Conference Program

Morning

CACB Oral Exams

Afternoon

CACB Oral Exams

Morning

CACB Oral Exams

Afternoon

CACB Oral Exams

Morning

CACB Oral Exams

CSCC Council

1300-1500

Fun Walk/Run

Afternoon

CACB Oral Exams

CSCC Council

CACB Board of Directors

1645-1745

Lightning Talks

1800-1815

Opening Ceremonies

1815-1915

Opening Keynote – From Evidence to Influence: Making a Difference for Children in Pain

Christine T. Chambers, PhD RPsych
Canada Research Chair in Children’s Pain (Tier 1)
Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology & Neuroscience
Dalhousie University and IWK Health Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dr. Chamber’s presentation will cover topics including:

• Science shows us what works. Knowledge mobilization ensures it reaches every child who needs it.
• Unmanaged pain isn’t just a quality-of-care issue, it’s a patient safety issue. Children are harmed every day when their pain is ignored.
• Every child who suffers needlessly from pain is a reminder of why evidence must lead, and why influence must follow.
• When we call pain a patient safety issue, we shift the culture from ‘pain is inevitable’ to ‘pain is preventable.

Dr. Christine Chambers is an international leader in children’s pain research and a national voice for children’s health. Named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network, Christine has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and is recognized in the top 2% of the most cited scientists in the world. She is a Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Children’s Pain at Dalhousie University and faculty member in the Centre for Pediatric Pain Research at IWK Health Centre. Her acclaimed research program, The Chambers Lab, has helped establish Canada as a leader in children’s pain research, launching award-winning projects including #ItDoesntHaveToHurt and mentoring over 100 trainees.

Christine is the Scientific Director of Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP), and the Scientific Director of the Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH) at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

1930-2200

Opening Reception at Alexander Keith’s Brewery

0800-0900

Committee & SIG Meetings

0915-1215

Symposium 1 – Access for All: Supporting Healthcare and Lab Access in Challenging Environments

Chairs:

Miranda Brun, University of Alberta
Jason Robinson, Health PEI

Learning Objectives: At the end of this symposium participants will be able to:

1. Analyze challenges and solutions in delivering laboratory services across large geographical regions and unique patient needs.
2. Assess the impact of equitable access to transplant-related testing on patient outcomes.
3. Explain the advantages of dried blood spot testing for improving access to laboratory testing, and key analytical and logistical considerations for implementing.

Presenters:

Edward Randell

Mark Walsh

Christophe Stove, Ghent University, Belgium

1215-1400

Lunch & Exhibit Viewing

1400-1500

Industry Workshops

1500-1600

Best Poster Presentations

1600-1700

Industry Workshops

1700-1900

Wine & Cheese Reception & Exhibit Viewing

Poster Viewing (posters staffed 1700-1800)

0800-0900

Committee & SIG Meetings

0915-1215

Symposium 2 – New Kids on the Block – Cytokines as Emerging Tools in Rare and Complex Inflammatory Disorders

Chair:

Benjamin Jung, The Hospital for Sick Children

Learning Objectives: At the end of this symposium participants will be able to:

1. Discuss the clinical context and diagnostic challenges of cytokine storm syndromes and rare inflammatory disorders.
   • Describe current definitions and classifications of cytokine storm syndromes.
   • Identify key diagnostic gaps and limitations in existing approaches.
2. Evaluate the current landscape of cytokine testing in clinical laboratories.
   • Summarize commonly used cytokine markers and methodologies.
   • Discuss technical and interpretive challenges, including standardization and quality assurance considerations.
3. Apply principles of cytokine result interpretation to real-world clinical scenarios.
   • Analyze case examples where cytokine testing influenced diagnosis or management.
   • Recognize situations where cytokine testing may provide value beyond current guidelines.
4. Explore emerging tools and future directions for cytokine testing.
   • Highlight innovations that may improve detection and monitoring of rare inflammatory disorders.
   • Consider implications for clinical practice and laboratory workflows.

