Call for Abstracts: Industrial Sterilization Process Optimization

For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian Stallard, bstallard@aami.org, (703) 647-2771

Leading industrial sterilization experts are calling on their peers to share their expertise for optimizing sterilization practices by submitting an article for a special issue of AAMI’s peer-reviewed journal, Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology (BI&T). Topics of interest include case studies, lessons learned, or innovations on: 

• Application of novel sterilization methods (e.g. impact on device materials) 

• Product transfer between sterilization modalities 

• Ethylene oxide process optimization to address recent regulatory innovation challenges 

• Cleaning reusable devices

This special issue will be the second of its kind. Earlier this year, experts hailing from laboratories, consulting firms, and medical industry leaders published eleven articles in a free BI&T supplement, Industrial Sterilization: Process Optimization and Modality Changes. Many of these articles address the need to provide awareness of alternative sterilization methods and recent advancements. Others explore challenges impacting patient safety, business continuity planning, and ways to improve current methodology. All are freely available to download through the AAMI website. Now, the Kilmer Conference collaboration team that organized this first free resource is looking to make another. 

“We would like to maintain the momentum of collaboration across the community on this important topic,” said Joyce Hansen, vice president of microbiological quality and sterility assurance at Johnson & Johnson and Chair of the 2019 and 2022 Kilmer Conferences. “Therefore, the collaboration group is seeking submissions from the greater Kilmer Conference Community for a second round of publications addressing this important topic.”

Abstracts should be submitted to Emily Craven (Emily.craven@bsci.com), Andre Tuggles (ATuggles@ITS.JNJ.com), or Jami McLaren (jami.mclaren@bsci.com) no later than Friday, September 25th for consideration, with drafts submitted for peer review by Friday, October 30th.

The Kilmer Conference series is a premier global forum focused on sterility assurance and sterilization for professionals from industry, academia, government agencies, and healthcare delivery organizations. Johnson & Johnson held eight Kilmer Conferences from 1976 to 2003 before reviving the event in 2016 with AAMI’s support. That same year, Johnson & Johnson donated past Kilmer Conference proceedings to AAMI, which has provided bedrock knowledge for many sterility assurance professionals. The 2019 Kilmer Conference theme of “Collaborate to Innovate” inspired discussions around how industry professionals can share knowledge outside of the silos of their respective organizations.