Date of Completion

Spring 5-1-2021

Thesis Advisor(s)

Angela Starkweather

Honors Major

Biological Sciences

Abstract

In the United States, performance of clinical laboratory testing on human subjects follows federal standards of regulation set by CLIA, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988. This however, comes with the exception of research and trials that are more basic in nature. Thus, despite quality control being a crucial area of research, it lacks defined processes and stringent regulations, making the data put out by such laboratories unclear on the use or lack of quality control measures, by extension making the quality of the data collected inconclusive. This makes for studies and data output that differ in quality and accuracy among the research laboratories that exist, and even more problematically a lack of detailed writing on the markers, techniques, and quality control methods, if any, that were used from study to study. It is necessary for regulations that provide a level of consistency when measuring the quality of data, samples, and procedures that take place in all laboratories to be implemented. Analysis of current quality control methods in place for genomic testing and analysis of DNA/RNA and further comparison of such methods to a research study pertaining to yoga intervention in lower back pain will aid in the development of a more standard practice of quality control measurement across all research laboratories.

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