# Enhancing the Capacity and Capability of Human Food and Environmental Testing Laboratory at the Texas Department of State Health Services: Special Projects Method Development and Method Validation

> **NIH FDA U19** · TEXAS STATE DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES · 2020 · $40,682

## Abstract

Project Summary: Discipline D Special Projects 
Track 3- Method Development/Validation, Multi-laboratory Validation of a qPCR Screening 
 Method for Salmonella in Foods 
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Laboratory Services Section (LSS) 
has been a member of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Emergency Response 
Network (FERN) and the Genome Trakr Network and a member of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC) Laboratory Response Network (LRN), PulseNet, and CaliciNet. 
LSS is also ISO/IEC 17025 accredited for ten food tests that cover Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli 
O157:H7, Campylobacter, and the Big “6” non-O157 STEC species, receiving and analyzing 
approximately 2,500 food samples per year. As a part of an integrated food safety system, the 
LSS is committed to facilitating and improving food testing surveillance, inspection, and 
investigation in the State of Texas. 
The goal of this project is to participate in preliminary, short-term, or exploratory multi-laboratory 
validation (MLV) studies that focus on testing the feasibility of the FDA qPCR Screening Method 
for identifying Salmonella in foods. The LSS Advanced Molecular Microbiology group (AMMG) 
will follow the most up-to-date FDA protocols and processes as specified by the FDA. With two 
ABI 7500 Fast Real-Time PCR systems, the AMMG can test up to 1000 Salmonella food and 
environmental samples per year in addition to all routine and maintenance activities and does 
not expect any issues in performance capacity to participate in the MLV studies. With the funds 
provided from this grant, LSS will purchase supplies needed to participate in the MLV studies, 
train staff, perform the studies, participate in meetings and activities related to the studies, and 
maintain facilities and personnel necessary to complete the work proposed. 
Funding provided by this cooperative agreement will serve to strengthen our states commitment 
to a safe food supply and improve the ability of DSHS to respond to a large-scale threat to the 
nation's food supply.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10174182
- **Project number:** 1U19FD007080-01
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS STATE DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES
- **Principal Investigator:** Rachel C. Lee
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $40,682
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10174182

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10174182, Enhancing the Capacity and Capability of Human Food and Environmental Testing Laboratory at the Texas Department of State Health Services: Special Projects Method Development and Method Validation (1U19FD007080-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10174182. Licensed CC0.

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