Histocompatibility Specialist Course Agenda

June 8-12, 2025

Sunday, June 8, 2025
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast
 
8:00 AM - 8:10 AM
Welcome
 
8:10 AM - 9:00 AM
Introduction to Transplant Immunology
Michael Gautreaux, PhD, F(ACHI), Chairman, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Innate Immunity
Kelley Hitchman, MS, PhD, F(ACHI), UT Health San Antonio
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Adaptive Immunity
Michael Gautreaux, PhD, F(ACHI), Chairman, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
11:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Break
 
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Genetic Concepts Applicable to Immunogenetics - Part 1 Basic Genetics
Loren Gragert, PhD, A(ACHI), Tulane University School of Medicine
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch
 
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Immunogenetics - Part 2 Population Genetics and Statistics
Loren Gragert, PhD, A(ACHI), Tulane University School of Medicine
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Break
 
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Molecular Biology
Peter Lalli, PhD, F(ACHI), Atrium Health
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Molecular Basis of Allorecognition
Kelley Hitchman, MS, PhD, F(ACHI), UT Health San Antonio
5:15 PM - 6:15 PM
Networking Reception
 
Monday, June 9, 2025
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast
 
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Immunoregulation and Tolerance
Kelley Hitchman, MS, PhD, F(ACHI), UT Health San Antonio
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
MHC Genetics Part I
Michael Gautreaux, PhD, F(ACHI), Chairman, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Break
 
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
MHC Genetics Part II
Michael Gautreaux, PhD, F(ACHI), Chairman, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
DNA Based HLA Typing Methods
Chang Liu, MD, PhD, WashU Medicine
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Lunch
 
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Next Generation Sequencing
Chang Liu, MD, PhD, WashU Medicine
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
HLA Informatics
Loren Gragert, PhD, A(ACHI), Tulane University School of Medicine
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Break
 
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Peter Lalli, PhD, F(ACHI), Atrium Health
5:00 PM - 5:45 PM
Typing Case Studies
 
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast
 
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
HLA Dis. Assoc. & Pharmacogenomics
John Gerlach, Ph.D., F.ACHI, Michigan State University
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
ABO Basics & Blood Bank Issues
Robert Liwski, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II HSC
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Break
 
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Chimerism
Peter Lalli, PhD, F(ACHI), Atrium Health
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Laboratory Management
Arianne Mankey, CHS (ACHI), Stanford Blood Center, Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Laboratory
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Lunch
 
1:15 PM - 2:00 PM
Lab Accreditation
Arianne Mankey, CHS (ACHI), Stanford Blood Center, Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Laboratory
2:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Break
 
2:15 PM - 3:00 PM
Implementing an Effective QA program
Arianne Mankey, CHS (ACHI), Stanford Blood Center, Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Laboratory
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Transition to ACHI Tutorial Sessions
 
3:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Optional Tutorials for ACHI Exams CHS & Dipl.
 
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast
 
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Solid Phase Assay Basics
Annette Jackson, PhD, F(ACHI), Duke University
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Optimizing Solid Phase Assays
Robert Liwski, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II HSC
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Break
 
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Antibodies: Mechanism Of Action & New Tools
Annette Jackson, PhD, F(ACHI), Duke University
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Basic Principles of Flow Cytometry
Robert Liwski, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II HSC
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Lunch
 
1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Advanced Flow Cytometry
Robert Liwski, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II HSC
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Break
 
3:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Epitope Analysis for Interpreting HLA Antibody Results
Robert Liwski, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II HSC
4:45 PM - 5:30 PM
Antibody/Crossmatch Case Studies
 
Thursday, June 12, 2025
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast
 
8:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Antibody Issues
Annette Jackson, PhD, F(ACHI), Duke University
9:15 AM - 9:30 AM
Break
 
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Transplanting The Sensitized Patient
Annette Jackson, PhD, F(ACHI), Duke University
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Solid Organ Transplant Immunology Part 1
James Lan, MD, FRCPC, D(ABHI), Vancouver CoastalHealth Research Institute
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch
 
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Solid Organ Transplant Immunology Part 2
James Lan, MD, FRCPC, D(ABHI), Vancouver CoastalHealth Research Institute
2:15 PM - 2:30 PM
Break
 
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Clinical Intervention in Transplantation
 
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Emerging Technologies In The HLA Lab
 
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Closing Remarks