CHROMtalks 2026: What Every Chromatographer Needs To Know

A Virtual Symposium presented by LCGC & CHROMacademy

Wednesday, May 27 and Thursday, May 28, 2026
Morning Session: 9:00 AM EDT
Lunchtime Session: 12:00 PM EDT
Afternoon Session: 1:00 PM EDT

Register for the event to gain free access to all sessions.

Event Overview:

Join us for the latest CHROMtalks virtual symposium, a special two-day event dedicated to the essential knowledge every chromatographer should have when working with modern separation science technology. “CHROMtalks 2026: What Every Chromatographer Needs to Know” is organized by LCGC International in collaboration with CHROMacademy.

This event will feature expert presentations from leading scientists in academia, industry, and major instrumentation companies, offering practical, educational insights into best practices to help you get the best achievable results and avoid potential pitfalls.

Through engaging tutorial-style presentations and interactive live Q&A sessions, attendees will gain practical strategies and essential knowledge to strengthen their chromatography expertise. The event will cover both liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) workflows.

Day 1: A focus on best practices and practical approaches that aspiring —and established —liquid chromatographers need to be aware of. Topics include method transfer, method development, 2D LC, and artificial intelligence/machine learning.
Day 2: A day dedicated to what gas chromatographers need to know to achieve the results they are looking for. Topics include headspace GC, GC x GC, sustainability metrics in separation science, and best practices for GC analysis.

Attendance is free.

Spending just a few focused hours at this CHROMtalks virtual event can help you to hit the road running and avoid potential pitfalls.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from experts in separation science and gain insights that every chromatographer should know to perform more effectively and efficiently in the laboratory.

Who Should Attend:

Separation scientists who need to develop their practical skills in liquid chromatography and gas chromatography.

Event Agenda

Wednesday, May 27
What Every Chromatographer Needs To Know About Liquid Chromatography

Morning Session, 9:00 am EDT - 11:30 am EDT

9:00 am EDT Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Chromatographers
Bob W.J. Pirok, Associate Professor in Analytical Chemistry and Visiting Research Professor at Gustavus Adolphus College
Peter J. Schoenmakers, Full Time Professor in Analytical Chemistry at University of Amsterdam

9:30 am EDT HPLC Method Development Strategies for Successful Transfer Between Laboratories
Colleen Duggan, Senior Principal Scientist, GSK

10:00 am EDT Back to Basics: Interplay Between Sample Preparation, Chromatography, and Unknown Attribute
Emory M. Payne, Associate Principal Scientist, Merck & Co. Inc.

10:30 am EDT The Art and Science of using 2D LC in Practice
Francesco Cacciola, Full Professor of Food Chemistry at Università degli Studi di Messina

11:00 am EDT Question-and-Answer Session with Speakers

11:30 am EDT Session end/coffee break

Lunch Session, 12:00 pm EDT

12:00 pm EDT How Operator Technique Impacts Method Robustness and Reproducibility
Simon Harries (Training and Technical Consultant, Crawford Scientific)

12:30 pm EDT Session End

Afternoon Session, 1:00 pm EDT
Experts from leading chromatography companies describe how new chromatography technologies can improve your LC methods in practice.

1:00 pm EDT From Screening to Simulation: A Unified Approach to Faster Reversed‑Phase Method Development
Matt James, Senior Research Scientist, Avantor

1:20 pm EDT Labeling Solutions for the Modern Lab
Todd Crossman, Instrumentation Specialist, Chromatographic Specialties Inc.

1:40 pm EDT Augmenting Method Development Through Intelligent Column Selection and Utilization of Inert Hardware
Kenneth Berthelette, Principal Scientist, Waters Corporation

2:00 pm EDT Practical Applications of ICHQ14 Guidelines to Execute Digital Method Development
Anne Marie Smith, Product Manager, Mass Spectrometry and Chromatography, ACD/Labs

Thursday, May 28
What Every Chromatographer Needs To Know About Gas Chromatography

Morning Session, 9:00 am EDT - 11:30 am EDT

9:00 am EDT When Should You Use Headspace Analysis for GC?
Mary Ellen P. McNally, Ph.D., Corporate FMC Fellow, FMC Corporation, Newark, DE, USA

9:30 am EDT Fundamentals and Hidden Errors for GC Sample Preparation
Nicholas Snow, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Seton Hall University

10:00 am EDT Standardized Selectivity in GC×GC – Advances and Perspectives
P.H. Stefanuto, Professor at University of Liege
J.M. Dimandja, interdisciplinary Scientist, FDA

10:30 am EDT An Overview of Metric Tools for the Evaluation of Analytical Methods and Their Connection with Chromatography
Adrián de la Fuente Ballesteros, Postdoctoral Fellow in Analytical Chemistry

11:00 am EDT Question-and-Answer Session with Speakers

11:30 am EDT Session End/Coffee Break

Lunchtime Session, 12:00 pm EDT

12:00 pm EDT A Practical Guide to GC Method Translation and Optimization
Phil Aston (Training and Technical Consultant, Crawford Scientific)

12:30 pm EDT Session Ends

Afternoon Session, 1:00 pm EDT
Experts from leading chromatography companies describe how new chromatography technologies can improve your methods in practice.

1:00 pm EDT Exploring the Aroma Profiles of Wine with Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GCxGC-MS)
Liz Humston-Fulmer, Application Chemist, LECO

1:20 pm EDT Trace sulfur calibration for various chromatography methods using an automated permeation system
Danet M. Vrazel, Vice President/GM, KIN-TEK Analytical, Inc.

1:40 pm EDT Thermal desorption and trap focusing: Key factors for reliable VOC analysis
Rachael Szafnauer, Product Marketing Manager – GC Sample Introduction Technologies, Markes