Association of Clinical Scientists
Annual Meeting
Los Angeles, CA, 14 -18 May 2008

The 128th Meeting of the Association of Clinical Scientists will be held in Los Angeles, California, from Wednesday, 14 May, to Sunday, 18 May 2008. The headquarters will be the Marina del Rey Hotel, located 5 miles north of Los Angeles International Airport, adjacent to a picturesque small-craft harbor. The meeting will be hosted by the Geffen School of Medicine of UCLA. Dr. Anthony Butch, Chair of the Program Committee, cordially invites you to participate in this outstanding conference on “The Frontiers of Clinical Science.”

Schedule of Events. The meeting registration desk will open and committee meetings will be held at the Marina del Rey Hotel on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Scientific sessions will be held at the hotel all day on Thursday and Saturday. The Friday morning session will be at the UCLA Medical Center and will include a tour of UCLA’s spacious new clinical laboratories and the research facilities for nanotechnology.

Accreditation. This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the Association of Clinical Scientists. The College of American Pathologists is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Continuing Medical Education (CME) Designation. The College of American Pathologists designates this educational activity for a maximum of 19.75 AMA PRA Category 1 creditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Education (CE) for Non-physicians Designation. The College of American Pathologists designates this educational activity for a maximum of 19.75 credit hours of continuing education. Participants should only claim credit hours commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ASCP Statement. This activity is acceptable to meet the continuing education requirements for the ASCP Board of Registry Certification Maintenance Program.

California and Florida Statement. This activity is approved for continuing education credit in the states of California and Florida.

Educational Goals. The overall goals of the meeting are to enable the registrants to:
(a) Interpret, discuss, appraise, and apply in the clinical arena the recent advances in laboratory techniques for clinical diagnosis and survey the frontiers of knowledge about clinical science, including clinical biochemistry, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, hematology, blood banking, toxicology, cell and tissue pathology, informatics, and biotechnology.
(b) Delineate the current status and future prospects for solid organ transplantation, emphasizing the immunological techniques to detect transplant rejection.
(c) Analyze the molecular circuitry of cancer cells by examining the expression patterns of specific proteins using immunohistochemical techniques, applying this information to predict the therapeutic responses of individual tumors to modulators of gene expression.
(c) Become acquainted with the clinical scientists, laboratory services, and specialized facilities at the UCLA Medical School and appraise their impact on the quality of medical care and clinical science in the USA.

Educational Needs Identified.
(1) Dissemination of knowledge about advances in solid organ transplantation (eg, kidney, liver, lung) and the use of immune monitoring tools to predict the recipients’ rejection of transplanted organs.
(2) Improved understanding of morphoproteomics and genomics, with emphasis on the NF-kappaB and mTor pathways in cancers, and on pharmacogenomic markers of aberrant drug metabolism.
(3) Information about new monitoring approaches to prevent laboratory errors and enhance patient safety in the clinical laboratory.
(4) Instruction regarding the impact of organ transplantation on heart and lung pathology.
(5) Overviewing the frontiers of clinical science, including cell and tissue pathology, therapeutics and toxicology, hematology and transfusion medicine, biotechnology, clinical informatics, and salient applications of clinical science in practice (eg, ESR-spin labeling in biomedicine).
(6) Familiarity with specialized facilities and resources at UCLA Medical School, including specific sections of the new clinical laboratories, the nanotechnology facility, the drug-testing laboratory for the Olympic Games, and pathology programs in support of organ transplantation.

General Educational Objectives. After the meeting, participants should be able to:

• Discuss knowledgeably the specific clinical advances and research findings that were presented,

• Decide which ones have applications in their daily work as clinical scientists, and

•. Adjust their professional activities and research programs to the prevailing currents of clinical science and medical practice.

 

Roster of Specific Courses, CME Hours, Faculty, and Learning Objectives.

Thursday Sessions A&B: Solid Organ and Stem Cell Transplantation. Start time: 8 am; end time: 12:15 pm; recess time: 15 min; CME hours: 4.00. Faculty: Wilkinson, Ghobrial, Koss, Cecka, Reed, Naini, Lazarchick, Senitzer, De; Learning objectives: Master the recent advances in solid organ and stem cell transplantation, emphasizing the immunological tools to monitor patients for transplant rejection and the mechanisms and pathways that are responsible for rejection, and be able to discuss the role of pathologists in interpretation of immunological and histopathological signs of transplant rejection for clinicians and patients.

