Volume 39 Number 4 | August 2025
Summary
The Texas Association of Clinical Laboratory Science (TACLS) Annual Meeting in Corpus Christi featured educational sessions, student competitions, poster presentations, and networking events. Highlights included a keynote on HR, Student Bowl games, Lab Olympics, and a memorable session on brain-eating amoebas. Awards honored student and professional achievements, ending the event on an energizing, collaborative note.
Heather Parks, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Today Volunteer Contributor
Palm trees swayed and turquoise water sparkled as we gathered in Corpus Christi, Texas, for our Texas Association of Clinical Laboratory Science (TACLS) Annual Meeting in April. When I arrived from San Antonio, the Student Bowl games were about to begin. Friendly, familiar faces greeted me, and the air swirled with excitement!
The Planning Committee’s months of work were about to pay off. At the Omni Hotel in Corpus Christi along Texas’ Gulf Coast, students, laboratory professionals, professors, and industry partners met for one evening and two full days. We reconnected with old friends and made new ones. Traveling across Texas from cities like El Paso and Lubbock to the Gulf Coast is no small feat, so we appreciate those who traveled far to join the event. For many, our annual meeting is a delightful alumni and friend reunion.
Miles Tompkins, our keynote speaker, opened our minds to the world of human resources (HR). Miles is now a technical staffing specialist at Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma. He presented fictional awkward situations and reminded us to call HR for help. We learned about causes of workplace problems (e.g., cultural differences, personal issues, and body odor) and how HR can step in to help. I was surprised to learn about the compression pay scale and how higher pay for new hires benefits us all.
Students from around the state competed in the Student Bowl games. The winning team from Texas State University included Kira Christensen, Helen Frazier, Audrey Hairrell, Christian Santos, and Nicole Wilkin. University of Texas Health San Antonio came in second, and Houston Methodist Hospital took third place. Several other Texas college students put forth a solid effort in this thrilling, fast-paced game.
Fresh and eager poster presenters shared their findings during a meet-and-greet breakfast. Patricia Garza won first place in the undergraduate category for, “Discovery of Novel Therapeutics/Vaccine against Dengue Virus.” Alessandra Vaccaro won first place in the graduate student category for, “Retrospective Study Comparing Meningitis Rates Pre and Post Vaccine Mandate in South Central States.” Other poster topics included Staphylococcus aureus small colony variant in chronic wounds, using exosomes for diagnosis and therapeutics, comparison of operating room and inpatient transfusions, and the extent of scholarly dissemination by graduates.
Educational sessions offered topics for everyone:
- Unexpected coagulation findings
- Autoimmune and drug-induced causes of severe mucosal and skin injury
- Antimicrobial susceptibility: impacts of synergism and environment
- Nanomaterials in medicine and diagnostics
- The pathologists’ assistant field
- Lipoprotein(a) and cardiovascular risk
- Understanding fibrinogen in the lab
- Teaching immunohematology online
- Panreactivity and the art of antibody ID
- Naegleria fowleri seropositivity in the Galveston-Houston area
- Recruiting and retention panel discussion
After a day of education, students and laboratorians cut loose at the Lab Olympics. Everyone really got into the silly games. The ballroom was alive with boisterous laughter and team spirit! Each team’s lab swab sculpture showcased their architectural and artistic skill. The variety of sculptures underscored unique thinking patterns and teamwork styles in our profession.
Both Student Bowl and Lab Olympics were a fun way for students and professionals to network and laugh together. Their energy and enthusiasm were palpable, especially on the dance floor during our beach-themed evening reception. Cordelia Kudika led a medical trivia game based on past decades. Then we enjoyed a stress-relieving evening of yummy refreshments, music, and dancing!
The next morning, we were on the edge of our seats as Dr. Juan Rojo revealed that many of us probably have antibodies to a brain-eating amoeba (Naegleria fowleri). This session was not just a scientific talk, but a gripping mystery that unfolded slowly, eliciting gasps of surprise. We conjectured about our exposure through tap water, swimming, and warm water. Through research with his colleagues at the University of Texas Medical Branch on the coastal island of Galveston, Dr. Rojo’s team is investigating how we are exposed and why younger people are more susceptible to this rare, highly fatal, primary amebic meningoencephalopathy (PAM).
During the awards ceremony and business meeting, Tiffany Wafford was sworn in as our new president. Huge thanks to Vanessa Coonrod for her motivating leadership during her presidency. Awards included poster winners, scholarship recipients, and Omicron Sigma recognition. A few award recipients included:
- Constituent Society Member of the Year: Tiffany Wafford
- Keys to the Future: Abigail Abundes, Cordelia Kudika, and Monique Nathan
- Presidential Merit Award: Duncan Samo
Our closing session was a roving roundtable discussion on hot lab topics, led by Cordelia Kudika. In this interactive session, moderators visited our tables, asking us questions. We voiced our opinions on topics like lab advocacy, staff credentials and licensing, efficiency and finance, and regulatory compliance. After all the discussions, session leaders shared highlights with the audience. This session was group brainstorming at its best.
As the meeting packed up and we said our goodbyes, we left happy and inspired. Thanks to the TACLS Board and Planning Committee for putting together this exhilarating event!
Reference
Rojo, J. U., Rajendran, R., Nyangau, E. M., Castellanos-Gonzalez, A., & Salazar, J. H. (2024). Seroprevalence of Naegleria fowleri in the Houston-Galveston Texas Population. Parasitology research, 123(12), 421. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-024-08443-3
Heather Parks is a Medical Laboratory Scientist at University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas, and is Adjunct Biology Instructor at San Antonio College.
Tiffany Wafford receives the TACLS Member of the Year Award from TACLS Past President Vanessa Coonrod.
LaShanta Brice with TACLS Keynote Speaker Miles Tompkins
TACLS members participate in Lab Olympics.
Nick Barnes, UT Health student, with his poster presentation.
Sadi Alonzo, Amari Borrego, and Jenessa Brown, UT Health students, with their poster presentation.