Society News Now - March 2025

ASCLS Award and Grant Opportunities

Awards Submissions Due Tomorrow, March 15

There’s still time to recognize fellow ASCLS members and medical laboratory professionals for their time and dedication to the profession and Society. This year the Awards Committee introduced some updates to the awards; here is a summary of the changes.

Ascending Professional Leadership and Achievement Awards – Now has additional achievement awards in Innovation (Knowledge), Dedication (Advocacy), and Collaboration (Community). Nominees apply for the Leadership and Achievement awards using a single submission process that includes an online application, two downloadable forms, and a personal statement or letter of support.
Developing Professional Leadership and Achievement Awards – Also has additional achievement awards in Innovation and Collaboration. The nomination process also uses a single submission that includes an online application, two downloadable forms, and a personal statement or letter of support.
Community Engagement Award – The former Website and Publication Awards have been combined into a Community Engagement Award that focuses on the creation of original digital content and consistent positive messaging. This award will be expanded into additional awards based on the Framework of Success created by the CSSC. The nomination process will involve submission of digital content or pertinent website links showcasing original content.
Pinnacle Award (formerly Lifetime Achievement Award) – The nomination, eligibility, and achievement process has remained the same.
Scientific Research Award – No change
Theriot Award (for media and equipment development) – No change
Voices Under 40 – No change

Very closely following, there are even more ways to recognize our members, many with an April 1 deadline.

Constituent Society Member of the Year Recognition (Due April 1)
Omicron Sigma (Due April 1)
Keys to the Future (Due May 1)

If you have any questions or suggestions that you would like to share with the Awards Committee, please email awards@ascls.org or Chair Toula Castillo.

Annual Student Paper Award Competition

Deadline: April 1

The Clinical Laboratory Educators Forum (CLEF) Student Paper Award Competition is currently accepting submissions for MLS/DMS/CGT/MLT student-authored research papers and case studies.

Student research papers should address scientific as well as applicable educational, technical, administrative, consulting, and management studies.

Case studies should address any unusual, interesting, and unique manifestation of a disease etiology, pathology, clinical syndrome, complications, and prognosis known or unknown.

The award for the top research paper and the top case study is a $500 cash prize and free registration to attend the 2025 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (in-person or virtually). You must be an ASCLS member to apply.

Research Grants

Deadline: April 1

The ASCLS Education & Research Fund, Inc., is seeking proposals for two grant programs: Member Research Grant and the I. Dean Spradling Graduate Research Grant.

All submissions must include a letter of approval from the applicant’s Institution Review Board stating that the project has been reviewed and approved. Applications will not be approved if this information is not included.

The grant application and coversheet (two documents) should be submitted to grants@ascls.org [ mailto:grants@ascls.org ] . Please use this email for any questions or inquiries.

ASCLS Volunteer Opportunities

Currently ASCLS is looking for professionals who wish to provide their creativity, energy, and passion to our mission. Volunteering for ASCLS is a great way to build your professional network and make an impact on our profession. Additionally, organizations like the Mayo Clinic report that volunteering can provide us with a sense of purpose, teach us valuable skills, and can even improve our physical and mental health. Learn more.

Developing and Ascending Professionals Forums Seek Officer Nominations

Submit Your Application by May 11

Would you like to take on a leadership role in the Developing Professionals Forum (DPF) or the Ascending Professionals Forum (APF)? Or do you know someone who would make an excellent fit? The DPF is seeking its next chair, vice chair, and secretary, and the APF is seeking its next vice chair and secretary. All applicants must be ASCLS Developing or Ascending Professional members as of February 28, 2025.

Diversity Advocacy Council Call for Officer Nominations

Submit Your Nominations by May 12

The ASCLS Diversity Advocacy Council (DAC) is seeking nominees for the position of vice chair and secretary.

Officers are members of the DAC Executive Committee. This group meets monthly for a one hour Zoom meeting. Officers are expected to help fulfill the charges of the DAC. Some example activities include PRISM events, the DAC Movie Night, and DAC Book Club. Officers are also strongly encouraged to attend the ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM).

