Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory

The Clinical Pharmacology Lab (CPL), under the direction of  Dawn Merton Boothe, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Internal Medicine) DACVCP, provides quality drug analysis services, analytical support and therapeutic drug monitoring for veterinary practitioners and commercial veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States and abroad. Support is also provided for other parties interested in the detection and/or quantitation of drugs or other compounds in a variety of media/body tissues.

The CPL studies the detection, quantification, actions, uses and effects drugs in companion and exotic animals. The CPL also develops new or improves upon previously established analytical procedures for the detection of drugs in blood.

The laboratory has the expertise and commitment to perform validation tests for all assays and perform quality assurance determinations for all studies. The laboratory is equipped with analytical equipment’s including but not limited to the Siemens Dimension Xpand Plus and High Performance Liquid Chromatography had has access to mass spectrometry.

The Pharmacology lab will soon begin offering TDM testing for cannabinoid products and plants. Please see the tab below for further information.

Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (CST)

Contact

Mailing address:

Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory
Department of APP
College of Veterinary Medicine
212 Greene Hall
College of Veterinary Medicine
Auburn, AL 36849-5518

Sample shipping address:

Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory
1500 Wire Rd.
Auburn, AL 36849

If you use our online submission form, you can take advantage of our FedEx discount and save up to 50% on standard overnight shipping. As soon as your sample information has been submitted, you will see an option to print a FedEx label as well as an estimated cost of shipping via that label.

While FedEx is our preferred method of shipping, UPS Next Day Air Saver can be used if it is more convenient for you.

When serum is requested (see specific test requirements protocol), please draw in red top tube (no serum separator tubes due to binding of drug), allow time to clot, spin down, draw off and send just the serum. This provides the cleanest sample and therefore, the most accurate results.

GPS Address:

1130 Wire Rd.
Auburn, AL 36832

Phone: 334-844-7187
Fax: 334-844-7188
Email: clinpharm@vetmed.auburn.edu

Online Payment Portal

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

To submit samples for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), please use the Sample Submission Form link below.

Tests can be run on a “stat” basis, meaning they will be run on the day of receipt if received early enough in the day (or not in the normal lab schedule for that test). Calling ahead of time will facilitate a more rapid turn around time. Please mark the appropriate box on the submission form if requesting stat service. The fee for running most tests “stat” is $50 for the first test (or peak and trough) on that patient, and $25 for subsequent tests on that same sample submission for that patient. If, however, the test is an HPLC or Mass Spec assay, the fee is $150 for each assay. The stat fee is added to the cost of monitoring.

For research sample submissions, please use the Research Sample Submission Spreadsheet (Excel).

If you encounter any problems or need assistance with the submission process, please call us at (334) 844-7187

Sample Submission Form

Recommendations for TDM (PDF)

Pricing and Sample Collection Protocols (PDF)

Analytical Service Request Form (PDF)

Online Payment Portal

Primate Sample Submission

Our laboratory must follow the protocols stipulated in our Biological Use Authorization (BUA) approved by Auburn University’s Risk Management office.

Note that submitted samples must contain a written statement that the package contains a primate sample, as well as either a written statement or paperwork certifying that the primate from which the samples were collected has been tested negative for diseases that are infectious to humans. This paperwork must be placed between the foam cooler box and the cardboard outer box, along with the standard submission form for submitting a sample for therapeutic drug monitoring. Until we have the paperwork certifying that the patient has tested negative for these diseases, per the protocols in our BUA, we cannot handle the sample(s). The samples themselves must be in a container that is separated from any other samples that are being shipped, thus to ensure that cross-contamination does not occur with non-primate samples.

Please refer to the attached documents for detailed procedures.

Due to the cost of the PPE required for safe handling of primate samples, as well as the time required to follow the safety protocols outlined in our BUA, we have added a $45 sample handling fee for all non-human primate sample submissions.

Be advised that calling the laboratory in advance to let us know when a sample is being shipped will facilitate a more rapid turn around time by allowing us to adjust our activities to prepare for sample handling. If submitting through a 3^rdparty (such as Antech, Idexx, ZNLabs, Biovet Inc or others), please require the submitting party  to adhere to these instructions. Further, instructing the submitting laboratory to provide phone numbers for the facility that collected and originally submitted the sample will facilitate completion of tests in the event that questions emerge regarding the sample.

Submitting Primate Samples (PDF)

PRIMATE ONLY NHP TDM Submission Form (PDF)

Research

We are constantly involved in research efforts that strive to advance veterinary medicine.  This research includes internal projects, graduate studies, and external sample submissions.

Research Sample Submission Spreadsheet (Excel)

Current Research Projects

Small Animal E. coli Antimicrobial Resistance Survey (SAECARS)

• Project Description: Epidemiological investigation to help delineate risk factors and current patterns of antimicrobial resistance in clinical canine and feline E. coli.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic study of Fosfomycin in Canines

• Project Description: Measuring plasma drug concentrations after oral and IV administration of Fosfomycin to canines and looking for common side effects or complications.

FRET-based, High-level Fluoroquinolone Resistance in E. coli Assay

• Project Description: Development and validation of a rapid, FRET-based, quantitative PCR Assay to identify High-level Fluoroquinolone Resistance in e. coli isolated from canine urine.

Analytical Services

The Clinical Pharmacology Lab offers Analytical Service that can be used for research projects consisting of multiple samples and potential data analysis.  This is different from Therapeutic Drug Monitoring on clinical patients.

Cost

Our costs generally range from $25-$200 depending on number of samples and ease of detection which is based on several factors (extraction, reagent costs, specificity [e.g. parent compound, metabolites, or enantiomers], sensitivity, previously developed method).  For example, an assay that is currently being run in our laboratory is likely to be less expensive than an assay that must be fully developed and validated for a new compound or species.  Costs can be paid via our Online Payment Portal.

Submission Process

To request a quote for analytical service, simply complete the Analytical Service Request Form (PDF) and submit by fax, email, or mail.  We will respond with an estimate of price and turn-around time.

Test List

The Clinical Pharmacology Lab has already developed the following assays:

Teaching

As a part of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the clinical pharmacology laboratory fulfills its commitment to teaching at several levels. Instruction at the professional level begins in the second year during the basic Pharmacology course, and continues throughout the third and fourth years in the form of Clinical Pharmacology electives and clinical case management problems. A Drug Information Center consisting of books, journals, articles and a computer based drug reference library is available for students and faculty. Graduate students in Clinical Pharmacology can work toward degrees at either the MS or PhD levels. A Clinical Pharmacology Residency program has been approved by the ACVCP. In addition to professional and graduate students, many undergraduates have an opportunity to participate in ongoing research.