Day-by-day program

• 17.00-19.00

OPENING CEREMONY 

Human Health and Well-being: Balancing Between Flavor and Gut Microbiota

Patrice D. Cani (Belgium), Laurent Gerbaud (Belgium)

• 09.15 – 11.15

IFCC SYMPOSIUM 1 

Hot topics in Laboratory Medicine

Chairs: Tomris Ozben (Turkey), Khosrow Adeli (Canada)

Moving Beyond Sensitivity and Specificity: Showing the Value of Lab Medicine Through Outcome Measures – Zhen Zhao, USA
Beyond blood – how to establish traceability and verify the accuracy of glucose testing in various biological fluids – Guido Freckmann, Germany
Integration of Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS) into Routine Clinical Laboratory Workflows – Daniel Holmes, Canada
Balancing the risks against the advantages of Machine learning – Shannon Haymond, USA

 

 

• 09.15 – 11.15

EFLM SYMPOSIUM 1 

EFLM – BioMedAlliance
Laboratory Medicine and the EU in the Era of Precision Medicine

Chairs: Elizabeth Macintyre (France), Snezana Jovicic (Serbia)

Impact of IVDR on diagnostic practice – Christa Cobbaert, the Netherlands
Automatic regulation and recognition of Laboratory Medicine Specialists in EU: facts and obstacles (reality or fiction) – Evgenija Homsak, Slovenia
Diagnostic Oecumenics in Onco-Hematology – Elizabeth Macintyre, France
Upskilling Healthcare Professionals for the delivery of genomic medicine: a UK and ESHG perspective – Julia Baptista, UK

 

 

• 09.15 – 11.15

SYMPOSIUM 1  

New approaches for deriving and applying biological variation data for clinical use

Chairs: Aasne K. Aarsand (Norway), Sverre Sandberg (Norway)

Biological variation – recent developments and future challenges – Aasne K. Aarsand, Norway
Using biological variation data to define personalized and population-based reference intervals – Abdurrahman Coskun, Turkey
New models for biological variation data and consequences for their practical use – Sverre Sandberg, Norway
Dealing with biological variation in sports drug testing – the athlete biological passport approach – Thomas Piper, Germany

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 2 

The present and future of minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment

Chairs: Katie Thoren (USA), Michael Neumaier (Germany)

Mass spectrometry for MRD assessment in multiple myeloma – Katie Thoren, USA
Flow cytometry for MRD in leukemia and lymphoma – Marion Eveillard, France
Cell-free DNA techniques for MRD – Trevor Pugh, Canada
Flow cytometry for MRD in multiple myeloma – Tomas Jelinek, Czech Republic

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

IFCC SYMPOSIUM 2

Future laboratory IT systems and standardized laboratory terminology

Chair: Young Bae Hansen (Denmark)

Standardization of laboratory terminology including quantity, measurement units and measurements – Fatma Yilmaz, Turkey
Analytical Considerations in Test Standardization – Gunnar Nordin, Sweden
Case Examples on Impact of Lack of Standardization in Global Health – Sridevi Devaraj, USA
Warranted IT solutions in laboratory medicine and the digital ecosystem– (what future IT solutions do laboratory medicine need) – Young Bae Hansen, Denmark

 

• 09.15-11.15

RBSLM SYMPOSIUM 1

Improving quality in the extra-analytical phase

Chairs: Mario Plebani (Italy). Pieter Vermeersch (Belgium)

Quality indicators for the extra-analytical phase: the IFCC Model of quality indicators – Laura Sciacovelli, Italy
Defining essential quality indicators for the total testing process: a 2024 consensus statement on behalf of IFCC WG-LIPS – Vincent De Guire, Canada
Implementation of a national benchmark program for quality indicators for the extra-analytical phase – Gregor Pairoux, Belgium
From panic values towards tailored critical result and critical decision limits: improving communication of significantly abnormal results to clinicians – Pieter Vermeersch, Belgium

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 3

AntiMicrobial Stewardship in real praxis
Chairs: Vaclava Adamkova (Czech Republic), Tomas Zima (Czech Republic)

AMS in haematooncology – where we are and where can we be – Ľuboš Drgoňa, Slovak Republic
Does rapid testing trump conventional approaches in supporting AMS – Gian Maria Rossolini, Italy
When the limits are within us – case reports – Václava Adámkova and Helena Lahoda Brodská, Czech Republic
2 oral communications from abstracts

 

 

• 11.45-12.45

PLENARY LECTURE 1 

Clinical Proteomics: More precision in precision oncology – adding phosphoproteomics to the molecular tumor board

