Dear Colleague,

Thank You for Attending the PDA Pharmaceutical Microbiology Conference 2025!

As we wrap up this year’s Conference, we want to thank everyone who joined us in Washington, DC. Your active participation and thoughtful contributions helped make this year’s event a true success.

Yesterday's Key Moments 

Day 3 of our conference was packed with information focused on human error and navigating a career in pharmaceutical microbiology, both moderated by Frederic (Fred) B. Ayers, Senior Consultant-Microbiology, ValSource Inc.

P4: Beyond Blame: A Systems Approach to Understanding and Preventing Human Error, explored how a systems-based perspective can transform the way organizations understand, investigate, and mitigate human error. Dr. Patrice Tremoulet, MS, Director of Human Factors Engineering, ECRI, a leading expert in human factors and cognitive systems engineering, shared practical strategies for identifying systemic contributors to error, designing resilient processes, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Fred’s takeaway from the session was that building a culture where people understand mistakes will happen—and that reporting them is essential—is key to progress. By acknowledging and sharing errors, we lift the entire organization.

Fred led the final plenary session P5: From Classroom to Cleanroom: Navigating a Career in Pharmaceutical Microbiology. He was joined by a panel of four industry professionals who shared how they got their start, their insights on where the industry is headed, and practical tips for those just beginning their careers. One of the panel members, Marc Glogovsky, Business Unit Manager - Microbiology, ValSource Inc., highlighted that when entering or transitioning into a new field, it is essential to learn every aspect of the process—even those that may not directly relate to your specific job responsibilities.

Evaluations

If you have not already done so, please take a moment to complete the General Conference Evaluation. Take a moment to also complete the session evaluations in the My PDA App — your perspective helps us refine and strengthen next year’s conference.

Thanks again for spending time with us and we appreciate your input and support!

We look forward to seeing you next year, 26-28 October 2026 in Washington, DC!

Sincerely, 

Lori Daane, PhD, and Erika A. Pfeiler, PhD 

PDA Pharmaceutical Microbiology Conference 2025 Co-Chairs