Day 1

Sunday 21 May

OPENING CEREMONY
  • 17:00-19:00 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – Welcome addresses
    President of the Congress, S. Bernardini
    IFCC President, K. Adeli
    EFLM President, T. Ozben
    SIBioC President, T. Trenti
    Announcement of IFCC Awards
    IFCC President, K. Adeli
    Announcement of EFLM Awards
    EFLM President, T. Ozben
    Opening Lecture
    Chair: S. Bernardini
    Forgiveness for Individual, Family, and Community Well-Being, R. Enright (USA)
  • 20:00 Welcome Cocktail

Day 2

Monday 22 May

  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 1 – EFLM SYMPOSIUM
    Inappropriate use of laboratory resources – Demand management tools and how to use them – Session chairs: J. Cadamuro (Austria), M. Salinas (Spain)
    Definition and magnitude of over-and underuse – J. Cadamuro (Austria)
    Tools to overcome inappropriate test ordering – A. von Meyer (Germany)
    Demand management and inappropriate use of laboratory resources – examples of successful interventions – M. Salinas (Spain)
    Web-based clinical decision support tools to guide appropriate use of laboratory testing – R. Liwayan (Australia)
    The impact of Computer-assisted automatic algorithms in the diagnosis of anemia in Primary Care – E. Urrechaga (Spain)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15- 11:15 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – IFCC SYMPOSIUM
    Artificial intelligence applications in clinical laboratory medicine – Session chairs: A. Carobene (Italy), D. Gruson (Belgium)
    Artificial intelligence: current and future applications in laboratory medicine – D. Gruson (Belgium)
    The Ethics of Point of Care Devices and the Need for AI Policy Frameworks in Resources Limited Settings – M. Gmira (Morocco)
    The value of AI in the mobile health ecosystem – N. Delvaux (Belgium)
    Complete Blood Count based Machine Learning Algorithms for Sepsis Detection – L. Agnello (Italy)
    Artificial Intelligence Applied To The Prevention Of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis In Primary Care Using Fib-4 As A Fibrosis Marker – S. Sánchez Berdial (Spain)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 3 – IFCC SYMPOSIUM
    Precision Medicine will boost Medical Test Standardization of Protein Biomarkers – Session chairs: C. Cobbaert (Netherlands), P. Gillery (France)
    Critical Appraisal of IFCC SD standardization/harmonization efforts: making up the balance – P. Gillery (France)
    Embracing (patho-)physiological diversity at the molecular level: unraveling the human blood proteome – N. Kelleher (USA)
    Promising (glyco-)proteoform measuring technologies to accurately quantify the measurand of interest: what is in the pipeline? – Y. van der Burgt (Netherlands)
    Bottom-up proteomics enables peptide-based calibration of molecular defined proteins for realizing SI-traceability of test results – C. Cobbaert (Netherlands)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 2 – SYMPOSIUM 1
    MicroRNA: from detection technologies to applications – Session chairs: P. Ahmad-Nejad (Germany), V. Taly (France)
    EV associated Biomarkers in Liquid Biopsies – How to identify valid microRNA Biomarker Signatures in circulating extracellular vesicles – M. W. Pfaffl (Germany)
    Droplet-based microfluidics for miRNA detection – V. Taly (France)
