2024

Description

MSACL 2024
14^th Annual Conference & Exhibits

Monterey Conference Center

Monterey, CA

March 17 - 22, 2024

Submit Abstract by Nov 8 (Podium) by Nov 8 / Jan 17 (Poster)	Submit Grant Application by Nov 8
Short Course Proposals by September 29
Roundtable Proposals by November 8	Workshop Proposals by November 8
Practical Training Proposals by November 8

Mission

MSACL's mission is to support the community in overcoming the challenges of implementing high value tests in the clinical lab.

Meeting Focus

MSACL is focused on providing a forum of interaction for participants in all stages of the development, advancement and use of analytical tools, including data analytics, in the clinic to improve patient care. Although the group primarily focuses on mass spectrometry, presentations and discussion on other platforms are welcome.

Location Overview

The Monterey Conference Center (MCC) is flanked by two hotels, the Marriott, and the Portola. Each has meeting space and their own restaurant. Local sourcing is a priority. Portola also has a brewpub (Peter B’s).

We will be using the Monterey Conference Center’s Serra Ballroom as the MSACL Exhibit Hall (19,150 square feet). There will be space for at ~34 booths interspersed with up to 172 posters.

We had 530 attendees for MSACL 2023. We are expecting about 580-650 for MSACL 2024.

COVID-19 Information

MSACL is committed to holding a successful in-person MSACL 2024 meeting. MSACL's priority is always the health and well-being of our community. We will be working closely with the the Monterey Conference Center, vendor partners, and hotels to implement any COVID-19 safety protocols. Please note that these protocols are subject to change on a daily, or even hourly, basis.

Personal Accountability Commitment
By attending the MSACL 2024 you agree to abide by and engage in conduct that is beneficial to health and safety while at the event.

Health Recommendations
MSACL strongly recommends all meeting attendees do the following:
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 and other recommended adult vaccinations.
- Take a rapid COVID-19 test prior to attending the meeting and do not attend if you test positive.
- Do not attend the meeting if you have symptoms that could be consistent with a cold or other respiratory infection.
- Leave the meeting if you develop such symptoms.
- Wear a mask in crowded indoor settings in the convention center, hotels, and aboard the hotel shuttles.

Educational Grants

MSACL invests heavily in education via the MSACL Educational Grants, which support conference attendance:

1. Young Investigator Grants: Young investigators, in the first four years of their academic position, who submit an abstract which is accepted for presentation (poster/podium) at the annual conference. Applicants must submit a short application.
2. Lab Director Grants: Lab Directors interested in learning more about what mass spectrometry is and how it could potentially improve results and reduce costs in their clinical laboratory are not required to submit an abstract, but must submit a short application.
3. Trainee Grants: Lab Directors-to-be interested in learning more about what mass spectrometry is and how it could potentially improve results and reduce costs in their clinical laboratory are not required to submit an abstract, but must submit a short application.

Scientific Program

In the past we have had specific tracks for each -omic topic area. For 2024, we are planning to focus on plenary sessions with panel discussions that bring the community together, in addition to parallel sessions on focused topics.

A list of the topics being solicited for the current conference is below.

Abstract Submission Categories for MSACL 2024

1. AI Implementation
2. Assays Leveraging Technology
3. Breath Analysis and VOC
4. Cases in Clinical Analysis
5. Cases of Unmet Clinical Needs
6. Data Analytics
7. Emerging Technologies
8. Environmental Sustainability
9. Glycomics
10. Identifying High Value Tests
11. Imaging
12. Lipidomics
13. Metabolomics
14. Microbiology
15. Multi-omics
16. Practical Training
17. Pre-Analytics
18. Precision Medicine
19. Proteomics
20. Tox / TDM / Endocrine
21. Troubleshooting
22. Various OTHER

Target Audience

The target audience for this program includes pathologists, clinical laboratory directors and scientists, mass spectrometry and automated sample processing providers as well as laboratory diagnostic providers. This program will be beneficial to healthcare administrators, laboratory quality control and standards scientists, as well as those responsible for implementation of clinical analyses for emergency response due to terrorism or accident.

Needs Assessment

With the advancement of technologies for clinical analysis, there exists a gap between those who understand the technology and those who do not. Without continual education, this gap will grow and these advancements are unlikely to be effectively incorporated into the clinical analysis workflow, resulting in lost opportunities to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

MSACL provides an environment through which participants will be able to identify opportunities to develop the capacity to provide higher quality results, more rapidly and for lower overall cost, for patients within the healthcare system.