General Information
Preliminary Program (PDF)
New This Year
General Information
Special Networking Events
International Travel
Transportation, Recreation and Tour Information
Frequently Asked Questions
New This Year
Unlimited Access to SYNC-to-Slide Presentations
For the nominal fee of $100 paid during registration, you can have access to all of the Sync-to-Slide presentations from the meeting. As an added benefit, you will be eligible to receive CME/CE credit for viewing the presentations from sessions that you did not attend.
AABB Community Initiatives
Donate extra show giveaways and extra hotel amenities to Community Kindness á la Montréal!
For the first time, AABB annual meeting attendees and exhibitors have the opportunity to participate in a community outreach project: “Community Kindness …á la Montréal.”
AABB, in collaboration with Champion Exposition Services, Tourisme Montréal, the Palais des congrès (Montréal Convention Centre) and its partners, will work with attendees to collect additional hotel amenities such as shampoo and soap. We will also work with our exhibiting companies to collect any extra products or show giveaways that they wish to donate for the benefit of three Montréal charitable foundations.
The charities and their mission are listed below:
The Maman Dion Foundation
The Maman Dion Foundation contributes to the education of underprivileged children in Québec by providing them with the school supplies and clothing they need to return to school.
www.fondationmamandion.org
Le Chaînon
Le Chaînon gives temporary shelter to women and their children in difficulty in a safe and compassionate environment, helping them to heal, find hope and re-establish their lives.
www.lechainon.org
Accueil Bonneau
Accueil Bonneau assists homeless individuals in reintegrating into society. Its objective is to help them find domestic stability, autonomy and a better quality of life.
www.accueilbonneau.com
Here’s how it works:
- Bins will be located in several places at the Palais des congrès where delegates can simply drop off their hotel amenities.
- At the end of the AABB Annual Meeting & TXPO 2008, representatives of Community Kindness…à la Montréal will be circulating on the trade show floor collecting extra giveaway products. The hotel amenities and extra giveaways will then be disseminated to the appropriate charity.
- Plan to Donate and feel great about your contribution to the community—and to the environment!
Héma-Québec Facility Tours
Héma-Québec, the blood supplier for the province of Québec, is pleased to invite you to tour its facilities on Friday, October 3, 2008. A motor coach has been provided to ensure round-trip transfers from the Palais des Congrès (Convention Center). Coaches depart from the Viger Hall (look for Héma-Québec signs) at the Palais des Congrés at 12:30 pm and 1:45 pm. Space is limited, so please arrive early. For further information, call Valérie Legault, Information Officer at Héma-Québec, at 1-888-666-4362 ext. 104.
Annual Meeting Orientation and Mentor Match-up
Friday, Oct. 3
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Montréal Convention Center
If you are attending the AABB Annual Meeting & TXPO for the first time, this session will help you maximize your meeting experience by providing information on how best to take advantage of the many educational session opportunities, networking events, industry-sponsored events, online posters and exhibit hall product demonstrations offered throughout the week. Available again this year, AABB’s Mentor Matchup will pair first-time meeting attendees with seasoned meeting attendees who will help the first-timers navigate the many facets of the Annual Meeting. New to the program this year, international firsttimers can be paired with international mentors who can help them experience an excellent Annual Meeting. If you are interested in either being matched with a mentor or being a mentor, please contact AABB via e-mail at meeting@aabb.org by Friday, Sept. 5.
Schedule Updates for AABB’s Abstract Program
AABB is pleased to announce these exciting changes to the AABB Abstract Program:
- AABB is offering oral abstract sessions from Saturday through Tuesday. This provides additional opportunities to attend these sessions each day of the meeting.
- The Scientific Oral Abstract Plenary Session will be held Sunday, Oct. 5, 8:30 am – 10:00 am. This session highlights the best of the new research in the field.
- Two abstract poster sessions will be held showcasing a different group of abstracts per session.
- There will be two abstract poster receptions, one for each poster session. The reception provides an opportunity to meet the poster presenters and network with colleagues and peers.