Registration Open for the 2025 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting

June 8-12 | Sacramento, California, or Virtual

The 2025 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) is the gathering for all those with a mutual interest in advancing medical laboratory science for the benefit of patients.

Participate in the best learning experiences that encompass all disciplines of the laboratory profession and all stages of your career.
Gain practical knowledge on methodologies, management, and emerging issues, including the latest in molecular and genetics innovations.
Develop new skills and learn proven leadership strategies to advance in your career and progress into leadership roles.

Again this year JAM will offer flexibility with two attendee options.

In-Person Attendance: JAM will be held at the Sacramento Convention Center. In addition to the educational program, poster presentations, industry partner exhibits, and networking activities, you’ll also receive access to all recorded JAM educational sessions for 30 days after the event, providing you with about 50 hours of P.A.C.E.^®-approved credit.

Virtual Attendance: You will have access to the nearly 50 educational sessions, either streamed live or recorded; industry partner virtual activities; virtual poster presentations; and virtual networking events. You will also have access to all recorded JAM educational sessions for 30 days after the event. You get to choose which sessions and events you want to attend live and which recordings you will view later when the time is right. Create a personalized JAM experience that fits your life.

Travel and Registration Scholarships Available for 2025 Joint Annual Meeting

Apply by April 7

The Ascending and Developing Professionals Forums will collectively award over $10,000 in travel and registration scholarships to Ascending and Developing Professionals attending the 2025 Joint Annual Meeting (JAM), either in-person or virtually. The exact breakdown of these grants will be determined by the number of applicants and their preference of attendance.

Race to JAM Student Trivia Competition

Race to JAM is a national student trivia competition hosted by the ASCLS Developing Professionals Forum. Preliminary rounds are conducted over Zoom on Saturday, April 12, starting at 10 am ET.

The final two teams will go head-to-head in-person at the 2025 ASCLS, AGT & SAFMLS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM), held June 8-12 in Sacramento, California. The winning team will be recognized during the Awards Ceremony at JAM. Learn more.

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

April 20-26, 2025

The ASCLS Marketing and Communication Committee compiled a digital cookbook of recipes for potlucks that have been lab-tested and approved by ASCLS members and other medical laboratory professionals. To celebrate Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, April 20-26, we’re updating the book. Share your favorite recipes by March 31 to be added to the next edition.

10th Annual ASCLS Lab Week Run

Nearly 1,000 people have already signed up for the 10th Annual ASCLS Lab Week Virtual Run. Help spread the word about the medical laboratory profession and have fun with friends and co-workers.

This virtual race can be completed any time during Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 20-26, 2025) and anywhere. Participants can walk, use a treadmill, run outside, or even ride a bike to complete the 5K distance (or 3.1 miles). Organize a group run with friends and family, or go solo.

Sign up by April 10 to ensure your race packet arrives in time for Lab Week! All proceeds go to scholarships that help medical laboratory professionals attend ASCLS meetings, advocate for the profession, and become future leaders in the field.

Thank you to our 2025 Lab Week Run Platinum Sponsors BD, COLA, Greiner Bio-One, and SEKISUI Diagnostics.

CDC OneLab^TM

CDC’s OneLab initiative provides opportunities for education and training, as well as a space for collaboration between clinical, public health, individuals who perform or coordinate testing at non-laboratory sites, and CDC laboratory education and training professionals. They provide free training courses, job aides and resources, links to webinar recordings, and much more.

The OneLab Rapid Education and Capacity-building Hub (REACH) is a laboratory education and training learning management system specifically designed and tailored for the needs of clinical and public health laboratory professionals. OneLab REACH supports the laboratory community by providing relevant and timely education and training resources.

CDC’s OneLab Network provides opportunities for education and training, as well as a space for collaboration between clinical, public health, individuals who perform or coordinate testing at non-laboratory sites, and CDC laboratory education and training professionals.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Laboratory Systems is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.^® Program.

OneLab™ and OneLab REACH™ are registered trademarks of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Clinical Laboratory Science Journal Publishes Three New Volumes

Clinical Laboratory Science journal Volumes 35, 36, and 37 for 2022, 2023, and 2024 were recently published. Manuscripts submitted, accepted, and published before print on our CLS webpage are now officially published in the print edition of the journal. Although these are considered “print” copies, you access these articles online.

