This practical course will cover the basic principles used in in the identification of fungi isolated in the diagnostic laboratory. Basic enteroblastic fungal structure will be introduced. Delegates will learn how to identify and recognise core fungal morphology including conidia, conidiophores, phialides, metulae and some specialised structures such as annellides, Hülle cells and chlamydospores, and how such attributes can be used in the identification of fungi. A basic level of microbiology knowledge and experience is required (e.g. work within microbiology laboratory, BSc in allied science subject). It is recommended that delegates also undertake the dermatophyte course.

Duration 
1 day (various dates)

CPD 
6 points

Who should attend?
This course is designed for microbiologists at all levels including but not limited to biomedical/healthcare scientists and medical microbiologists who are currently working in the laboratory.

Location 
Courses are held in Bristol, UK

Course Organiser and Speaker 
Dr Mark Fraser, BSc, MSc, PhD. Clinical Scientist (Zoma Fungal Diagnostics Ltd)

Learning Objectives for the course

• To facilitate delegates with the skills to handle and approach the identification of potentially pathogenic fungi.
• To demonstrate the different methods for the preparation of microscopic mounts, the benefits/disadvantages to different approaches
• Be able to recognise the key morphological features seen in enteroblastic fungi including conidia, conidiophores, phialides and metulae.
• To enable the identification of common pathogenic fungi recovered from clinical samples, enhance confidence in the identification to species level and to be able to distinguish these from some environmental organisms with similar morphological features.
• Delegates will be able to separate Aspergillus spp. from Penicillium spp. and Penicillium-like enteroblastic fungi.

Contact [email protected] for more details, or visit www.zomafungal.com

This practical course will expand on the contents of the separate Common Pathogenic Fungi and Dermatophyte identification courses with a focus on more complex morphologies and challenging identification. For example, delegates will learn to identify holoblastic fungi, mucoraceous fungi, and features of common environmental fungi including sexual structures, and how such attributes can be used in the identification of fungi. Moderate level of baseline fungal identification and experience is required (e.g. dermatophyte and common pathogenic fungi course). It is recommended that delegates also undertake both the dermatophyte and the common pathogenic fungal identification courses.

Duration
1 day (various dates)

CPD
6 points

Who should attend?
This course is designed for microbiologists at all levels including but not limited to biomedical/healthcare scientists and medical microbiologists who are currently working in the laboratory.

Location
Courses are held in Bristol, UK

Course Organiser and Speaker
Dr Mark Fraser, BSc, MSc, PhD. Clinical Scientist (Zoma Fungal Diagnostics Ltd)

Learning Objectives for the course

• To develop the skills to handle and approach the identification of potentially pathogenic fungi.
• To recognise the key morphological features seen in holoblastic fungi, mucoraceous fungi and some frequent environmental fungi often isolated in the diagnostic laboratory.
• Delegates will be able to recognise mucoraceous fungal growth and key features, understand the appearance of yeast-like fungi such as Exophiala spp. and differentiate between enteroblastic and holoblastic conidiogenesis.
• Delegates will be able to provide reasonable indication of the likelihood of significance of isolation of fungal species from different sample types and patient groups.

Contact [email protected] for more details, or visit www.zomafungal.com

This practical course will cover the basic principles in the isolation of fungi from skin, hair and nails including best practice for isolation, incubation, and microscopic diagnosis. Basic fungal structure will be introduced so that delegates can differentiate macro/microconidia, arthrospores and hyphae. This course requires a basic level of microbiology and some laboratory experience of the processing of diagnostic samples.

Duration 
1 day (various dates)

CPD 
5 points

Who should attend? 
This course is designed for microbiologists at all levels including but not limited to biomedical/healthcare scientists and medical microbiologists who are currently working in the laboratory.

Location 
Courses are held in Bristol, UK

Course Organiser and Speaker 
Dr Mark Fraser, BSc, MSc, PhD. Clinical Scientist (Zoma Fungal Diagnostics Ltd)

Learning Objectives for the course

• To demonstrate techniques for the processing of skin, hair, and nails to maximise recovery of fungal pathogens and reduce contamination.
• To explain the best practice process for the visualisation of fungal elements in skin, hair, and nails.
• To be able to identify common features seen in the direct microscopic examination of skin, hair, and nails such as arthrospores, hyphae, fronding, yeast cells and Malassezia spp. cells using fluorescence dyes.
• To provide delegates with the skills to identify the three main genus of dermatophytes: Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton whilst enhancing their confidence in the identification to species level.
• To recognise and identify examples of non-dermatophyte fungi which may also be a cause skin and nail infections.

Contact [email protected] for more details, or visit www.zomafungal.com

Laboratory Management Online will provide you with comprehensive conceptual knowledge and the practical skills needed to become a Laboratory Manager. This course empowers staff with a technical background to transition into a leadership position. The course builds an understanding of the importance of strategy, operations, management fundamentals, financial basics, and quality in the laboratory.

Duration
10 Weeks

Weekly Study 
3 Hours

100% Online
Study at your own pace

How it works
https://www.labvinelearning.com/Browse/Details/Lab-Management-Online

Duration
2 – 6 September 2023, then 2 hours every Saturday for 3 months.

CPD
65 CPD points

Who should attend?

• Newly appointed consultants wishing to peruse a career in a Dermatopathology
• Pathologists and dermatologists practising Dermatopathology or general Histopathology
• Pathologists and dermatologists preparing for the Dermatopathology Diploma exams

Location
Virtual

Topics covered
Interactive power point presentations (introduction to clinical dermatology, inflammatory and Neoplastic skin disorders) including discussion of interesting cases.

Candidates will have an online access to 1000 scanned slides.

Course Organiser and Speakers

• Professor Hazem Ibrahim, Consultant Dermatopathologist & Dermatologist PhD, DIC, Dip Derm, Dip Dermpath, EBP, FRCPath (Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust)
• Dr Victoria Swale; Consultant Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist (Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust)
• Dr Saleem Taibjee; Consultant Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist MB BCh, BMedSci, MRCPCH, CCT (Dermatology), DipRCPath (Dermatopathology) (Dorset County Hospital & Poundbury Cancer Institute).
• Dr Nicholas Tiffin; Consultant dermatopathologist FRCPATH, St George's University Hospital, London, and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
• Dr James Carton; Consultant Dermatopathologist MA MB BChir FRCPath DipRCPath (North West London Pathology, Charing Cross Hospital, London)

For more information, please email Dr Hend Mahfouz: [email protected]