Symposium Program

ISLH 2026 Educational Content
Corporate Symposia

ISLH is excited to present the 2026 Corporate Symposia. Please note the following:

  • Each event is planned independently of the ISLH program committee and ISLH does not endorse the programming content.
  • You must be registered for ISLH 2026 in order to attend any satellite symposium.
  • There is no cost to attend these symposia.
  • All symposia occur during a lunch slot, food will be provided.
  • All admittance will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Friday, April 17th


Next-Generation Hematology Workflow: From AI-Based Bone Marrow Classification to Agent-Assisted Report Validation and Interpretation

Sponsored By: Mindray
12:00 - 13:00, Kilsyth (level 0)

Subtopics
Revisiting Bone Marrow Morphology in the AI Era: Automated Classification and Diagnostic Consistency
From Data to Decision: AI Agent Support for Hematology Report Validation and Interpretation

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its increasing integration into medical technologies, laboratory medicine is evolving from a discipline centered on observation and result reporting toward more interpretive and decision-support–oriented workflows. AI-empowered laboratory systems are currently being explored beyond efficiency improvement, particularly for supporting the analysis and interpretation of increasingly complex laboratory data.
This workshop presents a next-generation hematology workflow spanning AI-based bone marrow morphology classification and agent-assisted laboratory report validation and interpretation. In the first part, Prof. Gina Zini will present a focused evaluation of AI-driven bone marrow morphology classification, examining cell recognition performance, diagnostic consistency, and robustness in complex cases. Real-world clinical cases will be shared to illustrate the practical benefits of AI-assisted bone marrow morphology in routine and challenging scenarios. In the second part, Dr. Yan Liu will introduce an innovative large language model (LLM)–based AI agent designed for hematology report validation and interpretation. Based on results from a multicenter study in China, she will demonstrate how the agent integrates analyzer and morphological data to support report review and interpretive reasoning, addressing the growing demands for higher efficiency under limited laboratory resources.
Together, this workshop provides a forward-looking yet practical perspective on how AI empowers hematology laboratories to evolve from data producers to active partners in clinical decision-making, ultimately supporting higher-quality diagnostics and improved patient care.

Presenters:
Professor Gina Zini, MD, PhD
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Yan Liu, PhD
Director, International Scientific Strategy & Partnerships Mindray IVD


Hematology MythBusters Panel: Are CBC Flags the First Step - or the Last Stop in the Diagnostic Pathway?

Sponsored By: Siemens Healthineers
12:00 - 1:00 PM, Tinto (level 0)

CBC flags play a critical role in modern hematology, serving as early signals that guide laboratory review and prioritization. But are these flags the starting point of a broader diagnostic journey—or too often treated as the final stop? In this Hematology MythBusters panel, leading experts examine how laboratories can move beyond CBC flags to fully leverage digital morphology, automation, and integrated data pathways. Through a combination of short expert presentations and an interactive “Myth or Fact?” discussion, panelists will explore how early detection, standardized workflows, and connected systems work together to support consistent interpretation and contextual understanding of hematologic findings.
The session will address common assumptions around CBC interpretation, manual review, and laboratory workflows, highlighting how modern technologies extend the value of strong flags rather than replace them. Attendees will gain insight into how contemporary hematology pathways are evolving—from initial signal to integrated diagnostic context—across laboratories of different sizes and settings.

Moderator:
Fred Stelling - Sr. Product Manager for Global Hematology Marketing at Siemens Healthineers, USA
Speakers:
Dr. Viviana Di Fabio, MD, PhD - Product Manager for Global Hematology at Siemens Healthineers, Italy
Chloe Mearns, SBS - Acting Hematology Associate Service Manager at NHS Tayside, UK
Dr. Luca Salhöfer, MD - Postdoctoral Researcher, Clinical AI application, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology University Hospital Essen, Germany

Saturday, April 18th


Bridging the Gap: From Integrated Clinical Diagnostics to Autonomous Blood Morphology

Sponsored By: Scopio Labs
11:45 - 12:45, Kilsyth (level 0)

Subtopics
Deep Integration of Digital Blood Smear and Bone Marrow Review in Lymphoma and Leukemia Diagnosis
The Future of Scale - Transitioning to Autonomous Morphology

