LABCONIC 2026
Diverse Voices, Shared Vision
PHOTOGRAPHY: MARIO HAGEN/ADOBE STOCK
LABCON is headed to Vancouver, BC from May 8 to 10, 2026!
We’re just a month away from Canada’s largest conference for medical laboratory professionals. This is CSMLS’ flagship event and your best chance to learn, be inspired and connect with your peers in the industry. This year’s theme is “Diverse Voices, Shared Vision” and the conference will spotlight innovation, leadership and the collective impact of the profession. On day one, join us for lunch to meet this year’s exhibitors. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the latest technologies in the industry while building new connections. Later that evening, you’re invited to a social event designed for meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends. Saturday night’s gala is a more formal event to celebrate, have fun and blow off some steam with colleagues. Last but not least, you are invited to a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday to celebrate all the mothers and maternal figures attending the event, and to acknowledge those we can’t be with today. This year’s conference will host 32 breakout sessions, and three plenary sessions. See below for more on our plenary sessions and the workshop we have planned for Day One. To buy tickets or for information about the schedule, including our social events, visit labcon.csmls.org. Stay tuned to eNEWS for more exciting details. We can’t wait to see you in Vancouver!
Friday, May 8, 2026
All I Needed to Know, I Learned in a Laboratory. Apologies to Robert Fulghum
James Talbot, MD, PhD, BSc, FRCPC will inspire attendees with a hopeful perspective to combat feelings of powerlessness in today's world, where values like truth, accuracy, and kindness are often under attack. He will share lessons learned by medical laboratory professionals (MLPs) to ensure that health and wellness decisions are grounded in science and evidence rather than popular opinion. Dr. Talbot began his career as a laboratory director and went on to establish an international laboratory network in Central and South America, as well as a provincial syndromic surveillance network in Alberta. He has also served as the Medical Officer of Health for Edmonton, Chief Medical Officer of Health for Nunavut, and Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health for Alberta.
Friday, May 8, 2026
Traditional Medicine Tie Making Workshop
Elder Lorelei Hawkins will guide participants in creating their own traditional medicine ties using tobacco and sage, grounded in cultural humility and respect. Elder Hawkins is an advocate, educator, and artist who serves community members throughout Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, shares traditional knowledge and supports both Indigenous peoples and newcomers in their well-being.
Friday, May 8, 2026
Quality Management in the Laboratory
Lucy A. Perrone, MSPH, PhD, will speak about requirements and elements of a quality system, including advanced knowledge of the customers in the medical laboratory, quality partnerships, frameworks for accreditation and more. Dr. Perrone is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She is the Chair of the ISO 17043:2022 accredited Canadian Microbiology Proficiency Testing Program, and the Director of the Program Office for Laboratory Quality Management.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Copy That? The Perks and Pitfalls of Molecular Diagnostics
Marthe Charles, MD, MSc, FRCPC, will guide a dynamic tour through the strengths and limitations of modern molecular tools routinely used in clinical settings. The session will demystify the fundamentals of PCR, RT‑PCR, and sequencing, and explore the challenges of interpreting results in clinical care and emerging molecular technologies poised to transform diagnostics. Charles graduated from the Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases program at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. She has been the division head of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention and Control at Vancouver Coastal Health since 2018. During the pandemic, she oversaw COVID-19 testing for thousands of people a day at Vancouver General Hospital.