Inaugural ASH State-of-the-Art Symposium: Update in Hematologic Malignancies
Michael Williams, M.D., Chair, Committee on Educational Affairs
ASH presented the first in an ongoing series of State-of-the-Art Symposia (SAS) on September 11-12, 2004, at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The aim of the SAS is to provide CME-based updates in key areas of hematology with an emphasis on clinical applications of biologic, molecular, and therapeutic advances. These symposia are offered in response to ASH membership requests for smaller-format, clinically-oriented CME meetings that supplement the annual meeting.
"The intimacy of the limited number of attendees with leaders in the field who provided clinically-focused, practical updates made this a really attractive meeting to attend," said Dr. Chris Bredeson, a hematologist from the Medical College of Wisconsin. "Usually when at a meeting, you don't get the opportunity to sit and think and exchange ideas. This [State-of-the-Art Symposium] is the most useful two days I've had at a meeting."
This highly successful inaugural meeting provided didactic presentations, small interactive breakout sessions with clinical case discussions presented by internationally-recognized leaders in each topic, and a small exhibit hall which featured the following companies: Amgen Oncology, Antigenics, Biogen Idec, Celgene Corporation, Cytogen, Genentech BioOncology, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Novartis Oncology, Pharmion, Quest Diagnostics, and SuperGen.
Lymphoma Session Chair Dr. Sandra J. Horning (Stanford University) and Dr. Ronald Levy (Stanford University) focused on merging biology with treatment in Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Dr. Horning began the session with a comprehensive presentation of the latest in Hodgkin's and T cell lymphoma. Dr. Levy followed this with a detailed review of lymphoma vaccines and immunotherapy, and Dr. Horning concluded with thorough coverage of B cell NHL. Dr. Kanti Rai (Long Island Jewish Medical Center) chaired the CLL session and discussed current approaches to treatment of previously untreated and relapsed disease, while Dr. Neil E. Kay (Mayo Clinic College of Medicine) reviewed the rapidly emerging prognostic and therapeutic implications of molecular and phenotypic CLL subsets. The evolving insights to the biology and novel therapies of multiple myeloma were reviewed by Session Chair Dr. Kenneth C. Anderson (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University), followed by an analysis of conventional and high-dose therapies by Dr. Jean-Luc Harousseau (UniversitE9 de Nantes, France). The Sunday morning session, chaired by Dr. Martin Tallman (Northwestern University), focused on new developments in the biology and targeted treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (Dr. Moshe Talpaz, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center), myelodysplastic syndromes (Dr. Alan List, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute), and acute myelogenous leukemia (Dr. Tallman).
Breakout sessions allowed meeting attendees to interact with some of the respected session leaders. For example, at the lymphoma breakout session, Dr. Hemachandra Venkatesh - a hematology-oncology practitioner from Central Indiana Cancer Centers - had the opportunity to ask Dr. Horning a series of questions about one of his own patients with mantle cell lymphoma. This relatively uncommon lymphoma was reviewed in detail by Dr. Horning with details about her own patients that present in the head and neck. Dr. Horning's session also explored the role of PET scanning in lymphoma staging and assessment of treatment response, a topic of interest to many attending her breakout session. The myeloma breakout session with Drs. Anderson and Harousseau focused on the application of novel therapies for newly diagnosed and relapsed disease, as well as a discussion of laboratory models of myeloma and their utility in rapidly identifying targeted treatment approaches. Drs. Rai and Kay reviewed several cases presented by meeting participants attending their breakout regarding CLL-related ITP and hemolytic anemia.
Attendees of the SAS will receive a CD-ROM containing the slides with corresponding audio from each presentation. This is made possible through the generous support of Amgen Oncology, Celgene Corporation, Genentech BioOncology, and Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Individuals who did not attend the meeting can purchase this educational CD-ROM at the 2004 ASH Annual Meeting in San Diego.
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MMSAP Testimonials
ASH's Minority Medical Student Program (MMSAP) is a six- to eight-week summer research experience for medical students from the United States and Canada in the early years of training. Ten participants were chosen for the first year of the program. Each of these participants was assigned two mentors - one research (where the research was done) and one advisory (neither at home nor where research was done). The following are testimonials from three of their mentors about the challenges and joys of helping to interest young people in hematology.
