The McGowan CPCS offers additional support services to other Pitt Departments and external users including:

Materials Sterilization Services

  • High Temp Steam/Autoclave
  • Low Temp Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (Steris V-PRO s2 STERILIZER)

STAT- Clinical Pathology – Blood Labs

  • Zoetis VETSCAN HM5 CBC Hematology Analyzer and Zoetis VS2 Serum Chemistry Analyzer
    • Supporting all Large and Small Animal Research Models
    • Results available within 1 hour following blood sample submission when needed

Quality Assurance Advisement & Monitoring

The Quality Assurance Core at the CPCS consists of Shawn Bengtson, RQAP-GLP and Nika Hazen, RQAP-GLP, as credentialed Quality Assurance Professionals specializing in academic environments. The QA Core provides monitoring support following general expectations by regulatory authorities and industry for the establishment of internal quality management systems based on individual laboratory needs used throughout a variety of departments at the University of Pittsburgh.

  • Areas of competency & advising include:
    • Quality Systems Development- Fit for Purpose for Academic Environments
      • Data Integrity
        • Reproducibility
        • Traceability
        • Overall Study Reconstruction
      • FDA, EPA & OECD GLP Regulations & Standards
      • DAIDS Good Clinical Laboratory Practice Standards
      • FDA Animal Efficacy Rule

Note: Though the University of Pittsburgh polices do not permit or support regulated nonclinical research/testing as described in the scope of 21 CFR 58 FDA Good Laboratory Practices Regulation, the GLP principles used as a general reference standard provide a framework approach to a quality system, that when appropriately applied, will result in well-documented & well-controlled research outcomes.