Bernard Kuster (Germany)

 

 

• 15.30-17.30 

ROUND-TABLE 1 

Beyond the Numbers: Integrating Laboratory and Clinical Perspectives
on Thyroid Health

Chairs: Kris Poppe (Belgium), Etienne Cavalier (Belgium)

Speakers:
Brigitte Decallonne, Belgium
Luca Giovanella, Switzerland
Sergio Bernardini, Italy
Damien Gruson, Belgium

•  09.15-11.15

IFCC SYMPOSIUM 3

Unraveling the Role of Machine Learning in Clinical Chemistry: Bridging the Gap between Potential and Practicality

Chair: He Sarina Yang (USA)

Navigating the challenges of implementing machine learning in clinical laboratory practice – He Sarina Yang, USA
Biomarkers vs. Machine: the Race to Predict Acute Kidney Injury – Joe El-Khoury, USA
Leveraging Laboratory Data as a Tool to Assess for Preanalytical Errors – Christopher Farnsworth, USA
Doing more with patient data: detection of analytical error through patient-based quality control – Mark Cervinski, USA

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

EFLM SYMPOSIUM 2 

Value Based Healthcare in Laboratory Medicine

Chairs: Mario Plebani (Italy), Tomas Zima (Czech Republic)

Value Based Healthcare: the time is now – Mario Plebani, Italy
Value Based Healthcare: personalized and sustainable – Jan Hazelzet, the Netherlands
A European network for Value Based Healthcare – João Marques Gomes, Portugal
Value = outcome/costs, how to apply to laboratory medicine – Giuseppe Banfi, Italy

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 4

Defining analytical performance requirements for laboratory tests to make them fit for clinical purpose

Chairs: Andrea Rita Horvath (Australia), Sverre Sandberg (Norway)

Making laboratory tests fit for purpose – review of approaches that connect analytical and clinical performance of laboratory tests – Andrea Rita Horvath, Australia
Defining clinically acceptable analytical performance specifications – a practical approach – Emmi Rotgers, Finland
IGF-1 and IGF-1 SDS: Are analytical specifications fit for clinical purpose? – Bart Ballieux, the Netherlands
2 oral communications from abstracts

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 5

Sustainable Reference intervals and Clinical Decision Limits: Towards Standardization & Harmonization

Chair: Dalius Vitkus (Lithuania), Khosrow Adeli (Canada)

Global Establishment and Harmonization of Pediatric Reference Intervals using Indirect Methods – Results of an IFCC TF-GRID Data Mining Study – Jakob Zierk, Germany
Pediatric and Adult Reference Interval Harmonization in Canada: Latest Updates – Khosrow Adeli, Canada
Reference Materials to Harmonize Autoimmune Assays – Joanne Sheldon, United Kingdom
Diversity in Reference Intervals and Non-Diversity in Decision Limits – Thomas Streichert, Germany

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 6 

Environmental Impact of Laboratory Medicine (Green and Sustainable Medical Laboratories)

Chairs: Tomris Ozben (Turkey), John Anetor (Nigeria)

An Objective Assessment of Implementing Sustainable Practices in the Laboratory – Results of a Pilot Study – Alistair Gammie, UK
Key sustainability trends, challenges and opportunities from the perspective of EU medtech – Sigrid Linher, Belgium
Bioplastics, a promising alternative to conventional plastics – TBD
An Examination of the Benefits and Impediments to Sustainable Laboratory Medicine – John Anetor, Nigeria

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

RBSLM SYMPOSIUM 2 

From preanalytical to postanalytical phase in hematology/hemostasis laboratories

Chair: Stijn Lambrecht (Belgium)

Appropriate prescription of hematology/hemostasis assays – François Mullier, Belgium
Intended use of hematology/hemostasis assays: are we ready for IVDR implementation? – Dominique Lasne, France
Standardization in flow cytometry for diagnosis and MRD-analysis of hematological malignancies: the EuroFlow experience. – Mattias Hofmans, Belgium
Contribution of artificial intelligence to improve detection of pathological cells – Gina Zini, Italy

 

 

• 11.45-12.45

PLENARY LECTURE 2 

Sepsis associated acute kidney injury

Marlies Ostermann (UK)

 

 

• 15.30-17.30

ROUND-TABLE 2 

Health Economics: Transforming Laboratory Data into Value

Chairs: Konstantinos Makris (Greece), Alexander Haliassos (Greece)

