5752     Laboratory Evaluation of Anticoagulant Therapy
8:30 am - 4:00 pm         6.0 CMLE Credits

Larry Smith, PhD, SH(ASCP)CM;HCLD/CC(ABB)
Director, Coagulation Laboratory, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Adjunct Professor, University of Medicine and Dentistry, Newark, NJ

With the aging of the U.S. population, thrombophilia—a serious and complicated disorder associated with significant morbidity and mortality that requires anticoagulant therapy—is likely to increase. In an era when so many new anticoagulants are being developed, the role of the laboratory will continue to be central to quality patient care.

This workshop will include a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the assays currently in use to monitor treatment. Additionally, pre- and post-analytical factors that may affect interpretations of these assays are highlighted and emphasized. You'll gain a fundamental understanding of the mechanism of action of heparin, oral anticoagulant therapy, and direct and indirect thrombin inhibitors. Plus, you'll gain the knowledge that you need to improve your practical skills and insights into this high-impact section of the laboratory.

Following this workshop, you will be able to:



Debut Presentation!   6866       Solving Those Unpleasant ABO Discrepancies
8:30 am - 4:00 pm          6.0 CMLE Credits

Beatriz Avila, MLS(ASCP)CMSBBCM
Medical Technologist – Reference Laboratory  Specialist, Florida's Blood Centers, A Division of OneBlood, Inc., Orlando, FL

Transfusion medicine can be a daunting laboratory area, especially if you have not had extensive practice in blood banking. Attend this workshop to gain more confidence in your blood banking skills. Designed to contribute to your professional growth through training, presentations, and discussions, this session will increase your comfort level and interest in the transfusion medicine field.

ABO discrepancies can cause delays in turnaround time, especially if they have to be sent to a reference laboratory. This workshop will equip you with the knowledge to resolve these discrepancies, which will speed up workflow, alleviate stress, and decrease costs. In addition to a greater theoretical understanding of ABO discrepancies, this session will provide you with practical experience through the discussion of case studies involving discrepancies due to single specificity antibodies, multiple antibodies, antibodies to high frequency antigens, and autoantibodies.  Resolution of these discrepancies will be addressed in detail, including antibody identification, enzyme treatment, adsorptions, neutralizations and adsorption/elution studies, and the use of your facility’s resources to assist with the process.

Following this workshop, you will be able to:

 
 

7400       Molecular Methods in the Clinical Laboratory
8:30 am - 5:00 pm       7.0 CMLE Credits

Lori I. Fitzwater, MS, MP(ASCP)
Department of Cellular and Integrated Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Department of Pathology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE

Molecular diagnostics testing is rapidly having an impact on many traditional areas of the clinical laboratory. If you’re interested in updating your molecular knowledge or considering adding molecular methods to existing laboratory sections, this is the workshop for you! You’ll benefit from a comprehensive introduction to molecular diagnostic applications.

A presentation on DNA basics and the differences between molecular and traditional laboratory testing will be followed by a discussion of nucleic acid amplification and non-amplification methods, such as PCR and target capture. Using infectious disease and human genetic assays as examples, the discussion will cover the diseases that are appropriate for testing by molecular methods and the advantages and disadvantages of various assays and platforms. You’ll also be introduced to genetic abnormalities in cancer development and specialized molecular methods of detection, such as FISH and cytogenetics.

Following this workshop, you will be able to: