This presentation will:

1. Discuss when identification of anti-G versus anti-D & anti-C is important

2. Describe the testing required for the identification of anti-G

3. Review case studies of anti-G 

OBJECTIVES:

• At the end of this presentation, participants should be able to distinguish the differences between reactivity due to anti-CD38 and anti-CD47 therapies
• At the end of this presentation, participants should be able to design a workflow to allow for the resolution of reactivity due to anti-CD38 and anti-CD47 therapies

Shay Jones received his undergraduate degree in Biology from Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana and his Medical Technologist training from St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove, Indiana. Upon completion of Medical Technology training, he was hired on as an Immunohematologist and was later promoted to the Kansas City Education Coordinator. In 2022, after working as an immunohematologist for over 11 years, Shay took a position at The University Of Kansas Health Systems as the Transfusion Service Manager.

Laci will be presenting a case study on an adult female patient that presented with disseminated histoplasmosis and the collaborative efforts of the multiple laboratory departments in the diagnosis and care of this patient.

Laci Mallory is currently the Anatomic Pathology Supervisor at Stormont Vail Health in Topeka, KS.  She has worked in the Laboratory at Stormont Vail since June 2013. Her laboratory experience includes phlebotomy, specimen processing, and Histotechnician. She received her Histotechnology Certification through Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 2017. She promoted in Histology in 2018. Professionally her interests include quality assurance, team development, process improvement, and any kind of data analysis. She loves a spreadsheet or EPIC report. She is an active member of the National Society for Histotechnology.

Learning Objectives - by the end of this presentation, the audience members will be able to:

1. Describe general characteristics of biotherapies in clinical use.
2. Compare biotherapies under development in anticipation for clinical use.

Dr. Suzie Thibodeaux is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, where she is Co-Head of the Transfusion Medicine/HLA Section.  She serves as Medical Director of the Apheresis, Blood Bank and Cellular Therapy Laboratory at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and as the Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine Fellowship Program Director.  She is actively involved in multidisciplinary and collaborative approaches to patient care, education, and clinical and translational research as it relates to cellular therapy and transfusion medicine.  

Apheresis is an established technology at many large medical centers.  Many of our transfused plasma and platelet products are obtained via apheresis.  Finally, smaller blood banks may be asked to support the medical care of individuals needing transfer to a higher level of care for apheresis.  The basic technologies involved in apheresis will be discussed.  I will review the similarities and differences between component apheresis and therapeutic apheresis, cover the multidisciplinary roles in apheresis services, and present the underlying scientific and technical aspects of two common diagnoses where therapeutic apheresis is applied – thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and HgbSS (Sickle Cell) Disease. 

Dr. Daniel Walker is a member of the faculty at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.  He earned a Bachelor of Science from Brigham Young University, a Master of Science from Idaho State University, and his Doctor of Medicine from the Hebert School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland.  He served a 25-year career in the United States Air Force as a medical officer retiring in 2020 at the rank of Colonel.  He is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and Transfusion Medicine/Blood Banking by the American Board of Pathology.  His research interests are in transfusion practices in obstetrics and neonatology, application of molecular methods in immunohematology, and pathology education.  He is married to his sweetheart, Anjenette for over 30 years and is the father of eight children. 

Objectives

1. List the laboratory findings associated with Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria.
2. Describe what the Donath-Landsteiner antibody is.
3. Describe how to perform the Donath-Landsteiner test.

Employee engagement is critical for retaining employees in the laboratory. Opportunities for career advancement provide employees with an incentive for engagement and thus longevity. This session will present a clinical advancement program model as well as other resources for medical laboratory science career advancement.

Objectives:

•    Explain the importance of career advancement opportunities as they relate to employee engage

•    Identify components of a clinical advancement program

•    Summarize additional resources for MLS career advancement

Brenna has been in the laboratory science field for more than 3 decades, and has experience in specimen collection, hematology, point of care testing, education, and management. She completed her Master of Health Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences with emphasis in Clinical Laboratory Science in 2022 and accepted a medical laboratory science program director position in 2023. Brenna is passionate about assisting students and staff in reaching their career goals. 

After participating, attendees should be able to:

1. Identify the necessary components of an MCI protocol.
2. Evaluate blood product storage options for use in an MCI.
3. Develop a communication plan for use in the event of an MCI

Objectives:

1. Understand a Blood Centers perspective for planning and communication before and during a Mass Casualty Event
2. Preparation and response to the Superbowl Parade shooting
3. Working together
4. Understanding the constant need for blood products on the shelf

• Dscuss Scianna blood group history.
• Discuss Scianna in Transfusion Medicine by reviewing a recent case study at Community Blood Center.
• Describe structure and function of the Scianna protein and associated genomics.

Optimal management of platelet inventory requires balancing priorities of patient safety, clinical effectiveness, and waste reduction. Numerous institutional policies must be considered, including product sourcing and storage, selection of unit ABO compatibility, and management of suspected transfusion reactions. The presented single-institution retrospective reviews provide insight into data-driven policy changes that may help individualize management of patients requiring platelet transfusion. First, the compound effect of ABO compatibility and product irradiation on transfusion reaction rates across 21,000 platelet transfusions is quantified. Second, the impact on clinical outcome and product wastage is analyzed following institution of a policy permitting isolated peri-transfusion fever for patients with a hematolymphoid neoplasm and neutropenic fever receiving platelet transfusion.

Dr. Hogan is a medical graduate of the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he continued his training with a residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and fellowships in Cytopathology and Transfusion Medicine. He joined the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at KUMC as an Assistant Professor in 2023.