Speakers:
Elias Mossialos, UK
Jean-Sebastien Blanchet, Beckman Coulter
Paul Julicher, Abbott
Nikolaos Polyzos, Greece
Tommaso Trenti, Italy

• 09.15-11.15

IFCC SYMPOSIUM 4

Cardiac troponins; clinical utility, analytical performance and future opportunities

Chair: Kristin Moberg Aakre (Norway)

Fast classification troponin algorithms; evidence and pitfalls in implementation – Nick Mills, UK
High sensitivity cardiac troponin POC assays; analytical and clinical state of the art – Yong Yong Tew, UK
Analytical performance when measuring low cardiac troponin concentrations – Kristin M Aakre, Norway
Future perspectives; Novel cardiac troponin assays – Sarah Wittfooth, Finland

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

EFLM SYMPOSIUM 3 

Integrated Diagnostics – Interdisciplinary Strategies and Approaches

Chairs: Joe Lennerz (USA), Pilar Fernandez Calle (Spain)

Integrated Diagnostics – from buzzword to administrative alignment – Joe Lennerz, USA
Culture shifts and the impact on integrated diagnostics – TBD
Navigating Biomarkers in Regulatory Waters – Roberto Salgado, Belgium
Integrated Diagnostics in Diseases of the Brain – Katrin Frauenknecht, Luxembourg
Health Data Integrity in the European Health Data Space – Nick Schneider, Germany

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 7

Medical test standardization in the era of Metrological Traceability: who is accountable?

Chairs: Christa Cobbaert (the Netherlands), Christoph Seger (Austria)

Implementing a Reference Measurement System for C-Peptide: Successes and Lessons Learned – Randie Little, USA
Certified Reference Materials in Clinical Chemistry: do they fulfil their purpose? – Liesbet Deprez, Belgium
Adoption and Implementation of Certified References in Today’s Regulatory Environment: an IVD Industry View – Geoff Wilkins, USA
Industrial and academic production of diagnostic tools – two sides of one coin or two coins? – Christoph Seger, Switzerland

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 8  

Current and Future Landscape of Tumor Markers in Clinical Use: Applications, Challenges, and Perspectives

Chairs: Qing H. Meng (USA), Tomris Ozben (Turkey)

Update of Biochemical Tumor Marker Testing in Cancer Practice – Qing H. Meng, USA
The Limitations, Challenges, and Laboratory Strategies for Tumor Biomarkers – Huub H. van Rossum, the Netherlands
A Fluid Approach: The Promise and Pitfalls of Liquid Biopsies – Vera A. Paulson, USA
Integrated Diagnostics in Oncology: Bridging Tumor Markers, Liquid Biopsy, Multi-Omics, and Imaging – Tomris Ozben, Turkey

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 9 

Biomarkers of the Brain: Past and Future

Chairs: Anwar Borai (Saudi Arabia), Vincent Sapin (France)

Traumatic Brain Injury Biomarkers: Current and Future – Anwar Borai, Saudi Arabia
Practical use of mTBI blood biomarkers: feedback, applications to specific populations and perspectives – Vincent Sapin, France
Use of fluid biomarkers for dementias in the era of upcoming treatments – Charlotte Teunissen, the Netherlands
Towards a biological definition of Parkinson’s disease: CSF and blood biomarkers – Lorenzo Gaetani, Italy

 

 

• 09.15-11.15

SYMPOSIUM 13

Value of Diagnostics and Labtest around NCDs

Chairs: Christopher Breyel (Belgium), Damien Gruson (Belgium)

Early Detection and Precision Treatment: The Cardiologist’s Perspective on Diagnostic Advances in Heart Disease – Anne-Catherine Pouleur, Belgium
A Patient’s Journey: The Transformative Impact of Diagnostic Tests on Managing My Chronic Condition – Francisco Rodriguez Lozano, Belgium
Policy and Prevention: How Government Can Support Diagnostic Innovations to Combat Non-Communicable Diseases – TBD
Innovating for Health: The Role of the Diagnostic Industry in Addressing Non-Communicable Disease Challenges – Bernard Colombo, Switzerland
From Biomarkers to Breakthroughs: The Critical Role of Laboratory Medicine in Managing Non-Communicable Diseases – Damien Gruson

 

 

• 11.45-12.45

PLENARY LECTURE 3

Bone Forming Agents: Will they help to close the gap in the treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis

Jean-Yves Reginster (Switzerland)

 

 

• 15.30-17.30

ROUND-TABLE 3 

Emerging AI Applications in Laboratory Medicine

Chairs: Janne Cadamuro (Austria), Mario Plebani (Italy)

Enhancing Analytical Performance with AI – Anna Carobene, Italy
AI in Clinical Biochemistry: Transforming Laboratory Medicine – Mario Plebani, Italy
E-learning and AI: Revolutionizing Education in Laboratory Medicine – Nader Rifai, USA
AI in laboratory demand management and integrated diagnostics – Janne Cadamuro, Austria
Round-table – All the speakers

• 09.00-11.00

IFCC SYMPOSIUM 5

What 21st century IFCC leadership should be: history, vision, implementation, and opportunities?