Presentations:

Clinical Utility of Cytokine Testing in Pediatric Rheumatology

Dilan Dissanayake, University of Toronto

Clinical Utility of Cytokine Testing in Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes in Adults

Luke Chen, Dalhousie University

Current and Changing Landscape of Cytokine Testing in Clinical Laboratories

Lusia Sepiashvili, University of Toronto

1215-1330

Lunch & Exhibit Viewing

1330-1430

Industry Workshops

1430-1500

Break & Exhibit Viewing

1500-1630

Roundtable Discussions

• R0501: Implementing Point of Care Glucose Monitoring in Critical Care Settings
• R0502: The Evolving Stream of Biological Diagnosis in Neurodegenerative Diseases: What’s Coming Next
• R0503: Optimizing Test Utilization Across Healthcare Settings: Practical Strategies from Academic Laboratories
• R0504: SO 5649: A New International Standard for Laboratory Developed Tests
• R0505: Configuring and Validating Open-Channel Tests
• R0506: Updated 2025 International Myeloma Working Group / International Myeloma Society Response Criteria Guidelines and Impact to Laboratory Practice
• R0507: What is the Future of Patient-Based Real-Time Quality Control?
• R0508: Shrinking the Draw: Strategies and Advances in Reducing Sample Volume
• R0509: Strategies for Providing Customized Interpretive Comments for Hemoglobin A1C Results Outside the Analytical Measuring Range on Automated Immunoassay Platforms
• R0510: Levelling Up Point of Care Testing in Acute Care Settings: Building Awareness of the Choosing Wisely Canada Recommendations from the Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists

1600-1700

Scientific Workshops

• W0511: Challenge Yourself in Pediatric Diagnostics!
• W0512: Practical Approaches for Discordant Laboratory Result Investigations
• W0513: HRMS Toxicology Screening: Validation, Implementation, Quality Monitoring, Data Mining, and Continuous Improvement
• W0514: Advancing Reference Interval Harmonization in Canada: Implementation of CSCC Best Practice Guidelines (2 hours)

1700-1800

Scientific Workshops

• W0514: Advancing Reference Interval Harmonization in Canada: Implementation of CSCC Best Practice Guidelines (continues)
• W0521: From Total to Transcutaneous Bilirubin: Decoding Bilirubin Testing and Implications of the 2025 CPS Recommendations to the Clinical Laboratory
• W0522: Introducing an Evidence-Based, Environmentally Sustainable, Solution into Your Laboratory
• W0523: Fluid Thinking: Moving Towards Evidence-Based Body Fluid Testing to Meet Clinical Needs in Manitoba and Alberta

1830-2330

President’s Reception and Gala Banquet at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

0900-1200

Symposium 3 – Using Evidence-based Medicine to Guide Utilization of Laboratory Testing

Presented by the IFCC Evidence-Based Laboratory Committee

Chair:

Andrew Don-Wauchope, Laverty Pathology

Learning Objectives: At the end of this symposium participants will be able to:

1. Define and apply evidence-based laboratory medicine (EBLM) to for guiding appropriate test utilization.
2. Describe common approaches to EBLM such as minimum retesting intervals and clinical practice guidelines.
3. Discuss the successes and future directions of EBLM as described in current literature as well as future artificial intelligence applications.

This symposium will provide information on how to use evidence to guide laboratory test utilization. Clinical practice guidelines and minimum repeat testing intervals will be described as tools to help with providing the evidence for laboratory test utilization. Examples of improved test utilization from the literature will be provided and some conceptual and practical applications using artificial intelligence will be discussed.

Presentations:

Appropriate Use of Laboratory Tests Based on Clinical Practice Guidelines

Andrew Don-Wauchope, Laverty Pathology

Appropriate Use of Laboratory Tests Based on Repeat Testing Intervals

Tim Lang

Evidence Based Interventions Targeting Test Utilization

Nathalie Weiss

Will Artificial Intelligence Based on Evidence Lead to Better Test Utilization

Chris McCudden

1200-1215

Closing Remarks