Dr. Jorge DiPaola
Carver College of Medicine
University of Iowa
After the intensity and hardship of a medical school year, spending the summer working is not always an attractive alternative for students. However, a research laboratory does not necessarily represent the "traditional work place." Under the proper conditions of camaraderie and constant intellectual challenge, students can thrive, discover their true vocation, and also have fun. I believe the ASH Minority Medical Student Program is a wonderful opportunity to bring young motivated medical students to the laboratory and hopefully gear them to the field of hematology. In my case, as a mentor of the program, it represents the challenge of being "up to the job"; particularly in transmitting the passion for medical science and proving that hematology can be a great career to pursue.
Dr. Gerardo Colon-Otero
Mayo Clinic
In 1978 when I was a senior medical school student at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, I went to the Mayo Clinic to do a visiting medical student clerkship in hematology. During that rotation, I was exposed to two great, caring hematologists, Drs. Morie Silverstein and Robert A. Kyle. Dr. Silverstein had incredible bedside teaching, charisma, interpersonal skills, and ability to relate to patients (he was the first physician I ever met who would hold his patients' hands and sat on the patients’ bedside with a genuine caring attitude when he counseled them), and Dr. Kyle who had integrity, an incredible work ethic, thoroughness, and dedication to research and patient-centered care. Ever since this experience and as a result of their personal interest in my career, I have been inspired by them to pursue efforts in education and mentoring. I thank ASH for the privilege of meeting Gus Zamora during our Mayo Clinic Hematology/Oncology Reviews this summer. I was impressed by Gus' passion, dedication, and commitment to a research career in hematology. My mentorship participation is a source of great satisfaction and reminds me of the great blessings I received by virtue of my interactions with Drs. Kyle and Silverstein early in my career.
Dr. Pilar Aguinaga
Meharry Medical College
I am enthusiastic about the new ASH initiative to attract top minority medical students to hematology at a time when there is an overall decline of qualified trainees entering the field. This summer, I had the double pleasure of serving as an advisory mentor to a Hispanic medical student at the University of Iowa and as a research co-mentor to an African-American medical student in my laboratory.
My e-mail communications with the student in Iowa brought back memories of my early years in this country. I tried to use my past experience as a tool to guide her career interest towards hematology. My interactions with the student in the lab were very rewarding as well, as she surprised us by coming up with her own research project. She had the opportunity to go through the joys and tribulations of laboratory research discussions (i.e., being grilled), and enjoy the satisfaction of testing her own hypothesis.
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Limited Increases Expected for NIH in FY 2005
Supporters of biomedical research in the House and Senate are struggling to fund the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at a level greater than the Bush Administration's proposal of $28.44 billion (an increase of $782 million or 2.8 percent) in fiscal year (FY) 2005. When The Hematologist went to press, the House had approved FY 2005 NIH funding at the level recommended by the President while the Senate had yet to act on its NIH appropriations bill. With a significant income tax cut, ongoing military commitments around the world, and more emphasis on homeland security programs in FY 2005, NIH is one of the many discretionary funding programs that are not receiving the same level of support that they previously enjoyed.
If the Administration's FY 2005 funding proposal were to become law, funding within NIH would include: $4.87 billion for the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a $131 million or 2.76 percent increase; $2.96 billion for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), an $85.2 million or 2.96 percent increase; $1.72 billion for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a $54.3 million or 3.25 percent increase; and $1.05 billion for the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a $30.9 million or 2.92 percent increase.
In the final stages of the FY 2005 budget debate, ASH is increasing its NIH advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill. Thus far in the process, the Society has been very successful in advocating for the insertion of hematology-related language in the Appropriations Committee Reports that promotes and furthers the NIH research interests of ASH. The Society was very successful in conveying to Congress the benefits of and opportunities in hematology research at NIH.
