Annual Convention

Registration Info

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Please join your colleagues at the

ASCLS-CNE

76th  Annual Clinical Laboratory Science Convention & Exhibits

 March 25 & 26, 2024

Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, RI

We are once again please to provide 2 days of continuing education opportunities, vendor exhibits, a chance to network with medical laboratory professionals, student poster presentations, raffles and more!  Registration for the meeting will be available soon through the Eventbrite platform.  

The Schedule at a Glance can be viewed below.  

ASCLS-CNE 76th Clinical Laboratory Science Convention                                       

Monday, March 25, 2024

Opening Keynote Speaker

9:00-10:00am

 

LABVOCATE – Advocacy for the Profession

Jim Flanagan, CAE

 

10:30-11:30am

1:30-2:30pm

3:00-4:00pm

 

Chemistry/General

 

 

The Great Pretender: Addison’s Disease Diagnostics

Kyle Riding PhD, MLS (ASCP)

 

Unburdening a Burdened System:  The Use of Novel Brain Biomarkers to Address the Unmet Needs in the Healthcare System

Bobby Shahideh, MD, MBA

Sponsored by Abbott

Laboratory Diagnosis of Autoimmune Diseases 

L.V. Rao, Ph.D., HCLD, FAACC

Sponsored by Quest Diagnostics

 

 

Hematology

 

 

 

Molecular Findings in Myeloid Neoplasms

Alexa Siddon, MD

 

 

Optimizing Coagulation Care: The Role of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

LaShasta Brice

Sponsored by Stago

 

 

Leukocyte & Platelet Morphologic Abnormalities

 

Dragos Luca, MD

 

 

Microbiology

 

 

 

Break the STI Cycle with Accurate  Mycoplasma genitalium Testing

Stacey Golub, PhD, MB(ASCP)

Sponsored by Hologic

 

Blood Culture Contamination:
Connecting the Dots to Vascular Access and Infection Prevention

Michelle DeVries, MPH, CIC

Sponsored by Kurin

 

Molecular Diagnosis &

Case Presentation

Tao Hong, PhD

 

 

 

Transfusion Medicine

 

 

 

Workup and Transfusion of Patients with Complex Antibodies

Erin Horstman, MD

 

Iterative Subtractive Biopanning of P. falciparum Gametocyte Stage

Christian Nixon, MD

 

 

Ancestry and the Fallacy of Race in Transfusion Medicine

Patricia Brunker, MD, DPHIL

Luncheon Speaker

12:00-1:00pm

Social Determinants of Health and the Laboratory Professional

Kyle Riding PhD, MLS (ASCP)

 

 

 

 

ASCLS-CNE 76th Clinical Laboratory Science Convention                                            

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

 

9:00-10:00am

10:30-11:30am

1:30-2:30pm

 

Chemistry/General

 

 

 

What are M-Proteins and How to Test for them

Algars Brants, PhD

Sponsored by Sebia USA

Viral or Bacterial:  An Innovative High Clinical Value Diagnostic Solution Utilizing Host Immune Response Technology

Alka Shukla, PhD, MB(ASCP)

Sponsored by Diasorin

 

Boozing or not Boozing: That is the Question

Algars Brants, PhD

Sponsored by Sebia USA

 

Hematology

 

 

D-dimer Assays:  A Powerful, But Often Misunderstood Tool to Minimize Unnecessary Imaging Procedures

Paul Riley, PhD, MBA

Sponsored by Diagnostica Stago

 

Mature T-cell Neoplasms:

Updates in the 5th Edition of WHO Classification

 

Karen Ferreira, PhD, MS, MLS(ASCP)

 

 

 

Introduction to Hemoglobinopathy Diagnosis

Dariusz Stachurski, MD

Microbiology

 

 

 

 PCR Utilization in Streptococcal and MRSA Infections

Daniel Barbaro, MD

Sponsored by Cepheid

 

Interesting Infectious Disease Cases; From the Bedside to the Microbiology Bench

Sara Geffert, MD

 

The Vital Role of Blood Culture Quality & Actionable ID/AST Results in Sepis Patients Outcomes

Jordan Cardinal

Sponsored by BD

 

 

Transfusion Medicine

 

 

Screening Blood Donors for Infectious Risk: Updates and Emerging Diseases

Anne Eder, MD PhD

The Development & Consequences of Red Blood Cell Alloimmunization

Sean Stowell, MD

Confronting & Understanding Transfusion Associated Circulatory Overload

Chester Andrzejewski, MD

Closing Keynote Speaker

3pm to 4pm

 

 

What’s in a Name??