    miRNA profiling in cells and extra-cellular vesicles using high-throughput sequencing in human diseases and disease models – J. Tost (France)
    The effect of resveratrol on hyperglycemia-related microRNAs in HepG2 cells – A.M. Tshivhase (South Africa)
    Maternal MT2A gene polymorphisms –5A/G, –209A/G and +838G/C influence trace element levels in healthy postpartum women and their offspring – D. Pašalić (Croatia)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11.15 ROOM 4 – EFLM SYMPOSIUM
    Precision Medicine – Session chairs: R. Abu Seir (USA), T. Ozben (Turkey)
    Multi-omics profiling in the era of cancer Precision Medicine – T. Ozben (Turkey)
    Genetic diagnosis and multi-omics clustering for diabetes precision medicine – P. Froguel (UK)
    Computer-assisted integration of multi-dimensional patient’s data for poly-therapies management – M. Simmaco (Italy)
    Integration of germline and tumour genetics into a pathology supported genetic testing algorithm for improved risk management of breast cancer in South Africa – L. Mampunye (South Africa)
    Swiss BioRef: A national infrastructure for generating precise reference intervals for diagnostic medicine –T.E. Blatter (Switzerland)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 5 – SIBioC SYMPOSIUM
    Opportunities and challenges for digital morphology in Hematology – Session Chairs: S. Buoro (Italy), G. Da Rin (Italy)
    From the digital microscope to artificial intelligence – G. D’Onofrio (Italy)
    The virtual slide in hematology – G. Zini (Italy)
    Digital morphology analyzers in hematology: a disruptive innovation? The experience of SIBioC hematology study group – M. Seghezzi (Italy)
    NED-DH: a new interesting tool for digital morphology – J. Sabbatinelli (Italy)
    Flagging performance of Alinity hq and Sysmex XN1000 for atypical lymphocites – O.R. Oprea (Romania)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 11:45 – 12:45 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA –  PLENARY LECTURE – Chair: K. Adeli (Canada)
    Cancer metabolism – G. Melino (Italy)
    Credit: 1 CPECS®
  • 14:30 – 16:30 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – IFCC SYMPOSIUM
    Central Role of the Clinical Laboratory in Public Health & Patient Care Continuum – Session chairs: R. Erasmus (South Africa), A. St John (Australia)
    Critical review of the evidence supporting the value of laboratory medicine in clinical care – K. Adeli (Canada)
    Delivering value through improved test implementation – A. St John (Australia)
    Demonstrating the value of laboratory medicine from an industry perspective – B. Meyer (UK)
    Strategies for Promoting the Value of Laboratory Medicine in North America – D. Kinniburgh (Canada)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 14:30 – 15:30 ROOM 6 – MEET THE EXPERT
    Infrared spectroscopy – S. De Bruyne (Belgium)
    Credits: 1 CPECS®
  • 15:45 – 16:45 ROOM 6 – DEBATE
    Cardiac Biomarkers in Risk Stratification: Laboratory Medicine Approach – F. Apple (USA)
    Cardiac biomarkers in risk stratification: the need for more data – N. Mills (UK)
    Credits: 1 CPECS®
  • 16:30-18:00 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – ROUND TABLE
    Machine Learning in Laboratory Medicine: Recommendations from the IFCC Working Group & Case Studies     – Chair N. Rifai (USA)
    Speakers: S. Master (USA), T. Badrick (Australia), S. Haymond (USA), A. Bietenbeck (Germany)
    Credits: 1,5 CPECS®