Two New Features to AABB Abstracts Program
ePosters/Online Abstract System
Sponsored by Roche
This year all accepted abstracts can be viewed online through the new ePosters/Online Abstract System, with the exception of abstracts selected for oral presentation. The ePoster/Online Abstract System is web-based, which means abstracts can be accessed in a variety of ways such as from kiosks located in the exhibit hall, from the new Abstract Theaters located in the hall with the poster boards and from a laptop or computer anywhere at anytime throughout the meeting! Attendees may view posters and even hold online forums by submitting feedback on the author’s poster blog. Instructions for using the online system will be posted at each kiosk and abstract theater.
AABB Abstract Theaters
Sponsored by Roche
We encourage attendees to take advantage of a 42” plasma screen in a theater-like setting to discuss poster abstracts with the author and a group of colleagues. Each of the two theaters will accommodate up to 10 individuals at a time. The new zoom feature in the online system will enhance and enlarge the abstract image making it easier to view the detail. We encourage attendees to take advantage of this unique setting by scheduling “abstract viewings” in the abstract theaters. It’s simple. Select one or more abstracts of interest, email the abstract author(s) to set up a day and time to meet and ask nine of your closest friends and colleagues to join you for a lively discussion! Attendees are free to access ePosters in the abstract theaters at any time as long as they’re not in use. AABB requests that groups using the theaters schedule a time to meet using the sign-up sheets which will be located at the entrance to each of the theaters.
Simultaneous Translation
This year's meeting includes many sessions simultaneously translated from English into French. For an up-to-date complete list of the simultaneously translated sessions, please e-mail the Education Department at education@aabb.org.
General Information
Receive Member Rates
If you are not an AABB member, join AABB and save $200 on your registration. To join, please contact the Membership Services Department at +1.301.215.6489 or membership@aabb.org. You also can join online. Upon receipt of your membership payment, you are entitled to all the benefits of membership and you may register at the member rate for the Annual Meeting. Please note, you must have an AABB Member ID number to register at the member rate.
Accreditation Program Assessor Training
AABB Accreditation Program General Assessor Training will be held on Friday, Oct. 3 at the Montreal Convention Center. To register for the General Assessor Training, please complete section 10 of the registration form. Please note an approved assessor application must be on file before you register for this session. All approved AABB Assessors that attend the Friday, Oct. 3 General Assessor Training as well as the AABB Annual Meeting and TXPO 2008 will receive a $25 per day discount on their annual meeting registration.
AABB TXPO Non-Industry Spouse/Child/Relative Daily Pass
AABB is implementing a new procedure to register non-industry guests (spouse/child/relative) to attend the TXPO exhibit hall show. New this year, attendees that purchase the full four days of the meeting can obtain their complimentary non-industry guest (spouse/child/relative) daily pass onsite in the registration area. The registered meeting attendee will need to accompany the non-industry guest to registration and submit their name for a daily pass. The non-industry guest will receive a complimentary guest pass for that day and will need to return and receive a new pass for each subsequent day they would like to attend the TXPO show. Please contact the AABB Meetings and Programs Department if you have any questions regarding this new process at meeting@aabb.org.
AABB Institutional Membership
Institutional member organizations receive one meeting registration at the AABB Member Rate, which is allocated to the person designated as the Main Contact. Only one person from each institution is designated as the main contact. To register at the AABB Member Rate, the main contact needs to log into the registration site with their Username and Password and their name will be recognized in the system to receive the Member rate. If the main contact cannot attend the meeting, they can designate one of their non-member staff to receive the AABB Member rate. For more information, please contact AABB Membership Department at membership@aabb.org.
Special Networking Events
12th Annual NBF Golf Tournament and Challenge Cup
Premiere sponsorship provided by Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics
Friday, Oct. 3
10:00 am – 5:30 pm
The Saint-Raphaël Golf Club
FEE: $300/player
A 36-hole championship semi private golf club offering two golf courses for players of all categories. The Saint-Raphaël Golf Club, located in the heart of Île Bizard, close to Montreal, invites you to discover an enchanting site where golf, relaxation and fine Italian cuisine meet to offer you the best for your specific needs. The Golf Course no. 1 was opened in 1994. Large sand traps and impressive greens makes this golf course accessible to all levels of golfers. The course no. 1 was designed by architect Graham Cook and is 6589 yards long. Since the Golf Club had been a part of the Groupe Hôtelier Grand Château, it has been completely redesigned and made more challenging by reducing the size of the greens and increasing the size of the lakes.