The Case for Standardizing Our Professional Title

Maddie Josephs, MLS(ASCP)

Luncheon Speaker

12:00-1:00pm

 

What is…..a Healthcare Administrator?

Matthew Harvey, MPP

 

ASCLS-CNE 2024 Program

We invite you to review the educational opportunities available at the Annual Convention.  Each educational session is one (1) contact hour of P.A.C.E. credit.

                               

Monday, March 25, 2024

9am

Opening Keynote 

LABVOCATE – Advocacy for the Profession

Jim Flanagan, CAE

Executive Vice President, ASCLS

Laboratory professionals have a choice to make: either be active and effective participants in the legislative and regulatory process, or potentially end up as an afterthought when significant changes occur. For maximum effectiveness, laboratory professionals need sharply defined understanding of the issues and the legislative and regulatory processes as well as clear-eyed perspectives on the consequences of inaction. This presentation will provide a briefing on current issues like laboratory reimbursement, regulation of laboratory developed tests, and the laboratory workforce. An inside look at how government really works will be discussed as well as what is required to be effective “labvocates.”

Level of instruction:  Basic

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday Luncheon Speaker

Social Determinants of Health: What Laboratory Professionals Should Know

Presenter:  Kyle Riding, PhD, MLS(ASCP)

University of Central Florida

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are various factors within the lived environment that impact the health and wellness of a community. This session will further define SDOH and help laboratory professionals appreciate the role they play in impacting a community’s health and wellness.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                              10:30-11:30am                                                  1:30-2:30pm                                                             3:00-4:00pm

Chemistry/General

The Great Pretender:  Addison’s Disease Diagnostics

Presenter:  Kyle Riding, PhD
University of Central Florida

Addison’s Disease is a well-characterized disease but new knowledge and practices are still being developed around this illness. This sessions explores the varied clinical presentations, updates to diagnostic algorithms, and genetics associated with this cause of adrenal insufficiency.

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Unburdening a Burdened System: The Use of Novel Brain Biomarkers to Address Unmet Needs in the Healthcare System

Presenter:  Bobby Shahideh, M.D., M.B.A

Abbott Diagnostics

Overview of traumatic brain injury and its current assessment as Emergency Department overcrowding remains a pervasive problem across North America. The use of novel biomarkers has recently been shown to reduce the number of CT scans required by stratifying the likelihood of mild TBI, thus easing the burden on an already strained healthcare system.

Level of instruction:  Basic

Linearity/Calibration Verification: Guidelines, Performance, Interpretation

Presenter:  Dinah Rauenhorst
Audit Microcontrols

This session will review the CAP, TJC, COLA, & CLIA regulations as they pertain to calibration verification/linearity. We will review the “how-to’s” of calibration verification/linearity, which will include determining the need for calver/linearity, appropriate materials to use, performance, evaluation and interpretation of reports, and trouble shooting.

Level of instruction:  Basic

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hematology

Molecular Findings in Myeloid Neoplasms

Presenter:  Alexa Siddon, MD

Yale New Haven

The lecture will review some of the critical driver mutations associated with various types of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, and Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. Case examples will be incorporated as well as up to date literature.

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Optimizing Coagulation Care: The Role of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Presenter: LaShanta Brice, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)SH(ASCP)

Diagnostica Stago

Explore the critical role of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) in optimizing coagulation therapy. This presentation delves into the significance of TDM, relevant laboratory tests, and practical applications in today’s clinical laboratory. Additionally, learn how TDM and coagulation results empower healthcare professionals to fine-tune anticoagulation therapy for improved patient outcomes

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Leukocyte & platelet morphologic abnormalities

Presenter: Dragos C. Luca, MD

Roger Williams Medical Center

The presentation is intended to discuss morphologic features of various leukocyte and platelet abnormalities in peripheral blood

Level of instruction:  Advanced

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Microbiology

Break the STI Cycle with Accurate Mycoplasma Genitalium (M.gen) Testing

Presenter: Stacey Golub, PhD, MB(ASCP)