Day 3

Tuesday 23 May

  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 1 – SYMPOSIUM 2
    COVID-19 diagnosis, therapy and outcome – Session chair: M. Ciccozzi (Italy), G. Lippi (Italy)
    SARS-CoV-2: Epidemiological and genomic analysis – L.B. Snell (UK)
    Challenges in COVID-19 testing strategies – P. M Bossuyt (Netherlands)
    Severe COVID-19: is it a viral or an immunological disease? – A. Guillon (France)
    Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Reactivity to Natural Exposure and Inactivated Vaccination with Peptide Microarrays –
    P. Zheng (China)
    Circulating Histones Induce Platelet Aggregation And Trigger Inflammatory Responses – L. Agnello (Italy)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 2 – SYMPOSIUM 3
    Diagnostic Challenges in Sepsis – Session chairs: B. Gouget (France), C. Tsatsanis (Greece)
    Immunology of sepsis: diagnostic and therapeutic challenges– T. Van der Poll (Netherlands)
    Harmonisation of Procalcitonin as a sepsis biomarker: problems and solutions – V. Delatour (France)
    Functional biomarkers of Sepsis Immunosuppression – C. Tsatsanis (Greece)
    The Utility Of The Mindray BC 6800 Plus Analyzer’s Parameters For Detecting Sepsis – S. Sacchetti (Italy)
    Accessing the role of the 16SrRNA gene in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis in a Tertiary care Hospital –A. Prashant (India)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 3 – SYMPOSIUM 4
    Towards the next generation of Laboratory Information Systems – Session chairs: V. Lukić (Serbia), M. Yusof (Malaysia)
    LIS 2.0: what does the future hold? – V. Lukić (Serbia)
    Are laboratory information systems prepared for interconnected health care? – A. Bietenbeck (Germany)
    An evaluation framework for effective and safe laboratory information systems – M. Yusof (Malaysia)
    Having the future in mind when thinking at Laboratory Information Management Systems – M.A. Fitarau (Romania)
    Direct integration between LIS and EQA provider portal supports faster and more consistent result reporting – K. Virtanen (Finland)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9.15 – 11.15 ROOM 4 – SYMPOSIUM 5
    Autoimmune diseases – Session chairs: D. Barnali (India), J. Sheldon (UK)
    IgG4 related disease – J. Mahajne (Italy)
    Complement Therapeutics in Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases – J. Thurman (USA)
    Harmonisation of Autoimmune Testing – J. Sheldon (UK)
    Pattern of Thyroid Antibodies in Individuals with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’ Disease in Northern Nigeria – R. Nwaelugo (Nigeria)
    The Role of Serum Calprotectin in Defining Disease Outcomes in Non-Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Pilot Study – M. R. Flacco (Italy)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – IFCC SYMPOSIUM
    Advancing Excellence in Laboratory Medicine Worldwide: An Update from IFCC Taskforces – Session chairs: K. Adeli (Canada), A. Haliassos (Greece)
    Enhancing Laboratory Quality on a Global Level: Results of the IFCC EQA Pilot Study – E. Amann (Germany)
    Closing the Gaps in Newborn Screening: The IFCC Global NBS Program – J. Bonham (UK)
    Impact of the Clinical Laboratory in Clinical Medicine: Developing the Evidence – Z. Zhan (USA)
    Global Database of Adult and Pediatric Reference Intervals – J. Zierk (Germany)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 5 – SIBIOC SYMPOSIUM
    The challenge of harmonization in laboratory medicine – Session chairs: A. Carobene (Italy), F. Ceriotti (Italy)
    Harmonization of the Pre-analytical phase – A-M. Simundic (Croatia)
    Harmonization of the Analytical phase – M. Panteghini (Italy)
    Harmonization of the Post-analytical phase –M. Plebani (Italy)
    Analysis of KDCA Creatinine Standardization program : 5 Years of Experience – C.I. Cho (South Korea)
    Comparison Of Sodium Levels In Hyperglycaemic Samples After Applying A Correction Factor – F. De la Fuente (Spain)
    Credit: 2 CPECS®
  • 11:45 – 12:45 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – PLENARY LECTURE – Chair: T. Ozben (Turkey)
    Viral Evolution and Host Immune Responses – A. Fischer (France)
    Credit: 1 CPECS®
  • 14:30 – 16:30 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – EFLM SYMPOSIUM
    Quality in clinical laboratory: a moving target – Session chairs: P. Fernandez-Calle (Spain), D. Vitkus (Lithuania)
    Evaluation and monitoring of analytical quality – M. Panteghini (Italy)
    Assessing the robustness of the total testing process with Quality Indicators – V. De Guire (Canada)
    Outcome measurement and integration of quality measures in laboratory medicine – M. Plebani (Italy)
    The CDC Clinical Standardization Programs (CDC CSP) – Improving the Quality of Disease Biomarker Measurements in Patient Care and Research – H. Vesper (USA)
    Improving Error Reduction In The Post Analytical Phase Of The Laboratory Using Lean 6 Sigma And Benchmarking Tools – M. Mendes (Brazil)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 14:30 – 15:30 ROOM 6 – PREANALYTICAL CASES
    Preanalytical mysteries – S. Jovičić (Serbia) – J. Cadamuro (Austria)
    Credits: 1 CPECS®
  • 15:45 – 16:45 ROOM 6 – CLINICAL CASES
    Bone turnover markers + vitamin D – E. Cavallier (Belgium) – M. Hermann (Germany)
    The use of bone turnover markers and vitamin D metabolites for personalized patient management – M. Hermann (Austria)
    Credits: 1 CPECS®
  • 17:00-18:15 ROOM 5 – 60 YEARS OF CCLM: Talks and Reception
    1. Talk by Tomris Özben – President of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM)
    2. Talk by Khosrow Adeli – President of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC)
    3. Talk by Mario Plebani Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM)
    4. Reception and Social Gathering

