The Labquality Days scientific program boasts three program tracks in English, welcoming over 30 experts in their fields to speak at the congress. Get to know the laboratory experts who will share their insights in the Quality in Laboratory Medicine program track here! The overall topics are Analytical Quality Control and Direct-to-Consumer Testing.
Dr Tze Ping Loh obtained his undergraduate medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Penang Medical College, and undertook his fellowship (Royal College of Pathologists, UK) training in chemical pathology at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, National University Hospital, where he currently serves as Senior Consultant and Research Director. His areas of interest include biomarker discovery and translational research, outcome research of established/novel biomarkers, paediatric general biochemistry and laboratory management.
At Labquality Days, Dr Tze Ping Loh's lecture, titled Calibration is both therapy and cause of bias, will explore different calibration practices and how they may affect quantitative measurements in the laboratory.
Dr Hikmet Can Çubukçu graduated from Ufuk University Faculty of Medicine in 2013 and completed his residency (medical speciality training) in Medical Biochemistry at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in 2019. He was awarded the title of Associate Professor in Medical Biochemistry in 2023. In 2024, he completed a master’s degree in software engineering at Hacettepe University and a PhD in Regenerative Medicine at the Stem Cell Institute of Ankara University. He is a member of the EFLM Committee on Accreditation and ISO/CEN Standards, and the IFCC Committee on Artificial Intelligence in Laboratory Medicine. He also serves as an expert in the IFCC Taskforce on Global eLearning/eAcademy.
Dr Hikmet Can Çubukçu currently works at the Turkish Ministry of Health, Department of Rare Diseases, within the General Directorate of Health Services, and at the Department of Medical Biochemistry at Sincan Training and Research Hospital. His main research interests include risk-based internal quality control, patient-based quality control, setting analytical performance goals based on indirect clinical outcomes, and the application of artificial intelligence in clinical laboratories.
In his lecture at Labquality Days, Dr Hikmet Can Çubukçu will explore how risk-based internal quality control (IQC) planning integrates analytical performance and potential clinical harm to optimize IQC frequency, ensuring patient safety while maintaining operational efficiency.
Panagiotis (Panos) Tsiamyrtzis is a Professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy and the department of Statistics at the Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece. He holds a BSc in Mathematics from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and both MSc and PhD degrees in Statistics from the School of Statistics at the University of Minnesota, USA. His research focuses primarily on Statistical Process Control and Monitoring (SPC/M), with an emphasis on the Bayesian perspective, as well as on statistical challenges in Additive Manufacturing and Affective Computing. He is a recipient of the “2024 Brumbaugh Award” from the American Society for Quality (ASQ), together with his co-authors. He currently serves as a member on the editorial board of the “Journal of Quality Technology” and “Quality Engineering”.
At Labquality Days, Professor Tsiamyrtzis will explore how the Bayesian paradigm offers a robust solution to challenges in quality control presented by limited data, which often hinder traditional frequentist quality control methods.
PhD, EuSpLM
Netherlands Cancer Institute
The Netherlands
Huub van Rossum is a specialist in laboratory medicine and clinical chemistry at the Netherlands Cancer Institute. He has a background in analytical chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences and followed his training to become a specialist in laboratory medicine. At the Netherlands Cancer Institute, he is responsible for routine clinical diagnostics, including (immune)chemistry testing and ICT.
His current research focuses on (patient-based real-time) quality control and assurance, the diagnostic validation of longitudinal (tumor) biomarkers, tumor marker harmonization, sensitive steroid analysis using LC-MS for breast and prostate cancer and implementation of all of these in routine clinical practice. Furthermore, Huub van Rossum founded and chairs the IFCC working group on global tumor marker harmonization (IFCC WG-TMH), is a board member of the ISOBM and a member of the medical staff board of the Netherlands Cancer Institute – Antoni van Leeuwenhoek hospital in Amsterdam.
At his Labquality Days lecture, Huub van Rossum will overview recent developments of patient-based real-time quality control, increase the understanding and potential application of MA QC techniques and provide guidance when interested in implementing MA QC on medical labs.
Prof. MD. DSc.
1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, General University Hospital Prague, EFLM
Czech Republic
Prof. Tomáš Zima, MD, DSc. Dr.h.c., graduated from the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University of Prague in 1990. He has been a professor of medical chemistry and biochemistry since 2001 and the Head of the Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine. He was the Dean of the First Faculty of Medicine (2005-2012), and between 2014 and 2022, he was the Rector of Charles University Prague. He was a visiting professor at Università degli Studi di Milano in 2024.
His main research interests include oxidative stress, AGEs, experimental nephrology, tumour markers, and laboratory management and accreditation. He is the author of more than 550 articles, 10 books and co-author of 83 chapters in books. Prof. Zima is a member of many learned universities and scientific societies (Academia Europea, Czech Medical Academy, Czech Learned Society, Scientific Panel for Health (2014-2020), President-elect EB EFLM 2024-2025, member of the Education and Management Division EMD IFCC 2021-2026.