Hologic

Mycoplasma Geniutalium (M.gen) is a prevelant and often misdiagnosed sexually transmitted infection. The clinical presentation of an M.gen infection is similar to other STIs and is associated with severe adverse health outcomes if not treated. Increased awareness and testing of this pathogen will help address the growing antimicrobial-resistant M.gen infection

Level of instruction:  Basic

Blood Culture Contamination: Connecting the Dots to Vascular Access and Infection Prevention 

Presenter: Michelle DeVries MPH, CIC, VA-BC, CPHQ, FAPIC

Methodist Hospitals

This presentation aims to address the blood culture contamination, exploring its impact on patient care and outlining effective strategies to minimize and prevent contamination. The talk will delve into the various causes of contamination, the consequences for diagnostic accuracy, and the overall implications for healthcare professionals including the newly endorsed hospital onset bacteremia and fungemia quality measure.

Level of instruction: Intermediate

Molecular Diagnosis and Case presentation 

Presenter: Tao Hong, PhD

Rhode Island Hospital, Lifespan Academic Medical Center

Description of current technologies used in the microbiology laboratory and its application in diagnosis of infectious diseases, with a focus on the sequencing technology

Level of instruction: Intermediate

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Transfusion Medicine

Workup and Transfusion of Patients with Complex Antibodies: A Case Based Discussion
Presenter: Erin Horstman, MD
Yale University

We will discuss the workup and transfusion support decision making for patients with uncommon antibodies/antibody profiles..

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Iterative Subtractive Biopanning of a Plasmodium falciparum Gametocyte Stage I-V Phage Display Library Identifies a Putative Actin Binding Protein that is Essential for Gametocyte Development and Asexual Blood Stage Invasion Kinetics
Presenter:  Christian P. Nixon, MD, PhD
Brown University, Center for International Health Research

In this presentation, we will discuss efforts in my laboratory to identify novel malaria anti-gametocyte transmission blocking vaccine candidate antigens.

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Ancestry and the Fallacy of Race in Transfusion Medicine
Presenter: Patricia Brunker, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital

Session description to follow

Level of instruction:  Advanced

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

                                                                              9:00-10:00am                                                  10:30-11:30am                                                             1:30-2:30pm

Chemistry/General

What Are M-Proteins and How to Test for Them

Presenter:  Aigar Brants, PhD

Sebia USA, Inc.

Monoclonal gammopathies are common disorders associated with the presence of M-proteins in blood and/or urine. The methods necessary to diagnose and monitor the patients will be discussed in the light of the 2022 CAP and other Guidelines. The disorders linked to the presence of M-proteins will be reviewed.

Level of instruction:  Basic

Viral or Bacterial: An Innovative High Clinical Value Diagnostic Solution Utilizing Host Immune Response Technology

Presenter: Alka Shukla PhD, MB (ASCP) and PMP
DiaSorin

Clinical uncertainty whether the infection is bacterial or viral or co-infection is very challenging and can lead to misdiagnosis, antibiotics misuse, unsatisfactory patient experience and antimicrobial resistance. DiaSorin Liaison MeMed BV is FDA cleared technology based on host immune response to differentiate bacterial from viral and also for co-infection identification in pediatric and adult patients with suspected acute infections

Level of instruction:  Basic

Boozing or not Boozing: That's the Question

Presenter:  Aigar Brants, PhD

Sebia USA, Inc.

Capillary electrophoresis is widely used electrophoretic method for serum electrophoresis. Its excellent resolution also allows to separate different transferrin isoforms. Carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) assay is designed to detect a chronic alcohol abuse. The importance and difficulties in detecting this disease will be reviewed. CDT assay principles and results will be reviewed and discussed

Level of instruction:  Basic

Hematology

D-dimer Assays: A Powerful, but Often Misunderstood Tool to Minimize Unnecessary Imaging Procedures

Presenter:  Paul Riley, PhD, MBA
Diagnostica Stago, Inc

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third common cardiovascular disease worldwide, with worldwide incidence 1 per 1,000, responsible for around 850,000 deaths per year. D-dimer tests used in conjunction with pretest probability scores can safely allow for VTE exclusion, and limit unnecessary imaging procedures. Our lecture will describe the laboratory testing used to illuminate VTE and related complex conditions

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Mature T-cell Neoplasms: Updates in the 5th edition of WHO Classification

