June 2026 - Friends of ASHI Edition

Share Your Story for World Sickle Cell Day

In recognition of World Sickle Cell Day on June 19, ASHI is highlighting the people whose work, experiences, and advocacy are making a difference in the sickle cell community. We invite laboratory professionals, clinicians, researchers, patients, family members, and advocates to share their stories for a chance to be featured on ASHI's social media channels. Know someone who would be a great spotlight? Share this opportunity with a colleague or encourage them to participate. Click the button below to complete the brief questionnaire and upload a photo.

International Conference on Lymphocyte Engineering (ICLE 2026)

The final registration savings deadline for the International Conference on Lymphocyte Engineering (ICLE 2026) is approaching on June 30th, 2026. .ICLE 2026 will bring together researchers, clinicians, scientists, healthcare professionals, and industry representatives working in immune gene and cell therapy. The Conference program will cover current research findings, clinical developments, and emerging approaches in lymphocyte engineering, with a focus on facilitating scientific exchange and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Dr. Medhat Askar explains the urgent need to investigate the role of HLA in cell therapy and for labs to support this growing treatment strategy in the latest podcast episode of Coffee & Compatibility. Click the links below to watch or listen on your favorite podcast platform.

2026 Reports

HT-1 Survey & ABO-1 Survey – Reports for these surveys were released in May.

EMO-1 Survey & EMO Cell Subset Challenge – Reports are in the review process. Participating laboratories will be notified by email once reports are finalized.

AC-1 Survey – Analysis of the AC data is underway. Participating laboratories will be notified by email once reports are finalized.

2026 VXM

Labs that subscribed to the AC-1 survey will receive instructions in the next few weeks via email for participation in the optional, educational virtual crossmatch (VXM-1) challenge. Labs that wish to participate in the VXM will submit results using a link in the email.

ASHI University Transition to PathLMS: Launching August 2026

Click here for step-by-step instructions.

ASHI University will officially transition to the new PathLMS platform in August, bringing members a more modern and user-friendly learning experience with enhanced course access, improved tracking, and streamlined navigation. All ACHI certificants are strongly encouraged to log in to their current ASHI-U accounts in LearningBuilder and download any CE/CEC documentation they wish to retain before August 1, 2026, as access to the current platform will become restricted after that date. For questions, please contact info@ashi-hla.org.

ASHI's International Committee continues to expand access to education through its ASHI Speaks Your Language webinar series, delivering scientific content in multiple languages to support global engagement. Recorded sessions like the recent webinar titled, The Role of dd-cfDNA in the Diagnosis of Solid Organ Transplant Rejection, are available on ASHI University. Members are encouraged to subscribe to stay informed of newly released content and ongoing updates to ASHI University.

ASHI Member Spotlight

"Although I am no longer working in an HLA lab, I still like to attend ASHI webinars and read featured articles.."

Check out our featured member spotlight, Shaniece Nelson!

Read more

Would you like to be featured as our next ASHI Member or Volunteer Spotlight? Click the links below to answer a few questions about your member/volunteer experience.