Thursday Luncheon: Opportunities and Controversies in Molecular Genetic Testing. Start time: 12:15 pm; end time: 1:30 pm; CME hours: 1.00. Faculty: Grody. Learning objectives: Be able to integrate medical genetic screening (eg, cystic fibrosis population screening), pharmacogenomic testing, and early embryo diagnosis in the practice of laboratory medicine.

Thursday Sessions C&D: Frontiers of Clinical Science; Morphoproteomics and Genomics. Start time: 1:30 pm; end time: 5:30 pm; recess time: 15 min; CME hours: 3.75. Faculty: Rome, Braun, Parker, Fosslien, Brown, Liu, Feng, Zhao, Tang, Li, Chen. Learning objectives: Be able to explain the implications of nanotechnology, immunomarkers of bowel disease, and indices of mitochondrial function in clinical pathology, and the utility of oncoproteomic and oncogenomic markers in cancer diagnosis, classification, and treatment.

Friday Session E: Clinical Immunology and Microbiology. Start time: 8:30 am; end time: 10:00 am; CME hours: 1.50. Faculty: Kelly, Hunter, Glassman, Franklin. Learning objectives: Delineate the current status of mucosal vaccines for genital diseases and the potential impact of nanodelivery systems on their efficacy. Be able to contrast the pathogenesis of infections with M. tuberculosis and M. bovis, appreciate the clinical significance of human lymphotropic virus type 1, and garner the potential impact of anti-chemokine therapy on the expression of latent parasitic infections, such as leishmaniasis.

Friday Laboratory Tour and Demonstrations. Start time: 10:15 am; end time: 12:15 pm; CME hours: 2.00. Faculty: Butch, Kelly, Wagar. Learning objectives: Discuss the applications and evaluate the pros and cons of the innovative laboratory facilities, techniques, and instrumentation to be demonstrated.

Saturday Session F: Tutorial on Surgical Pathology. Start time: 8:15 am; end time: 10:15 am; CME hours: 2.00. Faculty: Fishbein. Learning objectives: Recognize and evaluate in clinical practice the specific effects of organ transplantation on heart and lung pathology.

Saturday Session G: Cell and Tissue Pathology. Start time: 10:30 am; end time: 12:15 pm; CME hours: 1.75. Faculty: Froberg, Tatevian, Ahmed, diSibio, Day, Kurek, Snyder. Learning objectives: Acquire expertise in respect to the pathological lesions and diagnostic procedures that will be considered, in order to apply this information in the practice of surgical and autopsy pathology.

Sessions F & G are parallel to Sessions H & I; the total CME hours in F+G = H+I = 3.75.

Saturday Session H: Toxicology, Clinical Chemistry, and Biotechnology. Start time: 8:15 am; end time: 10:00 am; CME hours: 1.75. Faculty: Butch, Kiechle, Bertholf, Hamlin, Shihabi, Kao. Learning objectives: Debate the merits and pitfalls of current approaches for toxicological monitoring of athletes and testing for drugs of abuse; appraise the practicality of new assays of serum lipoproteins, glycated albumin, and vitamin D metabolites.

Saturday Session I: Clinical Informatics. Start time: 10:15 am; end time 12:15 pm; CME hours: 2.00. Faculty: Iyengar, Hawker, Hunter, Prichard, Wilkerson. Learning objectives: Be prepared to implement in clinical laboratory practice the powerful new techniques of informatics, including medical decision making, quality inspection, telepathology, and tracking surgical pathology specimens.

Saturday Luncheon: Clinical Science in Practice. Start time: 12:15 pm; end time: 1:30 pm; CME hours: 1.00. Faculty: Wagar. Learning objectives: Be able to use the new approaches to prevent laboratory errors and enhance patient safety in the clinical laboratory.

