With the increase in haematopoietic stem cell transplantations the use of chimerism analysis has become an integral tool for the monitoring of donor engraftment. It enables early detection of relapse/loss of engraftment and pre-emptive therapeutic intervention. Quantitative molecular analysis of donor and recipient derived cells routinely use the highly polymorphic Short Tandem Repeats (STR) analysis.
In this programme participants are provided with fresh peripheral blood that represents donor, recipient and post SCT samples. Participants are asked to submit an overall % donor engraftment together with details of the methodology.
Our Post SCT Chimerism Programme operates with 5
trial issues of 4 samples: 1x donor, 1x recipient and 2x post SCT/trial issue, per annum. This is to ensure adherence to the European Federation of Immunogenetics (EFI) Standards for
Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Testing Version 6.3 that were published on the 1st Oct 2015. This mandates in Standard C6.4.7: ‘10 EQA tests of different donor/recipient mixtures in the range
0% - 100%, excluding the reference donor and recipient samples to be tested [per annum].’
No activities in relation to this EQA programme are subcontracted.
To register for this programme, please click here.