Day 4

Wednesday 24 May

  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 1 – SYMPOSIUM 6
    Preanalytical phase and patient outcome – Session chairs: R. Sierra Amor (Mexico), A.M. Simundic (Croatia)
    How to measure patient related outcomes & cost of preanalytical errors? – G. Lippi (Italy)
    New venous catheter blood draw device and its impact on patient and laboratory related outcomes – K. Doyle (USA)
    Over-estimation of plasma glucose in collection tubes containing citrate stabilizer – C.M. Florkowski (New Zealand)
    Transport of clinical samples via Unmanned Aerial Systems like drones does not affect laboratory result’s quality – M. Shapira (Israel)
    Using simple algorithm of commonly requested chemistry tests to identify intravenous fluid contamination samples in the clinical laboratory – A. Tsui (Canada)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 2 – SYMPOSIUM 7
    Young Scientist Session – Session chairs: K. Taha Ucar (Turkey), B. Das (India)
    Circulating cancer biomarkers: where are we now? – A. Tikhonov (Russia)
    Immature platelet fraction as an early inflammatory biomarker – C. Imperiali (Spain)
    Dialogue between lab and clinicians for a win-win collaboration – M. Lenski (France)
    Setting Reference Intervals for analytes with dynamic physiological changes – U. Senarathne (Sri Lanka)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 3 – SYMPOSIUM 8
    Bone as an endocrine organ – Session chairs: E. Cavalier (Belgium) – A. Haliassos (Greece)
    FGF23, Lipocalin 2 and Osteocalcin: three hormones released by bone – C. Confavreux (France)
    Sclerostin: from pathophysiology to laboratory determination – R. N. Jørgensen (Denmark)
    FGF23: clinical and laboratory perspectives – A. Heijboer (Netherlands)
    Blood Lead Levels In Stunted And Non-Stunted Children In Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria – O.E. Alo (Nigeria)
    Vitamin D levels status post pandemic: an overview in two sunny regions of Albania – I. Babamusta (Albania)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 ROOM 4 – SYMPOSIUM 9
    Translating biomarkers from research to clinical use in traumatic brain injury – Session chairs: A.-C. Chiollaz (Switzerland), K. Makris (Greece)
    Understanding microglía-astrocyte communication after traumatic brain injury to study potential new biomarkers – J. Egea (Spain)
    Biomarkers of traumatic brain injury: current state and unresolved issues – H. Zettenberg (Sweden)
    Neurovascular Unit-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: From Their Physiopathological Roles to Their Clinical Applications in Traumatic Brain Injury – A.C. Chiollaz (Switzerland)
    Implementation of new serum biomarkers of acute brain injury: diagnostic-therapeutic implications in Emergency Department – D. Morell-Garcia (Spain)
    Biomarkers in patients with mild head trauma under antithrombotic medication – L. Babini (Italy)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 9:15 – 11:15 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – SIBioC SYMPOSIUM
    The latest advances in diabetes clinical and laboratory research – Session chairs: A. Mosca (Italy), A. Terreni (Italy)
    Nature of diabetes: time for a rethink? – D. Leslie (UK)
    Diabetic kidney disease: new clinical and therapeutic issues – G. Pugliese (Italy)
    Role of glycated albumin for diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus – E. Selvin (USA)
    Placental nutrient transport in gestational diabetes – C. Rodríguez-Chacón (Spain)
    Can Leptin/Ghrelin Ratio and Retinol-Binding Protein 4 Predict Improved Insulin Resistance in Patients with Obesity Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy? – H. Demerdash (Egypt)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 11:45 – 12:45 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – PLENARY LECTURE
    Chair: S. Bernardini (Italy)
    Multi-Omics for Biomarker Discovery: the Value of NMR-Spectroscopy     – M. Nauck (Germany)
    Credit: 1 CPECS®
  • 14:30 – 16:30 ROOM 5 – EQALM SYMPOSIUM
    Insights into SARS-CoV-2 associated analytics that only EQA schemes can provide – Session chairs: G.M. Henriksen (Denmark), C. Buchta (Austria)
    EQA for SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection – Sensitivity of tests and the potential impact of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants – O. Donoso Mantke (Germany)
    Three years of external quality assessment for SARS-CoV-2 genome detection in Austria – C. Buchta (Austria)
    Insights into analytical method performance by combining data from various EQA providers – Examples from SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics and point-of-care/near patient testing systems – W. Coucke (Belgium)
    Results of SARS-CoV-2 antibody determination – a mess or just biology? – H. Zeichhardt (Germany)
    Credits: 2 CPECS®
  • 14:30 – 15:30 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – CLINICAL CASES
    Challenges in the interpretation of laboratory tests in hemostasis – O. Yalcin (Turkey)
    Credits: 1 CPECS®
  • 15:45 – 16:45 AUDITORIUM LA NUVOLA – CLINICAL CASES
    Neuroimmune diseases – Session Chair: J.A. Goodfellow (UK)
    “Brain on Fire”: Neuroimmunology Case Study Based Discussion – B. Das (India)
    Technical laboratory and clinical challenges and opportunities around autoantibody testing in Neuroimmunology – J.A. Goodfellow (UK)
    Credits: 1 CPECS®