Please contact NBF to register for this event. Sponsorships and guaranteed foursomes are also available; for more information, please contact NBF at +1.301.215.6552 or nbf@aabb.org.
Annual Meeting Orientation and Mentor Match-up
Friday, Oct. 3
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Montréal Convention Center
If you are attending the AABB Annual Meeting & TXPO for the first time, this session will help you maximize your meeting experience by providing information on how best to take advantage of the many educational session opportunities, networking events, industry-sponsored events, online posters and exhibit hall product demonstrations offered throughout the week. Available again this year, AABB’s Mentor Matchup will pair first-time meeting attendees with seasoned meeting attendees who will help the first-timers navigate the many facets of the Annual Meeting. New to the program this year, international firsttimers can be paired with international mentors who can help them experience an excellent Annual Meeting. If you are interested in either being matched with a mentor or being a mentor, please contact AABB via e-mail at meeting@aabb.org by Friday, Sept. 5.
TXPO Grand Opening
Saturday, Oct. 4
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Attend this year’s TXPO Grand Opening… à la Montréal! The unique opening act will put you in the Montreal state of mind. Don’t miss the opportunity to see all of the new products and services offered by AABB exhibitors.
10th Annual NBF 5K Run for Research/1 Mile Walk
Sunday, Oct. 5
Premiere sponsorship provided by Roche
6:45 am – 8:00 am
FE: $50/person
(Advance registration required)
The NBF Run for Research allows runners and walkers to enjoy fresh morning air while participating in spirited exercise before attending a full day of Annual Meeting sessions. All proceeds go to help support NBF’s Scientific Research Grants program. Breakfast and t-shirts included in the registration fee. For those contributors more inclined to “sleep in for research,” there will be an opportunity to Donate for Dreams! To register to participate in or donate to this event, please complete the Additional Fee Events section of the registration form. For more information, contact NBF at +1.301.215.6552 or nbf@aabb.org.
New Member/First Timers’ Breakfast
Sunday, Oct. 5
7:00 am – 8:15 am
If you are new to AABB or this is your first AABB Annual Meeting, join us for breakfast to learn about the many benefits of AABB membership and make new acquaintances and friends.
Global Attendee Breakfast
Sunday, Oct. 5
7:00 am – 8:15 am
If you have business interests with individuals from around the world, you are invited to attend this networking breakfast.
Abstract Poster Receptions for Poster Sessions I and II
Saturday, Oct. 4
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Sunday, Oct. 5
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
AABB invites you to meet the poster presenters and network in an educational environment. Wine and other assorted beverages and snacks will be served.
New Orleans Preview Lunch
Tuesday, Oct. 7
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Join us for a light “jazzy” lunch in the exhibit hall, as we premiere the excitement of New Orleans, the host city for the Annual Meeting & TXPO 2009.
AABB Business Meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 7
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Invest in your future by investing in your association. All AABB members are encouraged to attend the annual business meeting. The results of the election will be announced at this meeting. Also, stop by and discover what issues are on AABB’s agenda for the upcoming year.
AABB Awards Ceremony and Gala – Autumn in Montréal
Support provided by Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics
Tuesday, Oct. 7
Reception 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Gala 7:30 pm – Midnight
Le Centre Sheraton
TICKETS:
$100/person before Aug. 15
$125/person after Aug. 15
This grand event closes the conference experience with an awards ceremony acknowledging the best in the field. It’s also a time to enjoy the food and festivities, relax and bid farewell to your colleagues and peers. Enjoy an elegant dinner along with a night of live entertainment with Blush, Montréal’s premier party band.
Transportation, Recreation and Tour Information
Transportation Information
Travel between Pierre-Elliott Trudeau International Airport (Dorval) and downtown Montreal is easy. A couple of options are transportation by taxi which is $35 one way plus tip, or by the airport shuttle service stops are the following: Montréal Bus Central Station; Fairmont, The Queen Elizabeth; Montréal Marriott Château Champlain and the Le Centre Sheraton. There is also a minibus service to the Montréal Bus Central Station and it provides transportation to sixty Montréal hotels.