Under the content tab near the top of the page, click on the archive link to find the recent three years of issues, as well as the current issue, Volume 37.

Please see the tables of contents and then read articles submitted by our colleagues. Submitting manuscripts of work completed is important to advance and improve our profession and is a critical component of a professional and a professional society.

Thanks to each of the authors who submitted their manuscripts to our journal. Congratulations on your publications.

Submit Manuscripts from the DCLS Perspective

The CLS Editorial Board is seeking manuscripts from the Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) perspective that focus on improvements made to patient care as the result of the intervention, action, and work of DCLS practitioners. These can be findings from projects that were completed as part of one’s academic preparation as a DCLS or improvements to medical laboratory science practice as part of one’s position. The Editorial Board is also seeking manuscripts from educational programs related to preparing DCLS practitioners.

For this first special edition of the journal, the Editorial Board will review submissions that are submitted by March 17, 2025.

Manuscripts are submitted through the online portal. Learn more about requirements for submitting manuscripts.

If you have questions, please email CLSeditor@ascls.org .

CLEC 2025 Brings together Nearly 700 Clinical Laboratory Educators for Learning, Sharing, and Networking

ASCLS welcomed about 680 educators from across the country for the 2025 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC). We had 447 attendees join us in Atlanta and 231 online, March 6-8. The educational program featured 43 sessions presented by over 80 speakers sharing ideas, thoughts, and takeaways for clinical laboratory education programs. Additionally, 23 posters featuring 56 authors and co-authors were showcased.

The 15 members of the CLEC Steering Committee were joined by about 90 volunteers to make CLEC a resounding success by helping to review session proposals and poster abstracts, serving as moderators, helping at the registration desk, and coordinating virtual networking discussions.

Attendees shared their most positive aspects of the CLEC 2025 program on conference evaluations:

“A diverse group of presenters. Great topics that are practical for use in the classroom. Great ideas for future research.”
“Getting so many good little nuggets of ideas in each session and making new friends.”
“Various methods and techniques to try for improving student engagement and learning.”
“The best part might be the diversity of presentations I attended virtually. Great presenters, great examples that they were willing to share. I really appreciate the season handouts. I loved the poster presentations that had the recordings.”
“The camaraderie and feeling of support both for our students and each other, even though all our programs are very different.”

CLEC also included 21 industry partners who showcased innovative technologies, textbooks, and other educational materials for the educators—both in the exhibit area in Atlanta and in their virtual booths.

The ASCLS Education & Research Fund, Inc., virtual silent auction raised over $1,100 for medical laboratory science scholarships and research grants.

The CLEC Steering Committee is eager to evaluate feedback from this conference and start planning another amazing CLEC 2026 in Bellevue, Washington, February 5-7.

Voices Under 40

Spotlight: Alese Thompson, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM, Columbia, Missouri

Incredibly active on the local level, Alese has held many leadership positions as part of ASCLS-Missouri, from Developing Professional Director to Director, Membership Committee Chair, as well as Chair of Promotion of the Profession and District Representative. On a national level she dedicated several years to the P.A.C.E.^® Committee. Her newest role is chairing the Association of Medical Laboratory Education Programs (AMLEP) for this Society year.

Keen to share her knowledge and experience with the profession, Alese has a dozen continuing education presentations under her belt, speaking at the Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference, CSES, CLSM, AABC, and ASCLS-MO on topics with strong themes related to recruiting laboratory talent, organizing student clinicals, effective virtual themes, and a bit of Parasitology, Mycology, and Virology to round things out. In the literary realm, Alese has worked as a contributor and reviewer to textbooks on topics like Blood Banking and Parasitology, as well as a submission for an item in MediaLab. Read more.

ASCLS Voices Under 40 honors ASCLS members who have shown exceptional commitment to the Society, the laboratory profession, and their community at large at a younger age in their professional career. Each month we spotlight one of the shining voices who was selected from many nominations across the country.

Nominations are currently open for the 2025 Voices Under 40. Applications are due March 15.