CSCC 3rd Council meeting
Submitted by Dr. Berna Aslan, CSCC Councillor
Greetings, Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists (CSCC) members! Below is a summary of the key discussions and updates from our Summer 2025 Council Meeting, held on July 27, 2025, in Chicago, IL, during the CSCC/ADLM Joint Annual Meeting.
President’s Report – Dr. Paul Yip
IFCC Updates
Dr. Paul Yip attended the IFCC General Conference in Bruges, Belgium (May 16–17, 2025). A feature article about the conference and the IFCC-EFLM EuroMedLab Congress was published in the July 2025 CSCC Newsletter.
North American Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (NAFCC)
The NAFCC is a regional federation of the IFCC. It represents two national member societies: the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) and the Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists (CSCC). The NAFCC serves as a collaborative body to promote and strengthen the profession of clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine across North America.
The Regional Representative to the IFCC Executive Board alternates between CSCC and ADLM. The CSCC representative will begin in 2027, following Dr. Shannon Haymond’s term, which ends in 2026.
Advocacy and Regulation
The Regulation of the Profession and Advocacy Subcommittee (RPAS) is planning an update to the Provincial Activities document for 2024–2025. In alignment with the revised Position Description of a Clinical Biochemist in Canada, the subcommittee will also develop an advocacy slide deck to support outreach and stakeholder engagement.
President-Elect’s Update – Dr. Jennifer Shea
The Annual Meetings Committee continues to update the Conference Handbook and has introduced new Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Guidelines for speaker selection and a conflict-of-interest policy. This information can be found on the CSCC Website under News & Events.
Every four years, CSCC holds a joint meeting with ADLM. This year, the joint meeting was held in Chicago, IL July 27-31. A vendor-sponsored Canadian event featuring Dr. Julie Shaw took place on Monday, July 28, in the evening, followed by a cocktail reception. The CSCC Annual General Meeting and awards ceremony was held on Wednesday, July 30. Both were successful events and provided a great opportunity to network with fellow Canadian colleagues.
Planning for future CSCC Annual Meetings is also in progress:
2026 Halifax (May 3–6):
The CSCC’s 70th Anniversary will be celebrated under the inspiring conference theme “CSCC at 70: Navigating the Tides of Discovery” at the Marriott Harbourfront Hotel in Halifax. The conference will be chaired by Dr. Lori Beach and will feature a keynote address by Dr. Christine Chambers. Festivities will include a lively opening reception at Alexander Keith’s Brewery and a memorable Gala Banquet at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. The Archives Committee is collaborating closely with organizers to showcase the Society’s remarkable history and highlight this important milestone in the journey of Clinical Biochemistry in Canada.
2027 Kelowna (May 2–5):
This meeting is being held at the Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort with Drs. Teralee Burton and Kristin Hauff acting as co-chairs.
2028 Toronto (April 23–26):
This meeting is being held on the lakefront at the Westin Harbour Castle. A co-chair has yet to be selected, so please reach out to the Annual Meetings Committee or CSCC Council if you are interested in volunteering for this role!
Secretary’s Report – Dr. Teralee Burton
Membership remains stable, with only a few renewals pending. A new Membership Fee Policy has been approved to clarify renewal deadlines, with details now available on the CSCC website and in the Council Handbook.
Treasurer’s Report – Dr. Saranya Arnoldo
The 2024 financial statements were reviewed, and the society is in overall good standing.
Publications Division – Dr. Nicolas Tétreault
Clinical Biochemistry Journal
Manuscript submissions to Clinical Biochemistry have risen slightly this year. While both the CiteScore and impact factor declined in 2024—a trend observed across many journals in our field—the journal’s overall rank and percentile have remained stable. To strengthen the journal, efforts are underway to attract more high-quality review articles, fill three Associate Editor and Editorial Board vacancies, and recruit a new Social Media Editor. Council continues to encourage members to submit publications from CSCC committees, working groups, and special interest groups (SIGs) to Clinical Biochemistry.
Archives Committee Update
The Archives Committee continues to celebrate the rich history of our profession. Recently, the committee completed three engaging interviews with CSCC elders and hosted several lively virtual “Coffee Com” sessions, each bringing together 11–15 participants for stories and conversation. Looking ahead, an exciting social event is being planned to mark the Society’s 70th anniversary at the CSCC Annual Conference in Halifax in 2026. To preserve and share our legacy, the committee is also enhancing access to historical materials by adding searchable keywords to archived newsletters and developing a new website section dedicated to the history of the Clinical Biochemistry profession in Canada.
Website and Communications Update
Recent developments include the launch of online PDP certificates, updates to the CLiCK tool, and the introduction of new electronic forms. Ongoing French translation efforts are being coordinated with bilingual CSCC members to ensure broader accessibility of these resources.
Education and Scientific Affairs Division – Dr. Anna Fuezery
The division is working on a new vendor-sponsored research grant that we hope will be launched in early 2026. More details to come soon! Roche has confirmed sponsorship of the 2025 Critical Care Lectureship, with planning underway. In other exciting news, the new Harmonized Reference Intervals webpage is now live and can be found on the CSCC website under Education & Scientific Affairs.
Professional Affairs Division – Dr. Danijela Konforte
Workforce and Regulation
The Professional Affairs Division has monitored the job market for clinical biochemists. The job market remains robust, with 16 positions posted in 2024, a trend consistent with previous years.
Salary Survey and Compensation Focus
The Professional Affairs Division completed a comprehensive salary survey that was distributed in early 2025. Results from the survey and key insights are available online under the About Us section of the CSCC website.
Awards and Nominations:
CSCC proudly announces the 2025 Award Recipients:
- Education Excellence: Dr. Cynthia Balion
- Research Excellence: Dr. Lawrence De Koning
- Outstanding Contribution to Clinical Chemistry: Dr. Loralie Langman
- Innovation in Laboratory Medicine: GENCOV Study – Dr. Jennifer Taher
Elected Council Positions (2025–2027):
- President-Elect: Dr. Abdulrazaq Sokoro
- Head, ESAD: Dr. Lianna Kyriakopoulou
- Head, PAD: Dr. Dorothy Truong
- Councilors: Dr. Berna Aslan (2nd term) and Dr. Ashley Newbigging (1st term)
2025 CSCC Grants Awarded:
- Leadership/Administration Grant: Lei Fu
- Educational Activities and Professional Development: Marie-Hélène Levesque
- Trainee Elective Visit Grants: Drs. Daniel Choi, Mary Kathryn Bohn, Meshach Asare-Werehene
Public Outreach Division – Dr. Lori Beach
The Lab Report Podcast continues to release new episodes, sharing stories and insights from across our community. To increase engagement, upcoming content will focus more on foundational topics that appeal to a broader audience. In addition, a new series of short videos will feature clinical biochemists introducing themselves and their work.
Council expresses appreciation to all members, committees, and partners for their dedication to advancing laboratory medicine in Canada. Through collaboration, transparency, and continued innovation, CSCC remains steadfast in its mission to strengthen the clinical biochemistry profession and support the next generation of leaders.