Putting some PEP in your step: A hands-on guide and best practices for everyday protein electrophoresis and immunotyping interpretation
3.0 ACCENT credits / 3.0 CME credits
Sunday, July 27, 2025
Afternoon course | 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. US Central Time
McCormick Place Chicago
Description
Protein electrophoresis (PEP) and immunotyping are routinely ordered diagnostic tests for the identification, classification, and monitoring of monoclonal gammopathies. Given the interpretative nature and complexity of PEP testing, laboratories, ordering physicians, and PEP reviewers may encounter challenges when interpreting routine and complex PEP results and decisions related to appropriate test selection for different clinical conditions. This course trains electrophoresis and immunotyping reviewers in best practices that align with current clinical practice guidelines through a series of case-based examples coupled with small-group simulated signouts.
The course begins with an introduction of PEP testing followed by facilitated small group discussions and simulated case signout to highlight core competencies. Cases will involve review of physical immunofixation gels using lightboxes along with capillary electrophoresis-based data.
Participants will gain skills in reviewing testing for analytical quality, test utilization for initial diagnosis and monitoring, and for certain disease states such as AL amyloidosis. They will also learn reflex testing strategies, factors affecting accurate quantitation, common interferences, and reporting of monoclonal proteins (M-proteins) through an interactive case-based format.
Target audience
This activity is designed for lab directors (and/or assistant directors), medical technologists, pathologists, and in-training individuals.
Prerequisite knowledge
Basic knowledge of serum and urine protein electrophoresis is recommended.
What to bring
A laptop or personal device for notetaking and audience participation.
Learning objectives
After participating in this course, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate their institution’s adherence to clinical practice guidelines and best practices for the detection, measurement, and reporting of monoclonal gammopathies.
- Identify patterns associated with electrophoresis quality issues and interferences in detection and quantitation of monoclonal proteins.
- Recognize specific pathologic conditions, disease states requiring reflex testing, and expected changes in electrophoresis or immunotyping in response to patient therapy.
Skills you will gain
- Improve interpretation of protein electrophoresis and immunotyping
- Build a team of consistent protein electrophoresis reviewers at your institution
Faculty
Katherine Turner, PhD, DABCC | Corewell Health
David Manthei, MD, PhD | University of Michigan
Robert Maynard, PhD, NRCC | University of Kentucky
Course outline
- (5 min) Welcome and introduction (Katherine Turner)
- (40 min) Fundamentals of monoclonal gammopathies and their laboratory measurement (Katherine Turner)
Dr. Turner will provide the provide participants with a review pathologic conditions associated with monoclonal gammopathies and the analytical techniques used for their detection to establish participants current baseline knowledge. Audience polling will also be used to survey existing practices of course attendees to benchmark variation between laboratories.
(5 min) Break
- (130 min) Facilitated small group discussion and simulated case signout (All)
Participants will be divided into small groups for an interactive exercise. For this activity, small groups will perform simulated case signouts using either physical gels or capillary electrophoresis data. Each case reinforces a core competencies or challenge. Every small group will work together to build a consensus for the case to sign out and identify any notable issues.
This is followed by a facilitated discussion from the course faculty to emphasize key case competencies and discuss differences between interpretations. There will be one break in this section.
- (5 min) Course wrap up and conclusions
Faculty will review key take-home messages, actionable practice changes, and resources. Faculty will open the room for audience questions that were not already addressed in prior course sections.