Day 5

Thursday 25 May

    • 9:00 – 11:00 ROOM 1 – SYMPOSIUM 10
      Biomarkers of liver diseases – Session Chairs: E. Homsak (Slovenia), D. Pašalić (Croatia)
      What combination of non-invasive fibrosis tests should be used for the diagnosis of fibrosis in NAFLD / MAFLD? – J. Boursier (France)
      Adipocytokines and liver diseases in 2023: where are we? – C. Peralta (Spain)
      Are liver-related ANA patterns recognised as a possible hint of liver autoimmune diseases? Brief analysis of patients from a Spanish intermediate complexity hospital’s health area – P. Fernández Almudena (Spain)
      Demand Adjustment: alkaline phosphatase and y-glutamiltransferasa. Is it really necessary to request them together? – R.A. Torrado Carrión (Spain)
      Credits: 2 CPECS®
    • 9:00 – 11:00 ROOM 2 – SYMPOSIUM 11
      The role of clinical laboratory in kidney transplantation – Session chairs: A. Djamali (USA), T. Trenti (Italy)
      Biomarkers as non-invasive diagnostic tools in kidney transplantation – A. Djamali (USA)
      Immunosuppressive drug Monitoring for a Personalized Therapy – P. Marquet (France)
      Kidney functions after transplantation: more than glomerular filtration rate – J. P. Cristol (France)
      Validation of Enzymatic Creatinine using LCMSMS creatinine measurement, M. Kaplan (Isral)
      Clinical outcome according to eplet mismatches in kidney transplantation recipients without pre-and post-transplant HLA donor-specific antibodies – S. Yu (South Korea)
      Credits: 2 CPECS®
    • 9:00 – 11:00 ROOM 3 – SYMPOSIUM 12
      Sources of interference in laboratory testing – Session chairs: G. Dimeski (Australia), S. Jovicic (Serbia)
      Biotin interference in laboratory testing – P. B. Kyle (USA)
      Troponin Interferences with current generation assays – G. Dimeski (Australia)
      Interferences in Immunoassays – K. Ghazal (France)
      The role of ascorbic acid in the discordance between esterase and leukocyte cells count in urine samples – D. Morell-Garcia (Spain)
      Is dilution efficient to eliminate lipemia interferences in biochemistry parameters? – I. Mezghani (Tunisia)
      Credits: 2 CPECS®
    • 9:00 – 11:00 ROOM 4 – SYMPOSIUM 13
      Prenatal testing – Session chairs: B. Das (India), G. Novelli (Italy)
      First trimester Fetal Chromosomal Anomaly Screening – G. Novelli (Italy)
      EQA in prenatal testing and PAPP-A standardisation – C. Sturgeon (UK)
      Risk assessment for pre-eclamsia throughout pregnancy – L. Poon (Hong Kong)
      Impact Of Expanded Newborn Screening In The Identification Of Hereditary Diseases In Piedmont And Aosta Valley – P. Sauro
      (Italy)
      Pilot study for the implementation of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy in Southern Spain – R. Yahyaoui (Spain)
      Credits: 2 CPECS®
    • 9:00 – 11:00 ROOM 5 – SIBioC SYMPOSIUM
      Diagnostic workup of monoclonal gammopathies – Session chairs: M. Mussap (Italy) – G. Palladini (Italy)
      Advances in monitoring and treatment of multiple myeloma – F. Gay (Italy)
      Differential diagnosis of MGCS – A. Dispenzieri (USA)
      Assessment of CTCs and MRD in multiple myeloma – B. Paiva (Spain)
      New lab techniques for management of monoclonal gammopathies – R. Galván (Spain)
      Evaluating a patient for a monoclonal gammopathy: The “MGTesting” Shiny app – J. Abcede (Australia)
      Credits: 2 CPECS®
    • 11.30 – 12.30 ROOM 1 – PLENARY LECTURE – Chair: R. Horvath (Australia)
      Diagnostic advances in dementia – K. Blennow (Sweden)
      Credit: 1 CPECS
    • 12.30 – 13.30 ROOM 1 – CLOSING CEREMONYClosing remarks
      Congress President – S. Bernardini
      IFCC President – K. Adeli
      EFLM President – T. Ozben
      SIBioC President – T. Trenti
      Welcome to Dubai
      WorldLab Dubai 2024 – T. Ozben, K. Adeli, A. Borai
      Welcome to Brussels
      Euromedlab Brussels 2025 – D. Gruson
      Farewell Cocktail