Though we still can’t meet in person, we can still connect and learn!
Join CSMLS for a virtual symposium focused on Chemistry, featuring industry leaders from across the country!
We’ll broadcast expert-led sessions to you so you can earn continuing education hours from the comfort of your home or lab.
3 days of specialized learning
2 sessions each day to help keep you focused
6 sessions presented by
7 subject matter experts
Access to on-demand recordings with registration
- Tuesday June 8
- Wednesday June 9
- Thursday June 10
Improved Sample Quality and Decreased Turnaround Time in a Large University Hospital
11:05-12:05pm (Eastern)
Marie-Claire Bélanger, PhD, CSPQ, FCACB Pierre-Olivier Hétu, PhD, CSPQ, FCACB
Evidence Based Lab Stewardship; Value Added Testing with Reduced Waste
12:15-1:15pm (Eastern)
Case Studies in Inherited Disorders
11:05-12:05pm (Eastern)
The Promise of Machine Learning in Clinical Laboratory Medicine
12:15-1:15pm (Eastern)
Dr. He Sarina Yang, MBBS, PhD, DABCC
Next Generation Neuroimmunology Testing
11:05-12:05pm (Eastern)
Successional Planning in the Clinical Laboratory Science Program
12:15-1:15pm (Eastern)
MaryAnne Stewart, EdD, ART, MBA, MLS (CSMLS)
Improved Sample Quality and Decreased Turnaround Time in a Large University Hospital
Learning Outcomes
- Describe considerations that go into implementing a new blood collection tube
- Describe challenges associated with the implementing with a pre-analytical change
- Describe the impact of gel-free tubes on overall lab efficiency
Session Description
In 2018, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) embarked on a LEAN journey to improve the global process quality and turnaround times in the core chemistry lab. The project included the optimization of existing lab layout and processes along with switching from serum to clean, gel-free plasma for chemistry and immunochemistry testing. The validation of BarricorTM tubes for chemistry testing included validation of an alternate centrifugation scheme and result comparison with serum SSTTM tubes. The presentation will outline implementation of BarricorTM tubes and learnings from the LEAN process.Close ×
Evidence Based Lab Stewardship; Value Added Testing with Reduced Waste
Learning Outcomes
- Appreciate the value of evidence based lab stewardship including the clinical and economic downstream effect on healthcare
- Understand the difference between reflex and reflective testing and how these can add clinical value
- Reflect on how these practices could be standardized across laboratories
Session Description
This session is divided into three parts- the first provides an overview on what laboratory stewardship entails and some of the strategies that we have followed in Halifax- Nova Scotia Health.
The second part- highlights the difference between reflex and reflective testing strategies and some general examples of their clinical value.
Finally it will highlight the consequences of delay in diagnosis of subtle clinical conditions such as pituitary disorders and how laboratories can leverage reflex and reflective testing strategies for early identification of pituitary disorders in our local population. The outcomes of a local study on this will be outlined.Close ×
Case Studies in Inherited Disorders
Learning Outcomes
- Review 3 different rare inherited disorders that present later in life with vague clinical symptoms
- Discuss the lab results for 3 inherited disorders
- Identify the prevalence of 3 different inherited disorders and the mechanisms of inheritance
Session Description
There are some inherited disorders that may present in adulthood with vague clinical symptoms. They mimic other chronic conditions and may be challenging for a physician to diagnose. Choosing the correct lab tests is of utmost importance to steer the physician in the correct direction. During this session, we will discuss 3 case studies of such disorders and their clinical outcomes.Close ×
The Promise of Machine Learning in Clinical Laboratory Medicine
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss the situations where machine learning analysis can improve diagnostic and prognostic values of laboratory test results
- Recognize opportunities that machine learning analysis can help to interpret complex laboratory profiles and discover hidden patterns behind multianalyte sets of clinical laboratory test results
- Describe challenges and barriers to implementing machine learning based models as clinical decision support
Session Description
Machine learning provides a powerful tool for integrating clinical laboratory data, developing novel clinical insight and driving intelligent clinical decision support. This session will provide an intuitive overview of machine learning and its application to laboratory medicine, as well as challenges and barrier to implementing machine learning based models. I will offer an in-depth case study to illustrate the analysis of COVID-19 laboratory data using machine learning tools.Close ×
Next Generation Neuroimmunology Testing
Learning Outcomes
- Understand neuroimmunology
- Identify different testing methods in neuroimmunology
- Recognize why neuroimmunology testing is important
Session Description
This session will give an overview of neuroimmunology-related diseases and the different testing methods available.Close ×
Successional Planning in the Clinical Laboratory Science Program
Learning Outcomes
- Discuss succession planning and its benefits
- Developing a growth mind set in the laboratory
- Provide Managers with tools to recruit employees for management
Session Description
