Shaji Kumar Named Editor-in-Chief of The Hematologist

(WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2022) — Shaji Kumar, MD, an expert in multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathies, has been named the next Editor-in-Chief of The Hematologist: ASH News and Reports, the official member news magazine of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). As the seventh Editor-in-Chief of the publication, Dr. Kumar will serve from 2023 through 2025 and takes over from Laura C. Michaelis, MD, professor of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin and chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Froedtert Hospital, who served in the role for five years.

“Dr. Michaelis has had a truly transformative impact on The Hematologist,” said Dr. Kumar. “I am honored to follow in her footsteps and strive to advance the momentum she and the previous editors have built with this publication and companion podcast. I’m looking forward to making The Hematologist a medium for our community to connect over and to encourage participation from underrepresented minority, female, and junior faculty hematologists.”

As a professor of medicine and chair of the Myeloma Group and chair of Research in the Division of Hematology at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Kumar brings considerable editorial experience to this position. He has served as associate editor of the American Journal of Hematology, has authored more than 700 publications in clinical and translational research, and has developed a prominent social media presence (@myelomaMD).

Dr. Kumar’s vision for The Hematologist includes increasing content, engaging a broader and more diverse audience across the spectrum of medical communities, and leveraging the use of social media and multimedia platforms. Through traditional print and online content as well as the podcast, he also aims to increase participation from junior faculty, fellows, and trainees, to provide them with opportunities for mentorship, network building, and professional development in science communications.

“Nothing has highlighted the need for communication as clearly as the events that have occurred throughout the past two years. The COVID-19 pandemic brought much more clarity as to what a publication like The Hematologist can do for the medical community,” said Dr. Kumar. “Incorporating more patient-based scenarios, journal club corners, career advice, personal stories, and practical tips in routine patient care will all encourage broader acceptance and use of this important resource. Highlighting the advances in the field, putting it into the current context, and identifying future steps will not only help practicing clinicians, but also spur interest in further research.”

Dr. Kumar is joined by a 12-member board of contributing editors, consisting of clinical and research physicians from around the globe specializing in both malignant and classical hematology. The Hematologist is published six times per year and covers important developments in hematologic research, clinical practice, and health care policy, as well as important updates about Society events, initiatives, and services. The Hematologist podcast is produced monthly and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other services, as well as The Hematologist homepage.

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) (www.hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. For more than 60 years, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. ASH’s flagship journal, Blood (www.bloodjournal.org), is the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field, and Blood Advances (www.bloodadvances.org) is the Society’s online, peer-reviewed open-access journal.

Contact:
Kira Sampson, American Society of Hematology
ksampson@hematology.org; 202-499-1796