ColLABorate 2025

Are you ready to "Defy Gravity" and master the chemistry content for the ASCP Exam? This session will focus on clinical chemistry content, study aids and practice questions in case study format to enable the participant in preparation and confidence.
Learning Objectives:

1. Define and describe specific content areas in Chemistry and Lab Operations for the MLT and MLS ASCP Board Exam
2. Compare and contrast learning strategies and list teaching aids to assist in preparation for Chemistry and Lab Operations exam questions
3. Participate and assimilate in chemistry case study review to improve confidence in preparation for the Clinical Chemistry and Lab Operations areas for MLT and MLS

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify specimen collection and processing errors that can lead to erroneous coagulation results.
2. Recognize incorrect coagulation results due to assay interferences and sensitivity.
3. Learn the significance of clinical history in interpreting coagulation results.

The Razzies honor “the worst” in the movie world.  In the clinical lab and lab science programs, Microbiology is also sometimes just that – the worst, hardest, most dreaded area or class. This session is a review of Clinical Microbiology’s common (and uncommon) bad-bug-organisms, confusing identification tests, and off-putting specimens and diseases.  It is designed mainly to help prepare students for their BOC exam, but anyone interested in miserable microorganisms is welcome!  
Learning Objectives:

1. Correlate pathogenic bacteria and normal microbiota with body sites.
2. Identify bacteria, parasites, and fungi microscopically.
3. Evaluate microscopic and macroscopic morphology, and biochemical results to identify organisms in case studies.

Feeling Anxiety about your upcoming board exam? Does your current level of Hematology knowledge inspire Sadness or Fear? Do you feel Ennui when daydreaming about the Coagulation cascade? In this session, we'll find Joy in gathering up as many Heme & Coag experience orbs as we can to deposit them into long term memory. Students and seasoned techs alike are welcome to hop on this Train of Thought!
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify abnormal red and white blood cell peripheral blood smear findings.
2. Correlate hematology and coagulation lab test findings with disease states.
3. Evaluate hematology and coagulation data to solve case studies.

Ever felt alone in making critical decisions in blood bank?  Never fear - the speaker will provide some "always, always, always" rules to follow that will aid in resolving complex situations.  This review session will provide interactive patient situations to emphasize important concepts in blood bank testing and provide practical steps to confidently conquering blood bank.  
Learning Objectives:

1. apply logical pattern of steps in solving blood bank problems.
2.  accumulate data to make differential decisions.
3.  analyze complex blood bank situations.

This presentation will showcase case studies to enhance problem-solving in the coagulation laboratory. We’ll analyze diagnostic interpretation, therapeutic decisions, and pre-analytical issues, while suggesting cost-effective testing patterns. Attendees will gain insights into managing complex coagulation abnormalities and learn best practices for accurate, step-by-step testing to improve patient outcomes.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the role of different routine and specialized coagulation assays in diagnosis of hemostatic problems, especially thrombosis
2. Present current methods for screening and confirmation of problems related to hypo- and hypercoagulability
3. Correlate coagulation testing to specific clinical cases

Drug testing is commonly performed for medical care as well as for workplace and forensic purposes.  The most common specimen for routine drug testing is urine, although saliva (oral fluid) has been increasing in popularity.  Specimens used in more specialized situations include blood, hair, umbilical cord tissue, meconium, and sweat.  Challenges with drug testing arise with both screening and confirmatory tests.  Screening tests are vulnerable to false positives and false negatives.  Clinicians ordering testing may not be appear of limitations of drug screens or what compounds cross-reacts with a particular screen.  Confirmatory testing provides more definitive results, but interpretation of test results can be challenging.  Less commonly used specimens (e.g., hair, umbilical cord, meconium) have their own strengths and challenges.  The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of drug testing and illustrate key information that can help guide test selection and interpretation.  Illustrative cases will be interspersed throughout the session.
Learning Objectives:

1. Define the limitations of drug of abuse screening assays including false positives
2. Distinguish between screening and confirmatory tests for drug testing
3. Explain the common specimens used for drug of abuse testing (urine, blood, oral fluid, hair, meconium, umbilical cord)

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.
Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the importance of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in managing anticoagulant therapy
2. Identify key coagulation parameters and laboratory tests used in TDM
3. Apply and analyze practical applications of TDM in the coagulation laboratory

Flow cytometry is a scientific tool that is widely utilized in clinical and research laboratories to enable the phenotypic and functional characterization of cells by identifying specific molecules (proteins, DNA and RNA) expressed on the surface of the cell, or in the cytoplasm and even the nucleus.   Fluorescence-based flow cytometry was developed in the late 1960s and first utilized as a research tool in 1970 by Leonard Herzenberg at Stanford University.  Since that time, this technology has evolved rapidly revolutionizing our understanding of immunology, hematology and cell biology.  Beginning with three parameter analyses in the 1970’s, the latest instruments can capture information on over 40 parameters per cell within a few seconds to minutes using as little as 100-500μL of each sample.  In the clinical laboratory, these advances have been successfully leveraged to aid in the rapid diagnosis of complex immunologic disorders such as primary immunodeficiency diseases.  As the resolution capacity of the flow cytometers has advanced, so has the complexity involved in data acquisition and analyses.   Assay set up (which is predominantly manual in nature), sample acquisition on the flow cytometer and subsequent analyses and interpretation of complex data sets can take time and requires specialized training and expertise.
Learning Objectives:

1. Outline the basic principles of flow cytometry
2. Demonstrate how flow cytometry is used to define the normal and aberrant phenotypic properties of cells (immunophenotyping)
3. Elucidate the power of flow cytometry to help characterize the normal and aberrant signaling properties of cells (functional analyses)

Artificial Intelligence is now the most trendy topic in technology. What even /is/ AI and how could it be utilized in the lab? What safety and ethical concerns arise from its use? Who truly benefits and how?
Learning Objectives:

1. Clearly differentiate the distinctions between an algorithm and artificial intelligence
2. Define and deconstruct the meaning of "AI learning model"
3. Evaluate an AI technical solution for both accuracy and appropriateness

This talk will present the example of a 32-year-old gravida 6 para 3 in the second trimester; her pregnancies have been notably complicated by high-titer alloimmunization (especially against D antigen). Mechanism and pathophysiology will be discussed, along with treatments (including IV immunoglobulins and intrauterine transfusion) that are available for this condition.
Learning Objectives:

1. Comprehend the etiology and pathophysiology of HDFN (hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn).
2. Grasp the means of working up and monitoring HDFN during pregnancy.
3. Commit to memory the modalities of treatment for HDFN, including new medication.