30th ADLM International CPOCT Symposium

Building resilience through point-of-care innovations

DoubleTree Pittsburgh
One Bigelow Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
October 14–16, 2026

*Please note that this program schedule is subject to change. All times listed are in Pittsburgh, PA local time (U.S. Eastern Time).

Day 1 – Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Registration | 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Opening keynote | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Today’s laboratories face mounting pressures, from a rising demand for point-of-care testing (POCT) and restricted budgets to staffing shortages and limited resources. To succeed, they must build resilience by streamlining workflows, empowering teams, fostering innovation, and maintaining quality under strain. This presentation shares experiences, learnings and insights from Pittsburgh’s Freedom House Ambulance Service — the pioneering prehospital emergency service that transformed care delivery worldwide. Despite systemic barriers and repeated setbacks, Freedom House thrived by investing in people, embracing innovation, and leading with purpose. Its legacy offers a vital lesson: resilience is not accidental but cultivated through leadership, collaboration, and a commitment to progress. By following Freedom House’s example, laboratories can transform challenges into catalysts that advance accessible, high-quality POCT, benefiting patients and communities alike.

Moderator: Anna Fuezery, PhD, DABCC, CPP | Alberta Precision Laboratories | Edmonton, AB, Canada

The legacy of Freedom House Ambulance: Lesson in resilience, perseverance and determination
John Moon | Former Freedom House Paramedic and Retired Assistant Chief of Pittsburgh EMS | Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Reception | 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Day 2 – Thursday, October 15, 2026

Registration | 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast symposium presented by Siemens Healthineers | 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Workshop: POCT in the AI Era: Practical uses of generative AI | 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Moderator: Nam Tran, PhD, HCLD (ABB), FADLM | University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Speaker: Jason Kearns, MBA | University of Pittsburgh Medical Center | Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Coffee break/exhibits | 10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Oral abstract presentations | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Lunch/networking break | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Session 1: Optimizing and implementing molecular microbiology at the point of care | 1:00 – 2:45 p.m.

Moderator: Jeanne Mumford, MLS(ASCP) | Johns Hopkins Hospital | Baltimore, MD, USA

Molecular POCT in ambulatory settings: Best practices and operational guidance
Mickayla Karikari, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, CPP | Johns Hopkins Community Physicians | Baltimore, MD, USA

Optimizing ambulatory care with molecular POCT: Integration and management of highly sensitive molecular assays in outpatient settings
Speaker TBA

The impact of molecular POCT across global healthcare settings: Decision-making and a conceptual framework for assay development
Speaker TBA

Panel discussion

Coffee break/exhibits | 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Oral abstract presentations | 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Day 3 – Friday, October 16, 2026

Breakfast symposium presented by BioMérieux | 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Session 2: Pushing the boundaries of POCT | 9:00 – 10:45 a.m.

Moderator: Wanvisa Treebuphachatsakul, PhD | Naresuan University | Muang, Phitsanulok, Thailand

From data to decision: Strategizing critical actions that optimize POCT
Gerald J. Kost, MD, PhD, MS, FADLM | University of California, Davis | Davis, CA, USA

From innovation to implementation: Scaling POCT for real-world healthcare
Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD | Emory University | Atlanta, GA, USA

From access to impact: Building community-based POCT networks in resource-limited settings
Speaker TBA

Panel discussion

Coffee break/exhibits | 11:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Oral abstract presentations | 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Lunch/networking break | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Session 3: Practical support strategies for POCT | 1:00 – 2:45 p.m.

Moderator: Nicholas Larkey, PhD, DABCC, NRCC, CPP, FADLM | University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA, USA

Partnering with clinical teams to maximize compliance and patient care
Nicholas Larkey, PhD, DABCC, NRCC, CPP, FADLM | University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA, USA

Using commutable materials to support POCT quality
Wanvisa Treebuphachatsakul, PhD | Naresuan University | Muang, Phitsanulok, Thailand

The NICU’s perspective on detection of hemolysis in whole blood ABG samples
Robert D. Maynard, PhD, DABCC, NRCC | University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY, USA

Panel discussion

Closing keynote | 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

The growing burden of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging pathogens is driving unprecedented demand for fast, actionable microbiology results at the point of care, where clinicians increasingly need definitive answers during the patient encounter. This presentation traces the evolution of microbiology diagnostics from centralized reference laboratories to main hospital labs, near-patient testing, and ultimately true point-of-care testing at the bedside. It highlights how each step reduces time-to-result, brings insights closer to clinicians, and increases value for patients, providers, and health systems. Focusing on metagenomics and molecular pathogen detection, the presentation takes a past-present-future perspective to explore how microbiology testing continues to evolve.

Moderator: Anna Fuezery, PhD, DABCC, CPP | Alberta Precision Laboratories

Future of Metagenomics and Molecular Pathogen Detection
Steve Miller, MD, PhD | Delve Bio | Boston, MA, USA