Second ADLM Data Science Symposium builds on initial momentum

For the second year in a row, ADLM has added a Data Science Symposium to its meeting program. This free event will start at 1 p.m. on July 31, the last day of ADLM 2025 (formerly the AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo).

According to Sarah Wheeler, PhD, FADLM, CC(NRCC), chair of ADLM’s Data Analytics Steering Committee and associate professor of pathology at the University of Pittsburgh, the committee wants to build on the success of last year’s symposium, which exceeded their expectations. The symposium is “an opportunity for us to come together and specifically talk about data science rather than the mixed topics we get from the annual meeting,” said Wheeler, who will emcee the symposium. She sees the event as important to ADLM’s mission to serve as a place “where data scientists and laboratory medicine can find a home,” she said.

Although there is no cost for the symposium, people who would like to attend must register in advance. 

The day will be packed with impactful “lightning” talks, where experts talk for 10 to 15 minutes about their current work in data science. For example, Hunter Miller, PhD, clinical chemistry fellow at the University of Louisville, will speak about using artificial intelligence (AI) to aid in the interpretation of serum protein immunofixation electrophoresis. In addition, Nick Spies, MD, medical director of applied AI at ARUP, will discuss how IV fluid contamination in CBCs can lead to unnecessary RBC transfusions. 

Keeping lightning talks short helps ensure that each one packs a punch — and a variety of topics can be covered. “It means that something is going to be accessible for everyone, whether you have been in data science for a very long time or you’re data-science–curious,” said Wheeler. “Something will be applicable to everyone.” 

The symposium will also include two panel presentations. The first one, called “Is AI ‘Snake Oil’?” features He Sarina Yang, PhD, DABCC, associate professor in pathology at Weill Cornell Medicine; Bobby Reddy Jr., PhD, CEO, and co-founder of Prenosis; and Mark Zaydman, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University in St. Louis. 

The second panel will be about leveraging data science to quantify the value of laboratory medicine testing. It features Daniel Herman, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; Lee Schroeder, MD, PhD, director of point-of-care testing at the University of Michigan, and two additional panelists who are yet to be determined. 

The symposium brings together “a lot of different perspectives on data science for all of our laboratories, not just one specific kind of laboratory,” Wheeler said, noting that participants will be from academia, community hospitals, and industry.

This year’s event will also build more networking into the day, with “more opportunities to casually discuss [topics] with each other” compared to last year’s symposium, Wheeler said. She is looking forward to seeing how colleagues have progressed in data science over the last year.

Overall, she hopes the summit will connect data scientists with clinical professionals, industry colleagues, and “people who are interested in adding data science to their repertoire as laboratory medicine professionals but haven’t necessarily stepped into that yet,” she said. “This is a really great forum for us all to be communicating because cross-disciplinary dialogue is vital to moving laboratory medicine data science forward to help our patients.” 

Jen A. Miller is a freelance journalist who lives in Audubon, New Jersey. +Bluesky: @byjenamiller.bsky.social‬

Explore the full ADLM 2025 program.