ADLM 2026 highlights: AI, automation, and precision diagnostics shaping laboratory medicine

Welcome to ADLM 2026. My name is Olivia Long, and I’m one of the editors at SelectScience^®. What a week it has been here in Anaheim, California. As this year’s official media partner, we’ve had the opportunity to talk to scientists, innovators and industry leaders across the laboratory medicine community. Three things became clear throughout ADLM this year: AI, automation, and precision diagnostics are helping to shape the future of laboratory medicine.

But before we take a closer look at the technologies and ideas driving those discussions, we heard from attendees about what they’ll remember most from ADLM this year.

When asked what their favorite thing had been so far, one attendee highlighted the introduction of AI into the lab world, describing a company called Clinlab.AI that can provide an AI solution from start to finish across an entire laboratory workflow. Another attendee was struck by the size and scale of the exhibition booths, the number of people companies had brought out, and the automation technologies on display.

For others, ADLM was all about relationships and connection: reconnecting with industry professionals, seeing people they had not seen in a long time, and bringing everyone together in one place. The poster sessions were also highlighted, particularly the energy of fellows and students, alongside the scale of the expo and the opportunity to see new technologies and companies.

One component supplier described how exciting it had been to see their pump components within larger instruments and to connect the dots between their small part of the system, the complete functional instrument, and the impact it can have on patients. Another attendee, visiting from Ghana, described being amazed by the sophistication of the machines on display and reflected on the importance of bringing new technologies and products back home to support better healthcare.

When asked to describe ADLM in one word, attendees chose words including beautiful, magnificent, inspiring, progress, successful, collaborative, exciting, and amazing. Those conversations captured exactly what made this year’s show so impactful.

Now, let’s take a look at the technologies and developments helping to shape the future of laboratory medicine. Precision diagnostics was a major focus throughout the event. At Siemens Healthineers, we learned about the Atellica ecosystem and its role in expanding biomarker testing capabilities. Randox showcased its MultiSTAT platform for cytokine detection, while Roche highlighted the cobas^® i 601 analyzer and the growing role of mass spectrometry in clinical laboratory workflows.

Genomics and automation were also key themes. LGC Diagnostics and Genomics discussed the importance of reference materials for confident genomic testing, while BioDot showcased the NANOlab™ automated liquid handling platform, designed to improve workflow accuracy and reproducibility. Beyond the laboratory, HiArc shared how its HiArc Ctrl supports medical device development from concept through to commercialization.

We also caught up with Sanguine Bio, which shared how it is helping researchers gain easier access to diverse patient populations and high-quality biospecimens. Finally, Bruker Biomedical showcased the NED^® Digital Microscope for pathology and hematology image analysis.

If this year’s meeting has shown us anything, it’s that the pace of innovation is not slowing down. From smarter workflows to advanced diagnostics, the future is being built today. Be sure to check out the SelectScience website to catch all the highlights from the show.