The EQAPOL Luminex proficiency program was initiated as a collaboration between NIAID and the Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium (CIC). The EQAPOL Luminex EQA program assesses the proficiency of NIAID/DAIDS-supported and other interested research laboratories at performing an bead-based Luminex assay. Proficiency is assessed with the goal of helping all participating laboratories to perform the assay. Participating laboratories are required to complete two External Proficiency (EP) rounds per year.
For each EP round, Luminex program participants receive a de-identified custom 5-plex Luminex-bead assay kit (blinded to the reagent manufacturer), which includes all necessary reagents to run the assay, from a vendor selected by CIC/NIAID. In addition to these kits, sites will receive 21 test samples containing known amounts of the five cytokines measured by the assay in a human AB serum matrix.
Sites are required to run the EQAPOL-provided Luminex assay and report both site-reported observed concentrations (pg/mL) of each samples, and raw MFI data. Statistical assessment, troubleshooting, final report and discussion of results occur between participating laboratories and EQAPOL/NIAID. For each EP, sites are provided with a site-specific report. Participating laboratories are blinded with a unique EQAPOL site ID, and each laboratory is unblinded with respect to only their data sets.
The EQAPOL Luminex Proficiency Testing Program was recently accredited to theInternational Organization for Standardization/ International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) 17043:2010 standards by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).

A2LA Cert 3614.01
Upcoming EP Testing
EP18
- October 2019: EP18 shipments begin
Completed EP Testing
EP17
- April 2019: EP17 shipments begin
- May 2019: EP17 data collection closes
- June 2019: EP17 reports released
EP16
- October 2018: EP16 shipments begin
- November 2018: EP16 data collection closes
- December 2018: EP16 reports released
EP15
- April 2018: EP15 shipments begin
- June 2018: EP15 data collection closes
- July 2018: EP15 reports released
EP14
- October 30, 2017: EP14 shipments begin
- Dec 15, 2017: EP14 data collection closes
- Jan 30, 2018: EP14 reports released
EP13
- April 10, 2017: EP13 shipments begin
- July 6, 2017: EP13 data collection closes
- July 19, 2017: EP13 reports released
EP12
- October 10, 2016: EP12 shipments begin
- November 9, 2016: data collection closes
- December 15, 2016: EP11 reports released
EP11
- April 18, 2016: EP11 shipments begin
- May 24, 2016: EP11 data collection closes
- June 21, 2016: EP11 reports released
EP10
- October 12, 2015: EP10 shipments begin
- November 23, 2015: EP10 data collection closes
- December 17, 2015: EP10 reports released
EP9
- April 20, 2015: EP9 shipments begin
- May 19, 2015: EP9 data collection closes
- June 10, 2015: EP9 reports released
EP8
- October 13, 2014: EP8 shipments begin
- November 21, 2014: EP8 data collection closes
- December 18, 2014: EP8 reports released
EP7
- April 21, 2014: EP7 shipments begin
- May 29, 2014: EP7 data collection closes
- June 20, 2014: EP7 reports released
EP6
- October 14, 2013: EP6 shipments begin
- November 22, 2013: EP6 data collection closes
- December 18, 2013: EP6 reports released
EP5
- June 03, 2013: EP5 shipments begin
- July 09, 2013: EP5 data collection closes
- July 29, 2013: EP5 reports released
EP4
- February 11, 2013: EP4 shipments begin
- March 28, 2013: EP4 data collection closes
- April 23, 2013: EP4 reports released
EP3
- June 11, 2012: EP3 shipments begin
- July 23, 2013: EP3 data collection closes
- September 26, 2013: EP3 reports released
EP2
- March 19, 2012: EP2 shipments begin
- May 01, 2012: EP2 data collection closes
- June 06, 2012: EP2 reports released
EP1
- September 6, 2011: EP1 shipments begin
- January 9, 2012: EP1 reports released
Luminex Site-specific reports are available on the EQAPOL web-based system (https://eqapolapp.dhvi.duke.edu).
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