News Releases

August 2 and 3, 2007 SMI pushed back previously held expectations of how many samples could be analyzed at a laboratory when the staff performed male-specific and somatic coliphage tests using EPA method 1602 on more than 170 samples in support of a large epidemiology study.   Each sample required 20 petri dishes resulting in over 3000 plates!  The magnitude of the endevour is partially captured by the associated photo.

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May 2, 2007  SMI will introduce the EasyPhage test kit for fecal indicator viruses (coliphages) at the American Society for Microbiology annual meeting in Toronto (June 22 to 24). The product is a collaboration with Micrology Laboratories and employs their patented pectin technology.  The kit will permit investigators to sample food and water and permits ennumeration of the plaques formed by the viruses.  EasyPhage eliminates the need to autoclave media and the problems associated with tempering agar.  In addition, the kit provides stronge color contrast between the plaques and the reddish host bacterial lawn (see below).

April 23, 2007 SMI received third Phase II SBIR commercialization grant. 

SMI received the signed contract awarding the company its third Phase II SBIR commercialization grant.  This grant is the second Phase II research proposal funded by the EPA and will further efforts to develop sample concentration tools for enteric viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. The goal of this research project is to develop a simple, rapid and highly automated sample collection system that will concentrate from water a broad range of pathogens simultaneously.  The system will integrate continuous flow centrifugation (CFC) with an innovative positively charged filter so that large (i.e. protozoan parasites and bacteria) and small (i.e. enteric viruses) bioparticles can be concentrated under an integrated platform.   

January 2007 SMI is currently  beta testing New EasyPhage education kit

As part of a joint venture with Micrology Laboratories, SMI is offering a limited number of kits to knowledgable science instructors.  The 10-test kit permits teachers and professors to enable their students to detect and ennumerate coliphages (viruses that are specific to E. coli bacteria).  Some free kits are still available.  Contact Matt at (574) 277-4078.

            EasyPhage 10-test kit                Petri dish with coliphages

November 16, 2006  ISDH grants Certification of Approval to SMI

The Indiana State Department of Health has granted SMI a Certificate of Appropval for Public Health Laboratory Services in the Bacteriological Examination of Public Waters.   The certification is for microbiological analysis of water by membrane filtration, the quantitray method and Hetrotrophic Plate Count by the R2A Agar pour plate method.

August 14 , 2006

Indiana State Department of Health grants interim certification for compliance testing to Scientific Methods. 

July 24 , 2006

Matt Hayes brings his project management expertise to Scientific Methods. 

June 1, 2006  SMI wins its fifth Small Business Innovative Research grant

In June, Dr. Fu-Chih Hsu received notification that the USDA intended to fund SMI's phase II proposal to continue its development of an innovative system for the detection of microbiological pollutants in fresh produce.  This two-year research award is the second grant awarded to SMI by the USDA and is the fifth SBIR award secured by SMI since 2004.  It is scheduled to begin in September 2006.

March 15, 2006  SMI wins its fourth Small Business Innovative Research grant

In March, SMI received notification from the USEPA that it would receive federal funding to extend

its phase I SBIR research on the development of sample concentration systems for enteric viruses and viral indicators.  This two-year phase II research award is the third grant awarded to SMI from the EPA and is the fourth SBIR awarded to SMI since 2004.

January 10, 2006  SMI wins its third Small Business Innovative Research grant

In January, SMI received notification from the USEPA that it would receive federal funding under

the SBIR program for its proposal titled "Automated sample collection and concentration system

for multiple pathogens in water".  This is SMI's second phase I research award from the EPA

(third overall) and will be supervised by SMI's Director of Operations, Dr. Fu-Chih Hsu.

January 5, 2006  EPA signs Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

The EPA announced that the final Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule was presented on December 15, 2005.  The Rule, commonly known as 'LT2', was published in the Federal Register on January 5, 2006 and is intended to reduce illnesses associated with waterborne pathogens such as Cryptosporidium.  For more detailed information, link to the EPA LT2 web site.

September 27, 2005  SMI is approved by the US EPA for LT2 testing

SMI has received notification from the EPA that the laboratory has passed the EPA on-site evaluation and has been granted approval for the analysis of Cryptosporidium under the LongTerm 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

Feb 9, 2005  SMI wins a Small Business Innovative Research Grant from the USDA

SMI was awarded its second SBIR grant to develop a simple quantitative kit to test fresh produce

for evidence of fecal contamination.  This research draws on the collective experience of SMI's expert scientists and represents an exciting collaboration with a partner skilled in media formulation.  The project involves the development and validation of a promising class of indicator microorganisms that can be used to determine the presence of foodborne contaminants.

Feb 9, 2005  SMI offers products for concentrating microorganisms in water

SMI is now marketing continuous flow centrifugation (CFC) products and the ViroCap™ electropositive membrane filter.  "SMI realizes the need for an alternative to the traditional microbial sample concentration technologies, and seeks out innovative products that will provide value as well as high quality results.  SMI's scientists have validated these sample concentration technologies at our core facility and we are now prepared to sell them to other laboratories."  (Jim Larkin, President).   For further information regarding these products, use the following links:  CFC Bowls & ViroCap™ positively charged virus filter

Jan 18, 2005  SMI developing novel virus capture system under EPA SBIR grant

Steve Johnson, EPA Acting Administrator, today announced that Scientific Methods, Inc.,

of Granger, Indiana, received $70,000 from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts program.  SMI's proposal is titled Development of a novel virus capture system using a positively charged silica matrix and focuses on the development of an efficient and inexpensive virus concentration tool.  SMI was chosen from a pool of 363 applicants from across the country.

"We have been extremely fortunate to establish a remarkably productive collaboration with the University of Notre Dame and its Center for Microfluidics and Medical Diagnostics.  We intend to extend this success by securing SBIR matching funds from Indiana's 21st Century Fund.  If those funds are available, we will use them to further our joint initiative with Notre Dame University to develop integrated microfluidic platforms that will advance the science of infectious disease research." (Jim Larkin, President)

Nov 03, 2004  Continuous Flow Centrifugation (CFC) receives EPA approval

EPA formally approved use of CFC as a concentration technique under method 1623 for

the detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in water.  SMI scientists, in collaboration with researchers from Tufts University, have performed extensive research to generate the data necessary for this notification.  The approval letter is available at the following link: CFC Approval Letter. CFC has been further extended by SMI scientists for use in concentrating bacteria as well as a pretreatment step prior to the detection of enteric viruses and coliphages.

For further information about SMI's services, please feel to contact a project manager at (574) 277-4078..