Summary of the Eighth Annual Fall National Molecular Microbiology

Diagnostics Users Group (NMG)

November 19-20, 2014, Toronto, ON

Background:The National Molecular Microbiology Diagnostics Users Group (NMG) is a working group that includes approximately 230 laboratorians using molecular methods for clinical microbiology diagnostics. Members are from hospital, private and public health laboratories from across Canada.

Annual Fall Meetings have taken place to discuss proficiency activities from throughout the year, current molecular testing issues, and to obtain updates on new technologies, assays, trouble-shooting and instrumentation through industry sponsored workshops.

Registrants:A total of 124laboratoryand 51 industry participants from across Canada registered for the 2014NMG Meeting. The graph below indicates the number of participants and the number of companies registered for the conference (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Number of Participants (2007-2014).

A total of 35 attendees came from out of the province of Ontario (BC 8, AB 2, SK 3, MB 6, QC 7, NB 3, NS 1, NF 3 and the US 1).

The participants who attended came from various aspects of the clinical microbiology laboratory. The breakdown for the participants based on their job title is shown in Figure 2. The largest group attending the conference were clinical technologists, including MLTs, Senior Technologists and Technical specialists. Medical/Clinical microbiologists followed. There were also a number of research technologists, some indicating specifically that they performed test development. A significant number of trainees and managers were also present. The “other” category included quality standard specialists and those that did not indicate their job title.

Figure 2. Breakdown of participants by job title.

Industry Participation:

Twenty-one companies contributed to the conference as exhibitors (19), workshop presentations (9), and/or sponsors (3) for meals and coffee breaks. Topics for workshops ranged from updates on new technologiesand instrumentation, assay design, new technologies for testing gastrointestinal pathogens, assays for respiratory viruses, direct molecular testing without extraction, Next Generation Sequencing, and automation.

Exhibitor tables were placed in the Gallery at the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning with meals and coffee breaks. This allowed numerous opportunities for interaction between participants and industry. Industry participants were free to attend all workshops and presentations.

Sponsorship was indicated with signage at the event (beside the meals and at the registration desk) and with a handout inserted into the registration package of all participants.

CACMID:

CACMID formally sponsored the conference with a $5,000 education grant. This was graciously acknowledged in the program and in handouts to participants.

Annual General Meeting:

The annual general meeting took place on Thursday November 20, 2014. The minutes will be posted on the NMG website (nmgroup.ca).

Figure 3. Participation of Associations and Companies as Exhibitors, Workshops, and/or Sponsorship

Sponsorship / Workshop / Exhibitor
  • altona Diagnostics Canada
  • CACMID
  • Luminex Corporation
  • Phoenix AirMid Biomedical Corporation
  • Zeptometrix Corporation
/
  • altona Diagnostics Canada
  • Becton Dickinson (BD)
  • bioMérieux Canada Inc.
  • Bio Nuclear Diagnostics
  • Hologic Canada
  • Illumina
  • Integrated DNA Technologies
  • Life Technologies
  • Quidel Corporation
/
  • Abbott Molecular
  • Alere Canada
  • BD
  • bioMériux Canada Inc
  • Bio Nuclear Diagnostics
  • Cedarlane Laboratories
  • D-MARK Biosciences
  • Hologic Canada
  • Integrated DNA Technologies
  • Inter Medico
  • Luminex Corporation
  • Phoenix AirMid Biomedical Corporation
  • Pro-Lab Diagnostics
  • Promega Corporation
  • Qiagen
  • Quidel Corporation/Life Technologies
  • Somagen Diagnostics Inc
  • Zeptometrix Corporation

Travel Grants:

Money from industry participation and sponsorship allowed for travel grants for participants travelling from out of the Greater Toronto area and out of province. Participants applied for travel grants prior to the meeting and were reimbursed travel costs to a maximum amount based on how far they traveled. Thirty-onetravel grants were approved including6 from outside the Greater Toronto Area and 24 from across Canada and one from the US.

Conference Evaluation:

Results from a conference evaluation indicated that the majority of participants were “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the meeting, as well as would attend upcoming conferences in future years. The facilities of the workshops and presentations (theatre) and location (downtown Toronto, ON) were well liked, and there was mention that having the conference at the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning was an improvement. Overall, the talks were well received, in particular, new technologies, the results of proficiency panels, and trouble-shooting session. Little changes were suggested (see below).

-not enough time to talk with industry and other attendees

-perhaps a reception at the end of the first day for networking

-having a session with Health Canada to discuss the approval process

Next year’s meeting will be held November 23-24, 2015inthe Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, ON.