Program Preview – Subject to Change
| Sunday 25 October 2026 • Pre-Conference Workshops | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Parallel 1 | Parallel 2 | Parallel 3 |
| 9:00 – 10:30 | Congo Line Exhibition | ||
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Morning Tea Break | ||
| 11:00 – 12:30 |
Getting Started with Spectral Cytometry Designing an experiment, reference controls and unmixing Autofluorescence – Friend or Foe Unmixing errors? Common problems and how to avoid them. Dr. Omar Elaskalani Postdoctoral Scientist, The Kids Research Institute Australia Dr. Svenja Loering Flow Cytometry Senior Research Officer, Hudson Institute of Medical Research Oliver Eltherington Senior Technical Specialist, University of Melbourne |
Sorting Fact from Fiction Tips For Evaluating Your Next Cell Sorter Choosing a new cell sorter can shape the success of your facility for years to come. This interactive workshop will help SRL leaders and flow cytometry specialists cut through marketing claims and learn how to objectively evaluate, validate, and compare sorting platforms using real-world performance data, operational requirements, and user needs. Eva Orlowski-Oliver Research Flow Core Manager, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre |
The Grey Zone: Interactive Case-Based Challenges in Ambiguous Lineage Leukaemias This interactive workshop will present cases illustrating diagnostic dilemmas in ambiguous lineage leukaemias, including MPAL and other challenging entities. Participants will use live audience polling to review each case and vote on the most likely diagnosis or next diagnostic step. Dr Mary Sartor, BSc, MSc, PhD & Dr Julie Curtin |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Break | ||
| 13:30 – 15:00 |
Cytometry for Clinical Immunophenotyping This workshop will cover practical approached to implementing spectral cytometry in a clinical setting. Spanning discussions on workflows, validation, and certification considerations, we will be showcasing data problems … as well as how to fix them! Dr. Sabine Ringkowski Royal Prince Alfred Hospital A/Prof Helen McGuire University of Sydney Dr. Kevin Lo CellCarta |
Analysis of Spatial Transcriptomics and CITE-seq Data This workshop will focus on analytical strategies for spatial transcriptomic and CITE-seq datasets, including preprocessing, quality control, dimensionality reduction and cell-type annotation using transcriptomic and protein-derived information. A/Prof Alen Faiz University of Technology Sydney |
CD34 EQA Session 1 Focused on viable CD34 testing principles, ISHAGE guidelines, pre- and post-analytical variables, common pitfalls, quality matters, case scenarios and panel discussions. Multiple speakers TBA |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Afternoon Tea Break | ||
| 15:30 – 17:00 |
Navigating the world of scientific publishing — a tutorial for early-career researchers in the field of cytometry This tutorial moves from the big picture to the practical aspects of publishing, with a focus on the needs of researchers who use cytometry. We begin with the publishing landscape and how a paper travels from submission to publication, then examine open access and the economics of publishing — APCs, who pays, equity, and funder mandates. Next we cover how to spot predatory and hijacked journals and how to read bibliometric scores critically: why the Journal Impact Factor is a poor proxy for the quality of an individual paper or researcher, and what other metrics can and cannot tell you. The second half is hands-on: developing a publication strategy and targeting the right audience (with a particular focus on cytometry), writing a cover letter, assembling the submission, and communicating effectively with editors and reviewers through revision and rebuttal. We close with research integrity and reproducibility in the AI era, and the opportunities that Cytometry Part A offers to serve the community as a reviewer or contributing editor. Bartek Rajwa Purdue University A/Prof Helen McGuire University of Sydney |
Tips, Tricks and Best Practices (Before the Cytometer: Sample Preparation Best Practices and Workflow Efficiency Hacks) * Sample preparation * Tissue digestion insights * Wetlab best practice * Optimising cytometry staining approaches * Obvious, hidden and dangerous efficiency hacks in the cytometry facility Suat Dervish (Garvan Institute of Medical Research) Erica Vine (Westmead Institute for Medical Research) |
CD34 EQA Session 2 Multiple speakers TBA |
| 17:30 – 19:30 | Ice Breaker Bar/Lounge/BeerGarden @UNSW Roundhouse |
||
| Monday 26 October 2026 • Conference Day 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time | ||
| 9:00 – 9:10 | Welcome to Country | |
| 9:10 – 9:55 |
Lining Arnold Ju University of Sydney |
|
| 9:55 – 10:15 |
Helen McGuire University of Sydney |
|
| 10:15 – 10:45 | Morning Tea Break | |
| 10:45 – 11:30 |
Sylvie Freeman University of Birmingham |
|
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Platinum Sponsor Presentation | |
| 11:45 – 12:05 |
Stuart Tangye Garvan Institute of Medical Research |
|
| 12:05 – 13:00 | Early/Mid Career Cytometrists – Rapid Fire Session | |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break | |
| 14:00 – 15:30 | Research Breakout |
Clinical Breakout |
| Omar Elaskalani The Kids Research Institute Australia |
Melissa Nardi Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre |
|
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Afternoon Tea Break | |
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Research – Innovation Breakout |
Clinical – MRD Breakout |
| Selected Abstract | Sabine Ringkowski Royal Prince Alfred Hospital |
|
| Selected Abstract | David Westerman Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre |
|
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| 17:00 – 17:30 | Free Time | |
| 17:30 – 18:30 | Poster Session | |
| Tuesday 27 October 2026 • Conference Day 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time | ||
| 9:05 – 9:50 |
Joakim Lundeberg KTH Royal Institute of Technology |
|
| 9:50 – 10:05 | Platinum Sponsor Presentation | |
| 10:05 – 10:30 |
Tessa Gargett University of South Australia & Royal Adelaide Hospital |
|
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Morning Tea Break | |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Selected Abstract | |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Rapid Fire Session Student + Commercial |
|
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Break | |
| 13:30 – 14:15 |
Wolfgang Kern MLL Münchner Leukämielabor & current President of ICCS |
|
| 14:15 – 15:00 | Patient Advocacy Presentation/Panel | |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Afternoon Tea Break | |
| 15:30 – 17:00 | Research – Immunology Breakout |
Clinical – TBA Breakout |
|
Joanne Reed Westmead Institute for Medical Research |
Bill Sewell St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney & University of New South Wales |
|
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| 18:30 – 22:00 | Conference Dinner @Archie Brothers Entertainment Quarter (207/122 Lang Road Moore Park 2021 NSW) | |
| Wednesday 28 October 2026 • Conference Day 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time | ||
| 9:00 – 9:45 |
Franca Ronchese Malaghan Institute of Medical Research |
|
| 9:45 – 10:00 | Platinum Sponsor Presentation | |
| 10:00 – 10:30 | TBA | |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Morning Tea Break | |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | TBA | |
| 11:30 – 12:30 |
Research – SRL Breakout |
Clinical – TBA Breakout |
| Meet Our Technician Commitment Mentors | Selected Abstract | |
| My SRL Rapid Fire | Selected Abstract | |
| Selected Abstract | Selected Abstract | |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Break | |
| 13:30 – 14:45 | AGM + Conference Awards | |