Placing language in the annual appropriations reports is a common advocacy tool for groups such as ASH. Although report language does not require the NIH Institutes to perform specific actions, it is generally viewed as the House and Senate's "advice" on each Institute's research agenda. By and large, NIH Institute Directors use the report language to help shape their research priorities for the coming year. Last year, ASH was very successful in having the Appropriations Committees include language to promote and further research of interest to the Society. This year, ASH's recommended report language advocates for three issues:
The Society advocated for report language that urges the NIH Director, working with the individual Institute Directors and ASH, to develop a comprehensive NIH-wide approach to identify and pursue research opportunities in vascular biology.
- Myelodysplasia and Myeloproliferative Disorders Research
ASH supported report language that encourages NHLBI and NCI to bring together scientific and clinical experts to explore collaborative research and crosscutting mechanisms to further research in myelodysplasia and myeloproliferative disorders.
- Hematology Research into Blood Disorders in the Elderly Population
ASH advocated for report language that urged the development of an NIH-wide research agenda to better understand the basic biology and adverse quality of life complications of anemia and other blood diseases in the elderly.
For current information about the FY 2005 budget debate and NIH funding, visit the ASH Web site.
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Denyce Graves to Perform at 2004 ASH Annual Meeting
At this year's Scholar Awards program fundraising evening, ASH is proud to present an extraordinary performance by Denyce Graves. The performance will begin at 8:00 p.m. on December 6, 2004, at the Copley Symphony Hall. All proceeds from tickets sales will be contributed to the ASH Scholar Awards program
Ms. Graves is recognized worldwide as one of today's most exciting vocal stars. The combination of her expressive, rich vocalism, elegant stage presence, and exciting theatrical abilities allows her to pursue a wide breadth of operatic portrayals as well as delight audiences in concert and recital appearances. She continues to gather unparalleled popular and critical acclaim in performances on four continents.
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Annual Meeting Advance Registration Now Open
Avoid lines at on-site registration counters and benefit from a discount by registering for the meeting prior to November 3, 2004. ASH encourages meeting attendees to register online, but registration can also be made by faxing the ASH registration form with credit card payment to 888-273-5706 (U.S. and Canada toll-free number) or 703-631-6288. The registration form may also be mailed along with the appropriate fees to the ASH Registration Center. For more information, please visit the ASH Web site.
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Obituary
Bernard M. Babior, M.D., Ph.D.
(1935-2004)
Bernard M. Babior, M.D., Ph.D, died in San Diego, CA, on June 29 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Born in Los Angeles on November 10, 1935, Dr. Babior received his M.D. degree at the University of California at San Francisco in 1959. After interning at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, he joined the laboratory of Nobel-Laureate-to-be Konrad Bloch at Harvard University and was awarded a Ph.D. After further training at the National Institutes of Health, he served on the faculty of Harvard and Tufts Universities before moving to Scripps in 1986, where for the past 18 years he has been professor and head of the Division of Biochemistry in the Research Institute.
Early in his career, while studying a vitamin B 12- dependent enzyme, he recognized that free radicals might play an important role in biologic processes. He showed that highly reactive oxygen derivatives were an important part of the bactericidal armamentarium of leukocytes in killing bacteria. Most recently, Dr. Babior was conducting highly innovative studies on the possible role of ozone in neutrophil defense (Babior BM et al. PNAS 2003;100:3031-4).
Dr. Babior was a member of the ASCI, AAP, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 1999 was elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences. He served on editorial boards including that of Blood, the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the Journal of Biological Chemistry, and the American Journal of Hematology. A long-time member of ASH, he spoke at the Presidential Symposium in 1979, presented the Dameshek lecture in 1986, was an associate editor of Blood from 1988 to 1992, and chaired the Audit and Finance Committee. He was one of only five individuals to be honored with the ASH Exemplary Service Award. He published more than 250 scientific papers and wrote or edited four books.
Dr. Babior is survived by his wife Shirley, and their two children, Jill and Gregory.
--Ernest Beutler, M.D.
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Obituary
George Brecher, M.D.
(1913 - 2004)
George Brecher, M.D., Professor Emeritus of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco (UCSF), died on July 5th at the age of 90. He founded the Department of Laboratory Medicine at UCSF in 1966 and then led the department for 12 years. He was a past President of the American Society of Hematology (1973) and a member of the Association of American Physicians and the French Legion of Honor.
