Abstract submission guidelines

• All abstracts must be submitted using ADLM’s online submission system. Email submissions will be deleted. Use the abstract template to prepare your submission before the deadline.
• Edits and new submissions will not be accepted after the deadline.
• All abstracts that are submitted and complete at the time of the deadline will be peer reviewed by content experts.
• Review notices will be sent in mid-April. Final review determinations are made by AMOC and cannot be appealed.

• The submitter is automatically the first/presenting author and will receive all correspondence regarding the abstract.
• ADLM membership is not required, but the first author must have a free ADLM account to submit. New accounts take one to two hours to sync to the submission platform.
• There is a limit of five abstracts for each first author. There is no limit on co-authorship.
• There is no fee to submit an abstract.
• Any award eligibility must be included in the abstract submission and is based on the first/presenting author’s status at the time of the submission deadline. See more details about particular awards.

• The first author is responsible for obtaining approval from all contributing authors and verifying the accuracy of their name and affiliation before submitting. No edits to the author list, including additions, subtractions, re-ordering, or corrections, can be made after the submission deadline.
• Abstracts can have a maximum of 25 authors, including the first author.
• ADLM accounts are not required for co-authors and there is no limit on co-authorship.

• The first author must submit with the intention to attend ADLM 2026, present their printed poster in-person, and upload an ePoster. No virtual presentations are permitted.
• The first author must register with either a Full Conference or Daily registration for the day of their presentation. Expo only and Exhibitor registrations are not eligible for poster presentation.
• Posters are presented on Tuesday and Wednesday during the meeting and requests for specific dates cannot be guaranteed. Days are assigned in May 2026.

• Abstracts cannot be previously published in a peer-reviewed journal by the submission deadline.
• Abstract bodies must include the 4 required section headings or they may be withdrawn:
  • Background
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Conclusion
• Abstract titles and bodies may only include symbols from the following list: µ, ß, °, ™, ©, ®. Contact ADLM if you need assistance determining how to present something with a different symbol.
• Abstracts must be presented in English and have a maximum of 500 words.
• Abstracts must meet approved standards for scientific validity, quality, and consistency.
• Abstracts must be educational in nature. Promotional abstracts will be declined.
• Abstract content must be original and cannot have substantial duplication or similarity to abstracts presented in prior years or submitted during the same year. Reference the content similarity policy below for additional information.
• As part of their presentation, the first author must reveal the essential information for abstract reviewers and audiences to reasonably be able to understand design and outcomes. This may include details on platforms used, equipment, materials, analytes, patient population, and other information related to experiential design and outcomes. Abstracts that leave out details of this nature due to proprietary protection will be declined.
• Abstracts must be submitted with the intention that the research described in the abstract will be the work that is presented. If the abstract is accepted for presentation, the work described in the abstract must be presented with the same title and content. Additional data may be included in the poster if it matches the accepted abstract.
• Abstracts may not contain links to outside websites.
• Abstract content cannot be edited after the submission deadline.

• Abstracts will be published in Clinical Chemistry Journal supplemental issue if they are accepted and presented in accordance with ADLM’s policies. See recent examples.
• Accepted abstracts are eligible for publication when the first author registers with an appropriate registration, presents a physical poster in person, and uploads an ePoster.

• Abstracts may include one image or figure directly related to the key findings or main points of the research.
• The only allowable formats are .jpg, .jpeg, and .png.
• The abstract must include all required information to assess it without referencing the image or figure.
• Images must be of high quality, clear, and legible.
• Images should not be overloaded with details or data, numerous panels, or oversized.
• Any uploaded image will be included in any publication of the abstracts.
• ADLM reserves the right to remove any image that violates the abstract policies.
• View example of acceptable supporting image:

Abstract content must be original and cannot have substantial duplication or similarity to abstracts presented in prior years or submitted during the same year. Content that shares a high degree of similarity with an existing work may be flagged for review. Content similarity applies to abstracts presented at other ADLM meetings and conferences, or multiple abstracts submitted to the same Annual Meeting. This policy does not apply to abstracts presented at other conferences outside of ADLM, as long as the abstract has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Determinations of content similarity are made by the Annual Meeting Organizing Committee (AMOC) and may be grounds for declination. Abstracts may be deemed too similar if:

• their title or body follow the same written pattern with a few words changed, or
• the same first author or group of authors is presenting highly related content in multiple abstract submissions while reaching the same essential conclusion.

Examples of content that may be deemed too similar include multiple abstracts reporting:

• performance characteristics of multiple analytes on the same analyzer,
• reference ranges for multiple analytes determined with the same population and instrument,
• a technique that characterize multiple disease states using substantially similar methodologies, or
• multiple techniques used to characterize a single disease state.

Submitters are advised to collect such highly related work together in one abstract so it is presented cohesively.

The following types of abstracts in all fields of laboratory medicine will be considered:

• Original research abstracts involving the collection and analysis of new, primary data to answer a specific research question or test a hypothesis. This type of research contributes new knowledge or insights in laboratory medicine.
• Case studies that describe non-standard cases and provide insight into how clinical laboratorians can apply the results or discuss the clinical gaps that led to the difficulties diagnosing the patient.
• Software applications, AI, or other algorithm development abstracts that describe compelling use case studies, key development steps, and integration into clinical practice.
• Meta-analyses, literature reviews, or systematic reviews will be considered if the abstract reports results from secondary analysis using generally accepted statistical methods to test a hypothesis and includes new conclusions that add value to the field.

Abstracts that focus on reviews, opinion pieces, or policy discussions rather than presenting original scientific data or findings will not be accepted.

• First authors are responsible for verifying copyright over all submitted and presented materials, or that they have obtained appropriate permissions.
• First authors retain ownership and copyright unless expressly transferred to ADLM.