Recreation and Tour Information
With a blend of French joie de vivre and English charm, Montréal is an international blend of history, culture and cuisine. Montréal offers something for every taste and style including a diverse range of culinary pleasures, beautiful gardens, historic cathedrals and churches, multicultural neighborhoods, outdoor cafés, and an abundance of art, music and shopping. Montréal is a vibrant medley of European ambiance and North American style. Situated on an island in the middle of the majestic St. Lawrence River, the city offers a beautiful blend of postmodern skyscrapers, historic buildings, tree-lined boulevards and cobblestone streets. Click here for more information, www.tourisme-montreal.org.
Tour Information
Registration for this year’s tours opens May 12th for AABB Members and June 2nd for General Attendees. All tour prices include English-speaking guides, transportation, admission and fees as noted in the tour description and all applicable taxes and gratuities. All tours will depart from the Palais des Congrès/Convention Center.
The Classic – Bonjour Montréal City Tour
Friday, Oct. 3
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Price: $38.50 USD
Enjoy this exclusive half-day tour and the vibrant history and passionate culture of this cosmopolitan city. Ideal for first-time visitors, the Bonjour Montréal City Tour offers participants a healthy dose of the sights, sounds and flavors that make up the “joie de vivre” for which the city is well known. The tour will cover the following areas:
- Charming Old Montréal, site of Montréal’s founding in 1642.
- Notre-Dame Basilica (includes guided tour).
- Sainte-Hélène and Notre-Dame Islands.
- The “Golden Square Mile” on Sherbrooke Street (Rue Sherbrooke), with its exclusive residential and commercial buildings.
- Mount Royal (affording a beautiful view of the city).
- St. Joseph’s Oratory. St. Joseph is the patron saint of Canada.
- The Latin Quarter, featuring renovated Victorian rowhouses and unique outdoor staircases, restaurants and night clubs.
Green Montréal – Montréal Botanical Gardens and Biodome
Sunday, Oct. 5
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Price: $60.50 USD
The Montréal Botanical Garden - The largest in the world after the Kew Gardens in London - a must for any visitor to Montréal. The botanical garden boasts more than 26,000 species and varieties of plants in its 10 greenhouses and 30 special gardens. Participants will take in a visit to the delightful 23-hectare Japanese Garden, which displays the largest bonsai collection outside Asia, and the magnificent Chinese Garden, featuring the “Dream Lake” with the garden’s fabulous display of Beijing. The Biodome is an environmental museum, taking visitors on a voyage through four different ecosystems: the tropical rain forest, the Laurentian forest, the marine world of the St. Lawrence River Valley, and the icy polar extremes of the Arctic and Antarctic, all covering an area of over 10,000 square meters. This unique living collection of more than 200 plants and 4,200 animals, created to encourage the study and appreciation of our global environment, is housed in the former velodrome of the 1976 Summer Olympic Games.
A Taste of Montréal – Multicultural City Tour
Monday, Oct. 6
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Price: $57 USD
Take a bite out of Montréal! The city owes its great cultural diversity to its hundreds of different ethnic groups. From the Italians to the Portuguese and the Asians, Montréal will allow you this special trip around the world…in just a few hours! Discover different areas of the city where distinctive lifestyles from all around the world can be experienced and lived. You will learn how successive waves of immigrants have contributed to the make-up of Montréal. Follow your guide for a different look at the life in these districts. Pass through the Portal of the Sun and take an excursion into Chinatown for happiness and prosperity. Then, follow St. Lawrence Boulevard to see the German, Polish, Ukrainian and other ethnic restaurants and stores. On Park Avenue, you will stroll through the Greek community and understand the importance of its contribution to Montréal’s gastronomy and culture. Your tour continues further north, where you will stop at the Jean-Talon Market in the centre of Little Italy. The evolution of the Jewish Hassidic community can be appreciated on a tour through Outremont, where you will sample Montréal’s famous bagels. Finally, you will be charmed by the multicolored homes of the Portuguese quarter.