In his lecture at Labquality Days, Prof. Zima will discuss the importance of quality control, accreditation and risk management
Clinical Chemist
Germany
Oswald Sonntag is a clinical chemist with professional experience in both academic laboratory settings and as a scientific consultant within the diagnostic industry. He contributed to the early development of the German quality control guidelines, known as RiliBAEK. He is the author of three books addressing drug interferences and multilayer-film technology. Since the outset of his career, he has been extensively involved in all aspects of quality control procedures in laboratory medicine. Additionally, he has served as co-editor, alongside Mario Plebani, of the distinguished book series on patient safety.
At Labquality Days, Oswald Sonntag will ask what we have achieved in quality control procedures in laboratory medicine so far, as he moderates a panel discussion on the topic.
PD Dr. Med.
Vinzenz von Paul Kliniken GmbH
Germany
Priv. Doz. Dr. med. Matthias Orth is a Clinical Pathologist, Hemostaseology, Medical Hygiene. He has been the Medical Director of the Institute for Laboratory Medicine at Marienhospital Stuttgart since 2004. He is also a lecturer at the Medical Faculty of Mannheim Board at Heidelberg University. He has published over 120 peer-reviewed publications.
At Labquality Days, Dr Orth's lecture will cover the benefits of direct-to-consumer testing for the patient.
Chief Scientific Officer
Inuvi Diagnostics
United Kingdom
Timothy Woolley trained as a BMS at the Institute of Pathology and Tropical Medicine, RAF Halton; completing his BSc and MSc at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar. During this time, he undertook research at Porton Down and Collingdale, before being seconded into the NHS. After leaving the forces, Tim has worked primarily in the private sector, co-founding Inuvi Diagnostics in 2018. Based in Gloucestershire, Inuvi was the first laboratory in the UK to gain ISO 15189, including a flexible scope for capillary blood testing. The laboratory's research focus is on whole process verification, patient-centric collection methods, reference ranges, sample stability and the use of capillary blood testing for mass population testing.
At Labquality Days, Timothy will discuss the laboratory's perspective in self-collected capillary blood sampling.
MD, PhD
Aurevia and Capitainer
Sweden
Mathias Karlsson, MD, PhD from the Karolinska Institute, has been working in Swedish healthcare in different positions for over 25 years as a nurse, physician, head of outpatient care in the county of Värmland and as a senior consultant in Clinical Chemistry. Mathias is a member of Aurevia’s executive board, a researcher at Uppsala University and CMO at Capitainer. He has also been Chief Medical Officer in the Nordics for IBM and CEO of Equalis AB.
In his lecture at Labquality Days, Mathias will discuss the role of microsampling in modern healthcare, covering the pros and cons of different microsampling solutions, how to implement microsampling in laboratory medicine, and the potential benefits for patients and healthcare and the need for quality work on this subject.
UK National Health Service Consultant Clinical Scientist
UK NEQAS (Edinburgh), Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Catharine Sturgeon is a UK National Health Service Consultant Clinical Scientist in the Department of Laboratory Medicine in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where she participates in the Department’s interpretative service in the specialist areas of oncology and endocrinology and also directs the UK National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS) [Edinburgh] centre, which undertakes monthly assessment of the quality of analytical testing for a range of specialised biomarkers in more than 1000 clinical laboratories worldwide. The remit of the service is scientific and educational as well as regulatory, with the primary aims of reducing harm to patients from erroneous test results, improving the quality of laboratory tests and encouraging best practice. She has been an active member of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Groups to improve standardisation of biomarkers, including human chorionic gonadotrophin, growth hormone, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A and parathyroid hormone and is currently chairperson of the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) group developing the first CLSI guidelines for tumour markers.
Catharine's lecture at Labquality Days will review what is required to ensure that home pregnancy tests are reliable and fit for purpose, whether used in a laboratory setting or by lay users.
Chairman of the Board
Testi Technologies Oy
Estonia
Tommi Vaskivuo, MD, PhD, is a specialist in clinical chemistry, assistant professor (docent), technology entrepreneur, and chairman of the board of Testi Technologies Oy, a Finnish company developing saliva-based detection technologies. He has over 20 years of international experience in clinical diagnostics, their use, and their development, with a strong focus on translating scientific advances into practical solutions.
In his lecture at Labquality Days, Tommi will explore the challenges and opportunities in developing saliva-based consumer tests.
In addition to the Quality in Laboratory Medicine program track, the Labquality Days scientific program covers Developing Health Technology and Clinical Evidence Generation. Join us in February 2026 in Helsinki to learn new perspectives and network with colleagues at the 50th Labquality Days congress!