Work by Hematology Lab Techs Highlighted at National Meeting

By Elizabeth Walker | May 22 2019

Morgan Stuart stands with her poster.Two of our hematology lab technologists were first authors on poster abstracts at the XXXII International Symposium on Technical Innovations in Laboratory Hematology. The 2019 annual conference for the International Society for Laboratory Hematology was held in Vancouver, BC, on May 8-11. Kara Bureau, MLS(ASCP)CM, presented, “Immature platelet fraction normal reference range during pregnancy,” co-authored by Gerald Davis, MT(ASCP), MPH, and Dr. Rajan Dewar. Morgan Stuart, MLS(ASCP)CM presented, “Anti-IIa heparin assay for patients on direct oral anticoagulants,” co-authored by Linda Johnson, MT(ASCP)SH and Drs. Sarah Hanigan, Steven Pipe, and Sean Li.

Bureau’s poster will help other clinical laboratories validate new platelet indices on their automated hematology analyzers. Stuart’s poster demonstrated how Michigan Medicine has solved one aspect of laboratory test interference by oral anti-Xa inhibitors, which is a problem plaguing clinical coagulation laboratories worldwide. Not only did these works highlight the continuing innovation at Michigan Medicine in the areas of laboratory hematology and coagulation, but it was also an invaluable learning and networking experience for some of our up and coming technologists.