Lab Matters Fall 2025 | Page 27

FOOD SAFETY

By Amy Bryant, MPH, specialist, Food Safety

Training participants for the PulseNet Laboratory and Data Analysis Workshop for Whole Genome Sequencing using Illumina Sequencing Instruments and the PulseNet 2.0 Analysis Platform. Photo: APHL.

Food safety professionals at the state, local and federal levels work in close collaboration every day to protect the public’ s health. Scientists collaborate with epidemiologists, food inspectors, state regulators, associations and federal partners to share information, recall dangerous food products and communicate with the public. If one of the components of this intricate system fails, then the risk to the public from unsafe food increases.

Sweeping cuts in federal funds have had a direct impact on public health professionals resulting in lost jobs, the elimination of programs and the erosion of institutional knowledge across government. Public health laboratories have been impacted particularly hard. While still recovering from the Great Resignation fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, laboratories are desperately attempting to fill empty positions only to be met with a lack of training opportunities for the incoming workforce.

Public Health Training Gap Must be Filled

Newly hired laboratorians need access to technical information, hands-on laboratory workshops and training on data analysis to bridge knowledge gaps and benefit public health response.

Unfortunately, limited space for training participants, the inability of trainers to travel and shrinking budgets further restrict access to already limited training opportunities. To sustain high-quality surveillance and outbreak detection programs, we must have a robust, welltrained laboratory workforce. This means continual investment in the professional and scientific development of public health laboratory staff.

Nationally, the need for laboratory training is growing faster than courses can be offered. Therefore, innovative solutions are essential to close existing training gaps with minimal impact on resource-constrained state and local agencies. To accomplish this, we must leverage the expertise and technology that currently exists in the public health community relying on the technical expertise of those who routinely plan and develop rigorous training for public health laboratories.

A New Model for PulseNet Training

In summer 2025, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services( MDHHS), APHL and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention( CDC) co-hosted a weeklong training on PulseNet standardized procedures for whole genome sequencing on Illumina instruments and PulseNet 2.0 data analysis. This training was designed for state, local and federal public health laboratory technologists for testing enteric bacterial pathogens. MDHHS generously provided the venue, subject matter expertise and logistical assistance. Trainers from MDHHS, Colorado, Tennessee and CDC provided expert instruction through a combination of live and remote presentations. The use of Microsoft Teams enabled participants to receive the same high-quality instruction provided at CDC-hosted workshops. Working with sustaining member Illumina, APHL was able to facilitate Illumina’ s generous donation of reagents and supplies to support the training. Additionally, resources provided to MDHHS through CDC’ s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity grants were used to build out an expanded and welldesigned training space. As a result of these investments and collaborations, a high-quality training was successfully delivered to 21 participants— nearly double the number typically invited to the course hosted at the CDC campus. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, as evidenced by one response:“ Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this amazing training! I learned so much valuable information that I will absolutely be using and bringing back to my laboratory to share with my coworkers.”

By leveraging the existing expertise of our members at the state and local levels and APHL’ s resources and relationships, we can begin to fill the training gap at a time of national need. MDHHS’ s first-rate contribution to fulfilling PulseNet training needs can serve as the model for future training activities. g