Our clinical PK team had a valuable and comprehensive training session on VAMS provided by SEPARATIONS team. Nicolas Tagliatti who is a sales professional-Biotechniques led the training along with his colleagues, Zelda Roch (Divisional Manager: Chromtechniques) and Natasha Kitchin (Applications specialist: Molecular).

Volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) is a newer, alternative microsampling technique that has been developed in response to the challenges of DBS analysis. The training was composed of two parts: A boardroom training which focused on the principles of VAMS and most importantly, what makes them unique from other microsampling techniques. The second part of the training was a practical, hands-on lab training, where the correct use of VAMS was demonstrated, either from a finger prick which would mostly be applicable in a clinical setting or from a tube containing whole blood, which was mostly applicable in our case as we prepare our standards and quality control samples from spiked whole blood.

The combination of the boardroom and hands-on lab training was an effective approach to ensure that everyone grasps both the theoretical background and the practical aspects of using VAMS. Having the opportunity to learn from experts like Nicolas, Zelda, and Natasha undoubtedly enhanced the team's capability to generate high-quality data for our clients.

Moving forward, with this new knowledge and skill set in VAMS, our clinical PK team is well-equipped to further advance in the field, contributing to scientific progress and delivering excellence in data quality. This was, indeed, an exciting time for our clinical PK team as we are dedicated to stay at the forefront of scientific advancements.