Some blood draws are routine. Others become part of something much bigger.

From July 30 through August 1, 2026, ABOLabs had the privilege of providing onsite blood collection services during the 2026 TSC World Conference at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado.

Organized by the TSC Alliance and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex International, the conference brought together individuals living with tuberous sclerosis complex, their families, medical professionals, researchers and advocates from around the world.

ABOLabs operated a dedicated onsite blood collection station from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. Our responsibilities included preparing the collection area, performing blood draws, handling specimens according to the provided protocols and helping ensure sealed, shipment-ready packages reached the designated FedEx location.

We were there to handle the collection side of the process so the TSC Alliance team could remain focused on its community, its conference and its greater mission.

What Is Tuberous Sclerosis Complex?

Tuberous sclerosis complex, commonly called TSC, is a genetic disorder that can cause noncancerous tumors to develop in different organs throughout the body. These may affect the brain, kidneys, heart, lungs, skin and eyes.

The condition varies considerably from one person to another. Some people experience relatively mild effects, while others require complex, lifelong medical care.

The TSC Alliance works to improve quality of life for everyone affected by TSC by accelerating the development of new treatments, advancing research toward a cure and expanding access to lifelong support.

Why Are Blood Samples Important to TSC Research?

Blood samples can provide researchers with valuable biological information. Depending on the specific study and its approved protocols, researchers may examine DNA, RNA, proteins, biomarkers or other biological characteristics.

When properly collected and connected with authorized clinical information, biosamples can help researchers:

• Investigate how TSC affects people differently
• Study potential biomarkers
• Explore connections between genetic changes and symptoms
• Support the development of more personalized approaches to care
• Identify questions that may lead to future treatments
• Build resources for continued TSC research

ABOLabs did not conduct laboratory testing or direct the research performed at the conference. We served as the onsite specimen-collection partner, working within the collection and handling instructions provided for the event.

That distinction matters. ABOLabs is a mobile specimen-collection service, not the testing laboratory, research sponsor or ordering medical provider.

Bringing Phlebotomy Into the Conference

Research participation should not become unnecessarily difficult because someone must leave an event, locate an outside laboratory and navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system.

By bringing professional blood collection directly into the conference, participants could complete the collection process in a familiar location without making a separate trip to a laboratory.

This was especially meaningful at an event attended by families who had already traveled significant distances to be there. Some participants also needed additional patience, flexibility or assistance during collection.

A well-run onsite phlebotomy station requires more than needles and tubes. Behind the scenes, the ABOLabs team prepared for:

• Three consecutive eight-hour service days
• A steady flow of participants throughout the three-day event
• Adult and pediatric collection needs
• Participant privacy and safety
• Collection supplies and station organization
• Study-specific tubes, labels and handling instructions
• Specimen packaging and shipment handoff
• Daily setup, breakdown and supply checks

Every step had to support the integrity of the specimens while also respecting the people behind them.

The Human Side of Conference Phlebotomy

For our team, this experience was about more than completing a contract.

It involved planning, emails, credentialing, supply checks, early mornings, schedule adjustments and a great deal of coordination. Joanna, Taylor and Jason each played an important part in helping ABOLabs rise to the occasion.

But once the collection station opened, the paperwork and preparation faded into the background. What remained were real people, real families and a community gathered around a shared purpose.

That human connection is at the heart of how ABOLabs approaches phlebotomy.

People are not specimen numbers. A blood draw that feels routine to one person may be frightening, exhausting or emotionally significant to someone else. Professional technique matters, but so do patience, communication and the ability to meet people where they are.

Mobile Phlebotomy Can Help Research Reach More People

Decentralized and event-based blood collection can help reduce some of the practical barriers that prevent people from participating in research.

Mobile phlebotomy may support research organizations by bringing specimen collection to:

• Patient conferences
• Research events
• Participants’ homes
• Hotels
• Community locations
• Clinical sites
• Specialty medical practices
• Corporate or nonprofit events

This does not replace the responsibilities of a research sponsor, laboratory, Institutional Review Board or ordering provider. Instead, mobile phlebotomy can serve as the collection and logistics connection between an approved protocol and the person choosing to participate.

When collection is easier to access, participation may become more practical for people who live far from research centers, have mobility limitations, care for children or family members, or cannot easily fit traditional laboratory hours into their lives.

A Greater Cause—and a Meaningful Milestone for ABOLabs

Supporting the 2026 TSC World Conference was an important milestone for our small Colorado business.

ABOLabs was asked to mobilize quickly, staff a multiday conference operation and work within a carefully coordinated specimen-collection process. It was exactly the type of challenge that demonstrates what a responsive local phlebotomy partner can contribute.

We are deeply grateful to the TSC Alliance for trusting ABOLabs with this responsibility. We are also grateful to every participant and family who allowed us to be a small part of something so meaningful.

The blood draws may have taken only a few minutes.

What those samples may help researchers learn could reach far beyond the conference.

Does ABOLabs Provide Phlebotomy for Research and Conferences?

Yes. ABOLabs provides mobile and onsite specimen-collection support for qualified research programs, conferences, clinical studies and special events throughout Colorado and southern Wyoming.

Available support may include:

• Onsite blood collection
• Adult and pediatric phlebotomy
• Specialty research-kit collections
• Study-specific specimen handling
• Centrifugation and temperature-controlled handling when arranged
• Shipment preparation and courier handoff
• Dedicated collection stations
• Multiday event staffing
• HIPAA-conscious documentation and workflow coordination

Each project is reviewed individually because staffing, equipment, processing requirements, participant volume and shipping protocols can vary significantly.

Organizations planning a research event or specialized collection project can contact ABOLabs through abolabs.org to discuss scheduling, collection requirements and specimen logistics.

Your research. Your participants. A collection partner that comes prepared.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did ABOLabs do at the 2026 TSC World Conference?

ABOLabs provided a dedicated onsite blood collection station, qualified phlebotomy personnel, collection supplies, daily setup and breakdown, specimen handling and delivery of sealed shipment-ready packages to the designated FedEx location.

Did ABOLabs perform the laboratory testing?

No. ABOLabs served as the specimen-collection partner. Laboratory testing, research oversight, informed consent and interpretation of results remained the responsibility of the appropriate research, laboratory and medical organizations.

Where was the 2026 TSC World Conference held?

The conference was held from July 30 through August 1, 2026, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado.



Can ABOLabs support other research conferences?

Yes. ABOLabs can evaluate requests for conferences, clinical research projects, community events and multiday specimen-collection programs throughout Colorado and southern Wyoming.

Sources and Further Reading

• 2026 TSC World Conference — TSC Alliance — Used for official conference dates, location and organizer information.
• TSC Alliance — Used for the organization’s mission, research priorities and community-support information.
• An Introduction to Tuberous Sclerosis Complex — TSC Alliance — Used for general educational information about TSC and the role of research resources.
• TSC Alliance Research Strategy — Used for information about biosample collection and blood-based research goals.

8/3/2026