HMC, WCMC-Q conduct course on biological safety

(From left) Professor Richard W Gilpin, Professor Ramzi Mohamed and Thomas L Doyle.The Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) have jointly held a course on the essential principles and practices of biological safety in laboratory and clinical research.More than 150 clinical, academic and research staff, including physicians, nurses, engineers, lab technicians and scientists from Qatar’s Academic Health System (AHS) partner organisations, attended the course.The course was led by eminent biosafety trainer Professor Richard W Gilpin, course director of the Control of Biohazards Course, originally developed at Johns Hopkins University in the US and now in its 35th year of delivery. Gilpin has over 30 years of experience as a medical faculty member and is a registered and certified biological safety professional. He also directs a legionella water testing laboratory based in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “The field of biosafety was developed back in the 1940s in the US and the UK to raise awareness among those who work with hazardous micro-organisms. Biosafety principles are designed to protect workers and support staff, people in the laboratory and in the building, and also the general public,” Gilpin said. “The training provided in the course is important for all professionals working with micro-organisms, by promoting safe ways of working through identification of potential hazards and accident prevention,” he said. “An important aspect of the training focuses on the basics of working in a laboratory: safe movements, types of gloves and protective clothing, proper hand washing techniques and how to manage spills.”Director of HMC’s Interim Translational Research Institute and head of Research for the Division of Medicine, Professor Ramzi Mohamed, said: “This course provides a vital foundation for healthcare professionals engaged in biomedical research in Qatar to continue safe and effective research.”During the course, delegates had the opportunity to delve into several biological safety concerns, including lab-acquired infections, lab design criteria and primary barriers, risk management principles, laboratory practices and techniques, and decontamination and disinfection. Thomas L Doyle, director of Environmental Health and Safety at WCMC-Q, noted: “An essential part of delivering high-quality research and clinical care is to perform it safely, thus eliminating all unacceptable risks.” Doyle added that the partnership between HMC and WCMC-Q to organise the course is beneficial for healthcare and research professionals from both institutions.  Biomedical research in Qatar aims to address national health priorities in line with the Qatar National Research Strategy.