Saturday Session J: Hematology and Transfusion Medicine. Start time: 1:30 pm; end time: 3:00 pm; CME hours: 1:50. Faculty: Ganz, Shihabi, Krauss, Chaves, Fontaine. Learning objectives: Delineate the systemic regulation of iron metabolism, evaluate automated methods for diagnosis and evaluation of sickle cell anemia and chronic lymphatic leukemia; improve the management of platelet inventory in hospital blood banks and their suppliers

Saturday Session K. Clinical Science in Practice. Start time: 3:15 pm; end time: 4:30 pm; CME hours: 1.25. Faculty: Wu, Zeidan, DeBari. Learning objectives: Implement the application of pharmacogenetic biomarkers in clinical practice; appraise the biomedical potentials of ESR spin-labeling, and interpret the significance of the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient in patients with pneumonia.

Evidence-based Recommendations. The College of American Pathologists and the Association of Clinical Scientists are dedicated to promoting improvements on quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial interest. Therefore the College of American Pathologists and the Association of Clinical Scientists expect all planners/faculty/authors of these educational activities to make all recommendations and/or planning criteria involving clinical medicine to be based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for these indications and contraindications in the care of patients.

Methods and Evaluation. This program will use lectures, case discussions, laboratory tours, a tutorial session, and question-and-answer periods as the primary educational methods. A course evaluation form will provide participants with the opportunity to assess each session and speaker, to identify future educational needs, and to comment on any perceived commercial bias in the presentations.

Policies and Notices. The faculty members are required to disclose any significant financial or other relationships with commercial companies whose products may be discussed. The faculty must disclose any unlabeled use or investigational use (not yet approved for any purpose) of pharmaceutical and medical device products. Audiotaping and videotaping are prohibited.

 

Hotel. The Marina del Rey Hotel has splendid room accommodations and fine conference facilities. The hotel address is 13534 Bali Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292. The hotel website is www.marinadelreyhotel.com. The special convention rate for our meeting will be $135/room (single or double, with marina view). The hotel features complimentary parking, wireless internet access, outdoor heated pool, restaurant, 24-hr room service, lounge/bar, gift shop, and a business facility. May is a popular season for visitors to Marina del Rey and the number of available rooms is limited, so you should make your reservations early by calling the hotel at (310) 301-1000 or (800) 882-4000, or by sending a fax to (310) 301 8167. Please specify that you will attend the Association’s meeting. The cut-off date for reservations at our special convention rate is 14 April 2008

Transportation. Los Angeles International Airport, a destination for all major airlines, is only a 10-minute ride by taxi to the Marina del Mar Hotel. The taxi fare is approximately $20.

Registration Fees. The regular registration fee is $395. Junior members, emeritus fellows, and non-member residents or post-doctoral fellows may pay a reduced fee ($295). The registration fee includes one ticket for the reception and banquet on Friday evening. Tickets for luncheons of scientific sections cost $22. The Meeting Registration Form is printed on the last page of this brochure. Cancellations with full refund will be accepted until 10 April 2008.

Social Events
On Friday afternoon, participants may enjoy a special bus tour of local sites of cultural interest, including a visit to the world-famous Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Association’s Annual Reception and Banquet will be held on Friday evening. In addition to an address by a Nobel Prize winner, Dr Louis J. Ignarro, the after-dinner program will include presentations of the Association’s awards for 2008:

Young Clinical Scientist Award:
           Kyle C Kurek, Providence, RI
Diploma of Honor:
           John Lazarchick, Charleston, SC
Clinical Scientist of the Year
           Joseph C Parker Jr, Louisville, KY
Gold-Headed Cane (awarded posthumously)
          George D Vlahides, Schenectady, NY

The Annual Musicale and Art Show on Saturday evening will feature a program of chamber music by members and guests, an exhibition of their art works, handicrafts, and photographs, and a congenial wine & cheese reception. If you wish to perform or exhibit, please contact Bernard Gondos, Chair of the Committe on Music and Arts (805 687 2093).

The Run-for-the-Lilies, an annual running event, will be held before breakfast on Saturday morning, organized by Filiberto Cavazos for the Committee on Athletics.

Participants are encouraged to bring their families to enjoy Los Angeles’s varied attractions. In addition to the events that have been mentioned, a delightful program of activities for accompanying persons is being organized by the Association’s Auxiliary.