Test Smarter, Stay Compliant: Validated Pathogen Detection Methods Built for Your Lab's Workflow
WEBINAR
Not all pathogen detection methods are created equal — and choosing the right technology for your lab's specific needs can make the difference between a fast, confident result and a costly, time-consuming process. From single use immunological assays to automated molecular platforms and novel enrichment media preparation, today's food safety labs have more options than ever. The real challenge is knowing which approach fits your pathogen targets, food sample matrix, throughput requirements, and operational environment.
In this webinar, our food safety experts will guide you through the science and strategy behind selecting the optimal detection technology for your workflow. We will explore how immunoassay-based methods (lateral flow), molecular techniques (qPCR with immunomagnetic separation), each offer distinct advantages in terms of specificity, sensitivity, speed, and ease of use — and how combining these approaches, as exemplified by the Assurance® GDS platform, can deliver superior results. We will also show how a fully integrated, end-to-end workflow — from enrichment media preparation (ReadyStream®) through to rapid detection — improves lab efficiency and supports your quality program. And because compliance matters, we will demonstrate how our portfolio of AOAC, AFNOR, MicroVal, and Health Canada-validated solutions, together with Certified Reference Microorganisms (Vitroids™ & LENTICULE® Discs), ensures your chosen method is audit-ready from day one.
Key Learnings:
- Match your detection technology to your lab's real-world needs — understand the trade-offs between immunological methods (lateral flow), molecular biology (qPCR), and traditional media in terms of specificity, speed, sensitivity, and operational fit, so you can build a workflow that works for your production environment.
- See how combining technologies unlocks superior performance — discover how the Assurance® GDS platform uniquely integrates immunomagnetic separation (IMS) with qPCR to concentrate target pathogens, reduce PCR inhibitors, and deliver results in as few as 8–10 hours for Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli O157:H7, STEC, and more.
- Simplify QC with certified reference materials that do the heavy lifting — Vitroids™ and LENTICULE® Discs (ISO 17025/17034) reduce documentation burden and streamline your daily QC routine, giving you traceable, reproducible results with confidence.
Speakers
Sally Powell Price, PGDip, MSc
Merck
Regulatory & Public Health Expert, F&B Safety Testing
Joined Merck in 2020 as a Regulatory Subject Matter Expert for Public Health and Food Safety with a focus on food, water, and environmental pathogen testing in North America. Previously, she served as Director of Lab Operations at Puretech Health, and Lab Supervisor at the New York City Department of Health Public Health Laboratory supporting food and Legionella outbreak response testing. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Hamilton College, an MSc in Microbiology & Immunology from James Cook University in Australia, and did continuing coursework in public health at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and the University of Vermont Grossman School of Business. She has served as an Advisory Panel member for AOAC International and currently co-chairs both the International and Governmental Relations Committee and the Laboratory Science and Technology Committee for the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO).
Lyssa Sakaley MS, MBA
Merck
Senior Global Product Manager
Lyssa Sakaley is currently the Senior Global Product Manager for Assurance® GDS, a novel food pathogen screening qPCR system, which is part of the BioMonitoring Business Portfolio for Merck. She has worked in the Food and Beverage segment for more than 15 years, starting out as a Quality Lab Technician prior to moving into Sales and Marketing roles at 3M, Univar (ChemPoint.com), and BioControl Systems. Lyssa has a MS in Biology from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA, USA and a MBA from City University of Seattle in Bellevue, WA, USA.
Adam Didier, Ph.D.
Merck
Technical Lead, Food & Beverage
As Technical Lead in the Food & Beverage group of BioMonitoring, Adam works to develop qPCR testing kits to detect bacterial pathogens. He leads a multidisciplinary team to support food safety in North America and Europe. Adam joined Merck in 2020 in the Microbiome sequencing center and transitioned to a technical lead for F&B in 2022. Adam is trained as a molecular geneticist with his Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a focus on Genetics and his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. He is involved in product development, validation with regulatory bodies, and tech scouting to continue to expand and enhance pathogen detection.
Khyati Shah, Ph.D.
Merck
Global Product Manager
Khyati Shah is a Global Product Manager at Merck with a PhD in Molecular Biology and an academic background spanning Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Biology. With over 13 years of experience in research, product development, and method validation, she has spent her career turning complex science into practical food safety solutions. In her current role, she leads a global portfolio covering immunoassay-based pathogen detection and hygiene monitoring products — the very technologies you will be hearing about today, making her perfectly placed to guide you through selecting the right detection method for your lab.