A Date with History: Day Trip to Québec City
Wednesday, October 8
7:30 am – 6:30 pm
Price: $103 USD
Take a step back in time to visit the only walled city in North America, recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNES CO in 1985. See the narrow, cobblestone streets; the historic buildings; and the unique “old world” ambience that is Québec City’s. A tour of the streets of Vieux-Québec (Old Québec City), Place Royale and the National Assembly will provide visitors with the opportunity to discover a rich past that blends with the daily life of this charming city. Included are stops at historic buildings, the Plains of Abraham — site of the decisive, final battle between the armies of Montcalm and Wolfe - and Le Petit Champlain, the oldest street in North America. Street corners and winding alleys will offer pleasant surprises at every turn. The tour will be followed by lunch in a French Canadian bistro in the heart of the old town. After lunch the group will have time to explore the winding streets and lanes of the older sections of the city. Shoppers will delight in the excellent selection of antiques, local art and specialty goods all available within easy walking distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who attends the Annual Meeting?
With over 7,000 domestic and international attendees, the AABB Annual Meeting & TXPO attracts CEOs and medical directors, laboratory supervisors and administrators, transfusion specialists, cellular therapy and blood banking professionals, medical technologists, donor recruiters, physicians and nurses.
When does Registration Open?
Registration for the Annual Meeting is now open for AABB Members and will open June 2 for General Attendees.
How do I register?
Registration can be completed via online, phone, fax or mail.
How do I secure my housing arrangements?
You must register for the Annual Meeting before you can reserve a hotel room. Housing reservations open in June, prior to the meeting.
This is my first Annual Meeting, is there a specific program I should attend?
AABB offers two programs specially designed to aid in making your first Annual Meeting experience the best that it can be:
Annual Meeting Orientation
New Member/First Timers’ Breakfast
How do I select the sessions I would like to attend?
You may note any sessions that you would like to attend on the registration form.
Does selecting a session when I register guarantee me a seat for that session?
No. Selecting a session does not “register” you for that session. All educational session seating is first-come, first-reserved. AABB suggests arriving early to the session to secure a seat. You will not receive a ticket confirming your attendance at every session; only educational sessions with meal events require a ticket for entry. Noting which sessions you wish to attend helps AABB to plan for appropriately-sized rooms.
Are there events offered that are not included in my registration fee?
Yes! There are a host of special events and activities available. Some require additional fees, tickets and pre-registration, while others are offered complimentary as part of your AABB Annual Meeting experience. Please check in June for announcements of these events and activities.
Are there any networking events at the Annual Meeting?
Networking is a key element in your professional development and education. AABB continues to create new events that allow you to interact with your colleagues and share your ideas.
How do I obtain the session handouts for the sessions I wish to attend?
A couple of weeks before the meeting, registered attendees will receive an e-mail with a link to the Live Learning Center where all handouts submitted by speakers will be available to download and print at that time.
Handout printing stations will no longer be available on-site. Be sure to print out your favorite sessions before or after the show.
After the meeting, handouts will be available in the Live Learning Center. Printing the handouts after the meeting ensures you access to the speakers’ most current and updated presentation handouts. Also available in the Live Learning Center after the meeting are audio “Sync-to-Slide” presentations, which will allow you to view sessions (excluding abstract sessions) you missed on-site for additional CME/CE credits. The “Sync-to-Slide” presentation for the sessions you attend are complimentary. You will need to purchase each additional audio “Sync-to-Slide” presentation you wish to access.
How will I receive CME/CE credit for the sessions I attend?
You will scan your badge at each session to log your attendance. Approximately one week after the meeting, you will be able to log on to the Live Learning Center to print out your validated CME/CE record.
What is the Itinerary Planner?
In mid-September, attendees receive an email to the Itinerary Planner tool in the Live Learning Center. This is a helpful tool to plan your time while at the Annual Meeting. Through this tool you can create a calendar of sessions and events you would like to attend.
What is Virtual TXPO?
Virtual TXPO is an online tool which allows attendees to view a list of companies that will be exhibiting at TXPO and plan their tour of the exhibit hall.
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