Chairs: Mathias M. Muller (Austria), Bernard Gouget (France)

Introduction

The IFCC history book: Charting the Course for IFCC Leadership in Laboratory Medicine for the 21st Century – Mathias Muller (Austria), Bernard Gouget (France)

Round Table: Views from the Top with IFCC Division Chairs

Chair: Tomris Ozben (Turkey)

Advancing Excellence and Scientific Research in Laboratory Medicine for Improved Health – Christa Cobbaert, the Netherlands
Rethinking Education for the 21st Century – Nader Rifai, USA
Transforming Scientific Communication for the 21st Century – Tahir Pillay, South Africa
Pioneering Disruptive Innovation in Laboratory Medicine – Damien Gruson, Belgium

 

 

• 09.00-11.00

SYMPOSIUM 10 

How can we integrate proteomics and metabolomics in Clinical Lab?

Chairs: Caroline Le Goff (Belgium), Marco Cantu (Switzerland)

Application of proteomics for clinical purposes – Christophe Hirtz, France
What will clinical metabolomics bring to the medicine of tomorrow? – Audrey Le Gouellec, France
Exploring the perspectives of industrialized mass spectrometry applications in IVD – Michael Vogeser, Germany
2 oral communications from abstracts

 

 

• 09.00-11.00

SYMPOSIUM 11 

Quality Assurance in Autoimmunity

Chairs: Fernando Antunez (Uruguay), Xavier Bossuyt (Belgium)

An introduction to the main pillars for ANA standardization – Fernando Antunez, Uruguay
Emergence of the ANA consensus, ICAP consensus and proposal for reporting results – Carlos von Muhlen, USA
Anti nuclear antibodies – key steps to harmonisation from an EQA perspective – Dinal Patel, UK
2 oral communications from abstracts

 

 

• 09.00-11.00

SYMPOSIUM 12 

AI in the extranalytical phases

Chairs: Janne Cadamuro (Austria), Andrea Padoan (Italy)

Pre-Analytical Phase – Giuseppe Lippi, Italy
Post-Analytical Phase – Glynis Frans, Belgium
AI – Andrea Padoan, Italy
2 oral communications from abstracts

 

 

• 09.00-11.00

SYMPOSIUM 14

EFLM – FEBS Symposium

Integrating Recent Basic Biomolecular Achievements in Medical Practice – Diagnostics & Therapy

Chairs: Tomáš Zima (Czech Republic), Piotr Laidler (Poland)

Mass spectrometry – translation from esoteric testing to a routine tool in the medical laboratory? – Christoph Seger, Switzerland
From basic research to clinical use: the long journey of blood markers for neurodegenerative diseases – Sylvain Lehmann,
France
From genetic analyses into prevention and treatment options for cancer including supplementations and diet interventions –
Jan Lubinski, Poland
NMR-based Fingerprinting and Profiling of biological samples for disease diagnosis and prognosis – Claudio Luchinat, Italy

 

 

• 09.00-11.00

RBSLM SYMPOSIUM 3

New EFLM approaches to urinalysis and urine bacterial culture

Chairs: Timo Kouri (Finland), Etienne Cavalier (Belgium)

Back to the basics: Improved preanalytics in urinalysis with recommendations and quality indicators of the EFLM Urinalysis
Guideline 2023 – Rosanna Falbo, Italy
Automated particle analysis of urine – do the technical advances satisfy clinical needs? – Matthijs Oyaert, Belgium
Paving the path to automation in urine bacteriology with the EFLM Urinalysis Guideline – Martine Pestel-Caron, France
Verification procedures for urine test strips and particle counting in the EFLM Urinalysis Guideline – Timo Kouri, Finland

 

 

• 11.30-12.30

PLENARY LECTURE 4

Digital Twins: From Personalised Medicine to Precision Public Health

Mikael Benson (Sweden)

 

 

12.30-13.00

CLOSING CEREMONY