Dr. Brecher had a distinguished career as a clinician, teacher, and biomedical investigator. He was born in Czechoslovakia, where he obtained his M.D. degree in 1938, and came to the United States in 1942. He served as the Chief of the Hematology Section in the Department of Clinical Pathology at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 1953-1966. He remained a member of the faculty at UCSF following his retirement from the chairmanship of the Department of Laboratory Medicine, and continued to carry out research at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
He was a man of enormous enthusiasm, intellect, energy, and vision. It was at NIH that Dr. Brecher initiated his series of major contributions to the laboratory practice of hematology and to the field of hematopoiesis. His career as a widely-accomplished biomedical investigator extended for half a century, and was characterized by the development of improved tests for use in clinical hematology, the introduction of computers into the clinical laboratory, and important original biomedical investigations.
Dr. Brecher was responsible for the training of many physicians (both at the National Institutes of Health and at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco) who subsequently developed successful careers in academic medicine. He is survived by his wife, Eva Brecher.
--Jack Levin, M.D.
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All-New ASH-SAP and Image Bank Featured at Booth #222
The 46th ASH Annual Meeting in San Diego will feature the launch of ASH's second self-assessment product, ASH-SAP, at Booth #222. At the booth, attendees will have the opportunity to be among the first to see the all-new ASH-SAP and see how the ASH Image Bank, an online educational resource of hematology images and case studies, complements the improved ASH-SAP.
The ASH-SAP is a high-quality educational product offering up-to-date information in the field of pediatric and adult hematology for hematologists, oncologists, hematology-oncology fellows, internists, and pediatricians. The ASH-SAP is the premier review resource in hematology, providing board preparation, recertification preparation, and 50 category 1 CME credits, and is the only hematology self-assessment product available that addresses both adult and pediatric medicine.
The second edition of the SAP, available December 2004, will again include both an updated syllabus and a self-assessment test composed of case-based, multiple-choice questions and critiques. In addition, the following enhancements are available in the second edition:
- A new chapter covering myelodysplastic syndromes
- The addition of pediatric co-authors to provide even more pediatric content
- Color images included in both the text and question book
- More than 200 all-new case-based, multiple-choice questions and critiques
A companion Web site will reflect the same information contained in the printed text, but will add an interactive element to the self-assessment, allowing users to move back and forth between questions and critiques, chapter text, and illustrative slides with just a few mouse clicks. Full access to the interactive Web site is included in the SAP package price. Users can work through the case-based questions on the Web site, as well as claim the 50 category 1 CME credits online.
In addition, ASH-SAP will integrate cutting-edge information with resources from other ASH educational products, such as the Image Bank, Education Program Book, and Blood.
For more details about the SAP second edition launch, e-mail Ryan Cliche at rcliche@hematology.org, or stop by Booth #222 in the exhibit hall during the 2004 ASH Annual Meeting.
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Ronald Hoffman, M.D. - President of ASH in 2003 - officially accepts Genentech BioOncology's generous donation to the Society of a painting of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis by the late artist, Denny Dent. This portrait was donated to ASH because of Mrs. Onassis' connection to the hematology community - she died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. A signature item of the painter, a white sport coat that Mr. Dent wore as he painted, was also presented to Dr. Hoffman. On hand from Genentech for this presentation were Samantha Herrell, Product Manager, Michael Hicks, Senior Production Manager, and Julie Engroff, Senior Associate, Professional Relations. Mr. Dent has been described as the world's only "rock and roll painter." His message was to stir creativity in people. His repertoire featured renderings of John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, Mick Jagger, Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, and Tina Turner, to name a few. Mr. Dent passed away shortly after he completed this painting at the 2003 ASH Annual Meeting at Genentech's History of Lymphoma exhibit booth. The painting will remain on display at the Society's headquarters. ASH would like to once again thank Genentech BioOncology for this unique and generous gift. Pictured left to right are Samantha Herrell, Dr. Ronald Hoffman, and KarinLombardi, ASH’s Development Manager.
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