The Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences organized an expert talk on Sterilization on 01/10/2025 delivered by Mr. Gurinder Singh, Head of the Department of Allied Health Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara. He has extensive experience in infection control, sterilization protocols, and allied health education. His practical approach and experience in implementing sterilization programs in healthcare settings made the talk particularly valuable for students and staff. The session aimed to strengthen students’ and staff’s practical knowledge of sterilization principles, methods, standards, and best practices applicable in clinical and laboratory environments.
The objectives of the Talk was
- To provide an overview of sterilization and disinfection principles.
- Explain commonly used sterilization techniques in healthcare and laboratory settings.
- Discuss factors affecting sterilization efficacy and methods to verify effectiveness.
- Share standard operating procedures (SOPs), safety precautions, and regulatory considerations. Offer practical demonstrations/real-life examples and answer participant queries.
Mr. Gurinder Singh began with the foundational concepts of microbial contamination, modes of transmission, and the difference between sterilization, disinfection, and antisepsis. He emphasized the importance of sterilization in preventing nosocomial infections and maintaining sample integrity in diagnostic labs , He also discussed the Importance of monitoring temperature, time, and pressure, use of biological indicators, chemical indicators, and mechanical indicators, Sterilization is critical for patient safety and laboratory accuracy; selecting the appropriate method depends on the item type, material compatibility, and operational constraints. He explained the importance of regular validation using biological indicators and routine tests for ensuring efficacy. Feedback forms indicated that the session was highly informative, practical, and relevant to both students and laboratory staff. Participants appreciated the real-life case studies and the step-by-step explanation of validation techniques. The expert talk by Mr. Gurinder Singh provided a comprehensive, practical overview of sterilization principles, methods, and quality assurance practices. The session strengthened participants’ understanding of how to maintain sterility in clinical and laboratory environments, and offered actionable recommendations to improve institutional sterilization protocols.