The modern hematopathology laboratory faces a dual challenge: managing increasingly multiple diagnostic platforms while battling a global staffing crisis. Disease characterization demands seamless integration across morphology, flow cytometry (FACS), and molecular methods - yet manual microscopy still fragments the workflow at its most critical point. Specifically, the concurrent analysis of blood and bone marrow specimens on the same primary sample creates complex logistical challenges. In the first part, Dr. Holger Hauspurg will share real-world clinical cases from the Institut für Hämatopathologie Hamburg demonstrating how integrating digital Full-Field and Whole Slide Imaging into routine workflows has accelerated leukemia and lymphoma morphological evaluation - a task demanding specialist expertise - while rendering it independent of the microscope and physical location. Learn how this integration has enhanced diagnostic practice and led to a higher degree of system connectivity.
If Full-Field and Whole Slide Imaging provide scale in context, Complete Blood Morphology (CBM) provides scale in data. As the global staffing crisis intensifies, peripheral blood smear review has become the ultimate bottleneck. In the second part, Scopio will present the industry's first autonomous analyzer for peripheral blood smears, designed to autonomously report on routine samples. Delivering 10 times more data than current standards, CBM shifts from qualitative morphology assessment to precise, quantitative autonomous analysis - allowing specialists to focus on more complex cases and challenging diagnostics.

Speaker:
Dr. Holger Hauspurg
Institute for Hematopathology Hamburg

*Scopio's Complete Blood Morphology Analyzer (CBM) is in development, not yet available for in vitro diagnostic use.


From cells to molecules – the evolving diagnostic landscape of haemato-oncology

Hosted by: Sysmex
11:45 - 12:45, Tinto (level 0)

The diagnosis of haematological malignancies is a complex, multi-step process, requiring collaboration across multiple laboratory specialties. Join this session to explore the diagnostic pathway, starting with cellular insights from the haematology laboratory, followed by immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, and concluding with molecular characterisation of the disease in the molecular biology laboratory.

Moderator:
Dr Christine Van Laer, PharmD, PhD Department of Laboratory Medicine, AZ Groeninge, Kortrijk, Belgium
Speakers:
Dr Jürgen Riedl, MD, PhD - Clinical Chemist, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. Digital imaging of bone marrow slides; the holy grail in haematology.
Dr Dennis Hoffmann, PhD - COO, Labor Dr. Wisplinghoff, Köln, Germany. Integrating flow cytometry into diagnostic workflow and haemostatic management
Dr Polly Talley, PhD, FRCPath - Consultant Clinical Scientist, Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service (HMDS) Leeds, UK. The importance of genomics testing in haemato-oncology.


Sunday, April 19th

MDW, Sepsis, Dysregulated Immunity and Beyond

Sponsored By: Beckman Coulter
12:00 - 13:00, Kilsyth (level 0)

Welcome – Elena Sukhacheva, PhD Medical Director Beckman Coulter
Diagnostic Performance of MDW for Infection Detection in Critically Ill Patients – Sandra Ramos Saez, MD
CBC diff with MDW: Could it represent a new tool for PCT stewardship in ICU patients? – Laura García Ferragut, PhD
MDW beyond sepsis: a novel monocyte activation marker – Giovanni Riva, MD, PhD

The presentations in these sessions are provided for scientific and educational purposes only. The findings and opinions expressed are those of the presenting authors and do not constitute product claims or endorsements by Beckman Coulter.


Drying After Freezing:
Rethinking Sample Preservation for Modern Biomedical Workflows
Applications for lyophilized blood-derived samples in the Hematology laboratory

Sponsored By: 300K Solutions
12:00 - 13:00, Tinto (level 0)

Blood-derived sample stabilization is a critical requirement in hematology and biomarker research. Current preservative-based solutions allow short-term stabilization for only a few days, while longer storage generally requires freezing conditions-an approach that is not always feasible for all the sample types.
This workshop will present a novel freeze-drying strategy that extends stability from days to several months in blood cells and plasma/serum, eliminating the need for refrigerated logistics and minimizing biomarker degradation in blood-derived components.
Attendees will gain practical insight into how the 300K technology platform enhances laboratory workflows by reducing processing times, lowering operational costs, and removing dependency on cold-chain infrastructure.

Speaker:
Mario Tenera Morgado, 300K Solutions Co-Founder & CTO