Location: Salon Bonaventure, Hotel Level

Matthew Crawford Labcorp Matthew Crawford is a Scientist II working in research and development at Labcorp in Burlington, North Carolina. He received his B.S. in Biochemistry from California State University, Northridge and is currently working towards his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from University of Texas at Arlington under the instruction of Professor Kevin Schug. At Labcorp, his focus is high-throughput method development and validation for small molecule biomarkers using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS. He’s been on the MSACL steering committee for 2024 and 2025 conferences where he’s head of the small molecule scientific committee. Relevant Financial Disclosures (within past 24 months, reported on Apr 23, 2026) Honorarium/Expenses MSACL Stock/Bonds Labcorp Salary Labcorp Discussing Products? NO, presenter will NOT present educational content related to products/services of the ineligible company(ies) listed above. Conflict mitigation NOT REQUIRED.

Discover clinical mass spectrometry career paths. This networking event is geared to early career attendees, but open to all.

Get insights through informative, brief presentations on various job profiles within clinical mass spectrometry. Experts and seasoned professionals will guide you through diverse roles, making it easier to envision your own journey in this exciting industry.

In addition to short panelist presentations, the event promises a delightful networking experience. Unwind and engage with fellow attendees, experts, and potential employers to expand your professional connections. Enjoy selections of refreshments; creating a relaxed environment for further discussion and relationship-building. This networking event is the perfect opportunity to continue conversations, ask questions, and make lasting connections.

Employers

This is your chance to connect with talent. We invite you to advertise your job postings at the event and interact with potential candidates who are passionate about clinical mass spectrometry. Share your opportunities and meet prospective candidates who are eager to contribute to your organization's success.

MSACL is offering the opportunity for you to be recognized by the event chair at no charge (RSVP required) to facilitate your discussion of career opportunities with interested parties in attendance.

If you are interested in representing your organization/company/lab at this event, please register your interest here.

This event is formatted as a social mixer to facilitate active networking throughout the event.

For representatives and hiring managers:

-> There will be no booths.

-> Please bring business cards or QR codes describing positions to share with attendees or place on the job board.

-> You may also advertise employment opportunities on a job board. Each open position is limited to an 8.5 x 11 inch poster.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to blend career exploration, networking, and relaxation.

Location: Montreal 4

View Troubleshooting Case Summaries

Location: Montreal 5

Location: Montreal 6

Aletta Millen, PhD, MBA University of the Witwatersrand Aletta Millen is Director of the Integrated Molecular Physiology Research Initiative (IMPRI) and Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research focuses on the role of inflammation in the development of non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular and neurological disorders, with a strong emphasis on translational science and clinical relevance. A key milestone in her career has been expanding regional capacity for advanced molecular research through the development and application of novel metabolomic and mass spectrometry-based techniques. Her work has strengthened infrastructure and technical skills in the field while advancing the development of affordable, accessible screening tools for low-resource settings to support early disease detection and reduce healthcare inequities. Aletta holds an MBA from the University of the Witwatersrand and is committed to strategic academic leadership, research capacity development, and building collaborative partnerships across sectors. Relevant Financial Disclosures (within past 24 months, reported on Feb 05, 2026) No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.

Africa bears a substantial proportion of the global burden of both infectious and non-communicable diseases, yet remains markedly underrepresented in clinically driven molecular discovery and translation. While mass spectrometry–based approaches are increasingly integrated into diagnostic development, biomarker discovery, and translational research pipelines across the Global North, the infrastructure, expertise, and sustained investment required to deploy these technologies within clinical and healthcare settings remain limited across much of the African continent.

This gap has important consequences. Many of the most pressing African health challenges including cardiometabolic disorders, infectious diseases, cancers, and inflammatory conditions would benefit from molecularly informed approaches that improve disease understanding, patient stratification, and therapeutic development. However, limited local capacity for advanced mass spectrometry–based research and clinical translation means that African patient populations, disease phenotypes, and biological samples are rarely investigated using these technologies. As a result, the molecular knowledge that underpins diagnostics and therapeutic development is often generated elsewhere, creating a persistent disconnect between disease burden and discovery.

This discussion session provides an opportunity to examine the unique challenges and opportunities for translating mass spectrometry–based technologies into clinical and healthcare contexts in Africa. By convening researchers from established international centres alongside emerging African initiatives, the session aims to explore how clinical mass spectrometry can be developed in resource-constrained environments, what infrastructure and training models are needed to build sustainable local capacity, and how equitable partnerships can support meaningful clinical impact.

Addressing these questions is essential if advances in mass spectrometry are to contribute meaningfully to global health rather than reinforce existing inequities in biomedical discovery and translation.

Location: Montreal 7-8

Michelle Hill, PhD, BSc (Hon I), BA ProSeek Bio Pty Ltd Michelle Hill, PhD is a biomedical scientist and entrepreneur specializing in clinical proteomics and glycoprotein biomarker translation. She is Founder and CEO of Proseek Bio, developing LC–MS-based clinical blood tests, starting with ovarian cancer presurgical triage. She has authored over 140 publications and is an inventor on multiple diagnostics patents. Michelle previously held research leadership roles, and served as Secretary General of the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO). Relevant Financial Disclosures (within past 24 months, reported on Apr 20, 2026) Salary Proseek Bio Pty Ltd Ownership Interest Proseek Bio Pty Ltd Discussing Products? NO, presenter will NOT present educational content related to products/services of the ineligible company(ies) listed above. Using Generic Terms? YES Conflict mitigation NOT REQUIRED.

Summary

Clinical mass spectrometry has historically focused on absolute quantification of single analytes, with well-established conventions around calibration, QC, and regulatory expectations.

However, clinical innovation is moving toward multi-marker panels and composite score outputs that incorporate algorithmic interpretation. This is already occurring in the research and translational literature for LC-MS-based proteomic panels, where multiple proteins are combined into predictive models or classifier outputs for disease detection, triage, or risk stratification. While these approaches show promise, they challenge the field because the final clinical result is not a concentration but a probability score or classification.

This shift raises important questions on the validation metrics for clinical mass spectrometry-based multivariate index assays:

• What does analytical validation look like for a score without external calibration and absolute quantification?
• What are the appropriate QC metrics?
• How do labs demonstrate traceability, reproducibility, and medical decision limits?
• At what point does validation move beyond metrology toward clinical calibration?

By comparing traditional targeted assays with emerging score-based LC-MS panels, this roundtable aims to identify best practices and highlight gaps in current clinical, regulatory, and quality frameworks for translating these novel assays.

The session is intended as a neutral, field-level discussion of translational challenges as the community navigates this next frontier of clinical mass spectrometry, not promotion of any specific product.