit manuscripts:
- describing the state of the art of H & I PT,
- surveying options available for interested laboratories in diverse continents/regions,
- reporting the experiences of PT participants and/or PT providers,
- assessing the awareness of, and/or states of, PT issues in the community, etc.
- Proposing new areas for PT in H & I.
Opinion and Perspective articles discussing the future of Proficiency testing are welcome, along with reviews and original manuscripts.
Contributions may be based on solid research data; however, a personal reflection of experience from participation in or organizing a PT scheme would be also interesting to readers and welcomed by The Editors.
Proficiency testing (PT) has been part of Immunogenetics since its early days. Starting from spontaneous interlaboratory comparisons, it gradually moved to more elaborate quality control exercises. Immunogenetics PT finally evolved into a formalized system comprising a range of testing schemes, the rules of which have been fine-tuned and approved with the assistance of professional societies.
Current external PT (EPT) schemes offer to survey laboratory performance in all spectra of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (H & I) applications, ranging from HLA typing at various resolution levels, to detection and identification of HLA antibodies and crossmatching, to name the most sought categories.
Successful performance in EPT has been considered a prerequisite to laboratory accreditation. EPT has been vital to patient care by ensuring valid, clinically relevant typing data is obtained according to recognized standards. In prevailing opinion, participation in EPT contributes to increased laboratory organization and enhanced lab-wide comprehension of the significance of laboratory work in clinical settings. Secondarily, experience with proficiency testing may help raise scientific research quality by emphasizing data validity.
The Editors invite all members of histocompatibility and immunogenetics communities, who have been involved in various aspects of PT, to submit manuscripts:
- describing the state of the art of H & I PT,
- surveying options available for interested laboratories in diverse continents/regions,
- reporting the experiences of PT participants and/or PT providers,
- assessing the awareness of, and/or states of, PT issues in the community, etc.
- Proposing new areas for PT in H & I.
Opinion and Perspective articles discussing the future of Proficiency testing are welcome, along with reviews and original manuscripts.
Contributions may be based on solid research data; however, a personal reflection of experience from participation in or organizing a PT scheme would be also interesting to readers and welcomed by The Editors.