Presenter:  Karen Ferreira, PhD, MS, MLS (ASCP)
Lifespan Academic Medical Center

The WHO has released the revised 5th edition on the classification of hematolymphoid tumors. This edition includes updates to nomenclature, revision of diagnostic criteria, deletion of entities as well as introduction of new entities. This lecture will focus on the latest classification of T-cell malignancies. Morphology, immunophenotypic as well as molecular and cytogenetic tests used to diagnose these neoplasia's will be covered in this presentation

Level of instruction:  Advanced

Introduction to Hemoglobinopathy Diagnosis

Presenter:  Dariusz R Stachurski MD
Lifespan Academic Medical Centers

This session will provide a brief overview of general categories of hemoglobinopathy disorders and diagnostic testing modalities

Level of instruction:  Advanced

Microbiology

Importance of Molecular Testing in Rapid Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases
Presenter:  Daniel Barbaro, M.D

Corinthian Health Care Services

The speaker will survey the ways per testing can aid in the diagnosis and management of infections in inpatient and outpatient settings

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Interesting Infectious Diseases Cases: From the Bedside to the Microbiology Bench 
Presenter:  Sara W. F. Geffert, MD, MS, D(ABMM), M(ASCP)
Lifespan Academic Medical Center

This presentation will aim to walk you through some of the most interesting and challenging infectious diseases cases from the last few years, as well as showcase the laboratory's clinical impact on patient care

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

The Vital Role of Blood Culture Quality and Actionable ID/AST Results in Sepsis Patient Outcomes
Presenter:  Jordan Cardinal, PharmD, BCPS
Becton Dickinson

Enhancing sepsis patient outcomes requires continuous performance improvement, emphasizing the pivotal role of one of the pillars of sepsis patient care, appropriate, high-quality blood cultures. Pre-analytical measures are vital to minimize contamination risks and improve positivity rates, Ensuring quality blood cultures is essential for comprehensive and accurate pathogen identification and accurate antimicrobial test, which can profoundly impact patient mortality

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Transfusion Medicine

Screening Blood Donors for Infectious Disease Risk: Updates and Emerging Diseases
Presenter: Anne Eder, MD, PhD
CBER, FDA

The presentation will review FDA's blood donor screening and testing recommendations to reduce the risk of known and emergency infectious risks to the blood supply

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

The Development and Consequences of RBC Alloimmunization
Presenter:  Sean Stowell, MD, PhD
Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School

This presentation will provide examples of the clinical consequences of RBC alloimmunization in transfusion dependent patients, followed by an overview of the most recent data described the underlying mechanisms responsible for regulating the development and consequences of RBC alloimmunization

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Confronting and Understanding Transfusion Associated Circulatory Overload (TACO): An Institutional Journey
Presenter: Chester Andrzejewski, Ph.D.,M.D.,FCAP
Baystate Health

In this presentation we will explore a common transfusion associated adverse pulmonary event and highlight one health system’s efforts in targeting its mitigation. Recognized world-wide as a major cause of hemotherapy related morbidity and mortality, Transfusion Associated Circulatory Overload (TACO) remains a formidable problem in the 21st century

Level of instruction:  Intermediate

Tuesday Luncheon Speaker

What is......a Healthcare Administrator?

Presenter:  Matthew Harvey, MPP

Integra Community Care Network, Care New England Health System

I will talk about my path to leadership in the healthcare space, and the throughlines of my career, which are curiosity, problem solving, and creativity. And I'll tie it in to my winding road to success on Jeopardy!

Level of Instruction: Basic

CLOSING KEYNOTE

What's in a Name??  The Case for Standardizing our Professional Title

The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) collaborated recently on a position paper on standardizing the name for medical laboratory professionals, linking educational programs, job titles and credentials. For many years, our colleagues in the lab have used a variety of titles to describe their professions. This has led both to an identity crisis for us, as professionals and confusion among the public, our healthcare consumers. Standardizing the title for our medical laboratory professions will lead to better recognition for both colleagues and profession, it increases our visibility and gives us leverage when advocating for issues that impact us on a daily basis, including workforce shortages, compensation, and licensure. This session will elaborate on the position paper and the steps our professional organizations have taken to give our profession recognition, and the benefits that have already been realized as a result.

Presenter:  Maddie Josephs, MS, MLS(ASCP)

Community College of Rhode Island

Level of instruction: Basic