This is the 26th year we have sponsored a continuing education lecture series for histocompatibility, immunogenetics, and transplantation professionals. Although our primary target audience is technologists and transplant coordinators, our lectures cover a range of topics that are of interest to everyone in the

field — from those new to histocompatibility to experienced laboratory directors and transplant physicians. With each year’s series, we strive to include topics of interest in both solid organ and stem cell transplantation, along with conferences that focus on new technologies or on optimizing and troubleshooting existing technologies.

 

The audio conference format has proven to be very effective for communicating cutting-edge technology and applicable information to technologists at the bench and busy, high-level professionals alike.

Although audio conferences such as ours will never replace the invaluable networking and friendship building opportunities provided by ASHI’s face-to-face Regional Workshops, they do provide a unique educational opportunity. Current Topics in Histocompatibility and Transplantation allows participants to hear lectures given by highly respected and renowned international scientists affiliated with both academic institutions and transplant related organizations (such as National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)).

 

We have had lectures originating from the U.S. as well as from Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the Netherlands. We currently have more than 250 hospitals, medical centers and laboratories regularly participating from all over the U.S. and Canada, as well as from many other countries across the world.

 

Without ever leaving their workplace, participants can listen to the lectures in one of two ways: either live

on the day of the conference, or through listening to a recording of the lecture. There are advantages to both types of participation. Those who participate in the live conferences can ask questions and get immediate answers, as well as listen to other participants’ questions and comments. Participants who choose to listen to recorded lectures gain the flexibility of scheduling educational sessions at a time that works best for their institution; this can be especially useful for labs in distant time zones. Additionally,

it is possible to request recorded lectures at any time throughout the year. Recorded lectures for histocompatibility and transplantation professionals are available either individually or in topic-focused teaching sets, which can be found in CTHT Library.

 

Our program is approved by the American College of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics and all participants earn ACHI Continuing Education Credit (CEC) equal to 1.5 contact hours or 0.225 CEC per lecture (whether they listen to the lectures live or recorded). As the lecture series has grown over the past several years, we have continued to strive to broaden our base while remaining true to the goal of providing quality continuing education in immunogenetics, histocompatibility and transplantation.