The session will be an interactive use of discussing, identifying and providing tools for managers to help recruit potential managers/ coordinators/ lead technologists. It will also discuss potential opportunities for having a growth mind set in the lab for maximum benefit to employee and employer.Close ×
Marie-Claire Bélanger, PhD, CSPQ, FCACB
Dr. Bélanger has been a clinical biochemist at the Université de Montréal’s Hospital Center (CHUM) since 2008. Dr. Bélanger holds numerous degrees, including a Doctorate in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the Université Laval, and a Postdoctoral Studies Diploma in Clinical Biochemistry from the Université de Montréal. She’s also Associate Researcher at CHUM research center and, and as a clinical lecturer at the Université de Montréal’s Department of Biochemistry. Dre Bélanger currently serves as Vice-President of the Association des biochimistes cliniques du Québec, and is a consultant biochemist for Fertilys.Close ×
Pierre-Olivier Hétu, PhD, CSPQ, FCACB
Dr Hétu obtained his Ph.D. in 2008 from the biochemistry department from the Université de Montréal. Since completing his post-doctoral training in clinical biochemistry in 2010, Dr Hétu has been a clinical biochemist at the Université de Montréal’s Hospital Center (CHUM) where he supervises the pharmacology-toxicology lab. He is also much implicated in the laboratory’s database management service. Dr Hétu currently serves as President of the Association des biochimistes cliniques du Québec and is a consultant biochemist for Biron Groupe Santé.Close ×
Dr. Manal Elnenaei, MBChB, PhD, FRCPath, EuSpLM
Dr. Elnenaei is the Chief of Service of the Division of Clinical Chemistry of Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health and Professor in Dalhousie University. Her special interests are in the fields of Endocrinology, Multiple Myeloma and Laboratory Stewardship including how labs can drive effective and sustainable high quality clinical services. She has a number of peer-reviewed publications in these fields.
Dr. Elnenaei immigrated to Canada from the UK about 8 years ago and has taken a lead role in her organization in Stewardship aspects, including being Chair of the Central Zone Laboratory Utilization Committee as well as the Provincial Stewardship Committee.Close ×
Melissa King, MLT
Melissa King is the laboratory dispatch and receiving supervisor at the Moncton Hospital. Passionate about the profession, Melissa is a long standing volunteer on the NBSMLT Board of Directors. She is involved in numerous committees, has planned several educational events, and has authored and reviewed courses for CSMLS. Always interested in research, Melissa works closely with many physicians to research and dispatch obscure lab testing to aid in the patient’s diagnosis and treatment. She will discuss a few interesting but uncommon cases she has encountered in her new role.Close ×
Dr. He Sarina Yang, MBBS, PhD, DABCC
Dr. Sarina Yang received her Bachelor of Medicine degree from Peking University Health Science Center and her PhD from Northwestern University. She was then trained as a Clinical Chemistry/Toxicology fellow at University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Yang is certified in both Clinical Chemistry and Toxicological Chemistry by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry. After the training, she served as the Scientific Director of Clinical Toxicology and Special Chemistry at Quest Diagnostics for 3.5 years. Currently, Dr. Yang is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has a keen interest in analyzing big data of clinical laboratory test results using machine learning approaches. Her work was published in top clinical journals and cited by multiple national media and news.Close ×
Hans Frykman, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Dr. Hans Frykman is the medical director of BC Neuroimmunology Lab and Neurocode Labs and a clinical assistant professor of medicine at University of BC.
Dr. Frykman received his postgraduate medical training at Karolinska University Hospital, Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and University of British Columbia. He received his medical degree from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, PhD in Bio-organic chemistry from Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and MSc in Chemical Engineering from Chalmers University in Gothenburg.
Before the age of 30, Dr. Frykman was awarded permanent residency by the US congress under the “alien of extraordinary ability” classification. At the start of his career Dr. Frykman was fortunate to be a junior team member in both the Victoza and Prilosec discovery groups at Novo Nordisk and Astra Zeneca respectively. Both drugs went on to become top ten selling drugs of all time.
BC Neuroimmunology lab has a 35-year history of delivering highly specific clinical neuroimmunology testing to the North American marketplace. The lab is a technology leader and is academically collaborating with several leading centers in Europe and USA. Neurocode labs is Canada’s first and only clinical whole exome sequencing facility. It has a particular focus in seizure disorder, cardiac sequencing and sequencing of the neonate. Close ×
MaryAnne Stewart, EdD, ART, MBA, MLS (CSMLS)
Entering academia in 2016, MaryAnne Stewart serves on the faculty, for the Clinical Laboratory Science Program, as Assistant Professor at Wayne State University. Prior to her career in academia, she worked in the medical laboratory, in Canada and the US, on the bench and in management roles for 20 years. She is currently a member of the American National Society for Leadership and Change. The Initiatives of this group is to create positive work environments through success and relationship endeavours. She considers working in a positive environment a key driver to productivity and success.Close