From Symptoms to Sequences: Tools for bacterial disease diagnosis workshop

About the Workshop

This 3-day hands-on workshop will focus on molecular methods used in plant diagnostic laboratories, using bacterial plant pathogens. The goal of this training is to strengthen diagnostic capacity by combining practical laboratory exercises with expert-led instruction on molecular methods and bacterial diagnostics.

Location

UF Plant Diagnostic Center
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

Dates

February 24–26, 2026.

ELISA Fundamentals

When
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ELISA Fundamentals
In-person
March 24-25, 2026

This 2-day in-person workshop will cover all aspects ELISA testing using commercially available kits. Lectures will cover the fundamentals of ELISA, different testing approaches and advantages and disadvantages of ELISA vs molecular methods with an emphasis on Good Lab Practice (GLP). The hands-on portion will give participants exposure to processing samples, the ELISA workflow and results interpretation. Note that this workshop is not required for methods-based proficiency accreditation.

Phytoplasma Molecular Detection

When
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Phytoplasma Molecular Detection
In-person
March 11-12, 2026

The Phytoplasma Molecular Detection Workshop will be returning in 2025. This 2-day workshop provides an introduction on Phytoplasmas, their taxonomy and disease symptoms associated with some of these bacterial pathogens of interest to APHIS PPQ. The hands-on portion of the training will focus on available phytoplasma-infected samples and cover sample preparation, DNA extraction/purification, molecular assays, and interpretation of results.

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