Education Program

Sessions on Classical Hematology

Addressing Cognitive Changes in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

With the expanding adult population of individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD), there is an increasing awareness of the burden of cerebrovascular disease, evolving cardiac disease, and cognitive dysfunction, which occur at higher rates than in similarly aged individuals without SCD. These complications reflect the lifelong impact of SCD on the cardiovascular system, and their management often differs from standard approaches used in individuals without SCD. This session will review the epidemiology, relative frequency, and interrelated nature of cardiovascular and neurologic complications in adults with SCD, while highlighting current approaches to prevention, monitoring, and management of the heart and brain across the lifespan.

Dr. Thomas D’Humières will review the continuum of cardiovascular disease in SCD, from adaptive high-output remodeling to cardiac and vascular dysfunction. He will discuss how chronic hemolysis, inflammation, and vasculopathy progressively promote diastolic impairment, vascular stiffness, and atrial remodeling, increasing the risk of heart failure and cardioembolic stroke. He will highlight the role of echocardiography as a longitudinal physiologic tool to identify the transition from adaptation to disease, enabling early risk stratification and intervention.

Dr. Samuel Wilson will discuss stroke and cerebrovascular disease in older adults with SCD, emphasizing the multifactorial nature driven by both SCD-specific pathobiology and traditional age-related vascular risk factors. He will present a practical, mechanism-based approach to acute stroke management that prioritizes transfusion therapy while incorporating thrombolytic therapy when appropriate. He will also review the limited evidence base for secondary stroke prevention and highlight key areas of ongoing uncertainty.

Dr. Stephanie Forte will address cognitive dysfunction in adults with SCD, an increasingly recognized but underappreciated complication that impacts independence, treatment adherence, healthcare navigation, and quality of life. She will review the epidemiology, mechanisms and clinical manifestations of cognitive impairment, emphasizing the widespread, yet often insidious presentation in adults. She will provide a practical hematologist-led framework for cognitive screening, multidisciplinary evaluation, and interventions to preserve cognitive function, autonomy, and quality of life.

Chair:

Samuel Robert Wilson, MD, MSc
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC

Speakers:

Thomas D'Humières, MD
Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP)
Créteil, France
Preventing a Broken Heart: Approaches to Cardiovascular Health in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease

Samuel Robert Wilson, MD, MSc
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
Stroke in the Older Adult with Sickle Cell Disease

Stephanie Forte, MD, MSc
Centre hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM) and Centre de recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM)
Montreal, QC, Canada
Cognitive Dysfunction in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease: From Silent Burden to Multidisciplinary Action

back to top

Advances in Management of Vascular Anomalies

Vascular anomalies (VAs) are rare disorders of abnormal vascular development that affect the physical, psychological, financial, and social well-being of patients and their families. Many patients endure prolonged diagnostic odysseys and struggle to find knowledgeable specialists, particularly as adults. Anchored by an illustrative patient case, this presentation examines the lived healthcare experience across four domains: the clinical burden of disease, barriers to expert care, the psychosocial toll of stigma and uncertainty, and the role of communication and information-seeking. Dr. Sisk will frame the uncertainty patients face and show how validation and high-quality information from a trusted clinician can ease the burden of a chronic disorder, closing with a call for more hematologists and oncologists to build VA expertise.

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling axis is the dominant driver of slow-flow vascular malformations and overgrowth syndromes such as Klippel-Trenaunay and CLOVES syndrome. Somatic or germline activation of PIK3CA, TEK, PIK3R1, and AKT1, or loss of PTEN, converges on mTORC1/2 to drive dysregulated angiogenesis and tissue overgrowth. Because many of these genes are established oncogenes, cancer drugs have been repurposed for these conditions, exemplified by the PI3Kα inhibitor, alpelisib, now approved for PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS). Dr. Canaud maps the genotype-to-phenotype spectrum of PI3K-driven anomalies, weighs the evidence for PI3Kα-, AKT-, mTOR-, and TIE2-directed therapies, and addresses practical concerns for the hematologist-oncologist.

Genomic advances have revealed that diverse vascular anomalies, most prominently fast-flow arteriovenous malformations and complex lymphatic anomalies, harbor somatic or germline RAS/MAPK pathway variants that drive constitutive ERK1/2 activation and aberrant angiogenesis. Because this molecular basis is shared with RAS/MAPK-driven malignancies, oncology-derived agents are increasingly repurposed for vascular anomalies refractory to conventional procedural treatment. Dr. Ricci synthesizes the genomic landscape across phenotypes and reviews the evidence for MEK, KRAS, and BRAF inhibition, with trametinib as the most established agent. This presentation then offers a genotype-guided framework for diagnosis and management, highlighting the expanding role of the hematologist-oncologist and the barriers to delivering equitable precision care. 

Speakers:

Bryan Sisk, MD
Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, MO
Vascular Anomalies: Understanding the Healthcare Experiences of Patients and Caregivers

Guillaume Canaud, MD, PhD
Hôpital Necker Enfants Malades
Paris, France
Targeted Therapies for PI3k/AKT/mTOR Pathway Disorders

Kiersten Ricci, MD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH
Targeted Therapies for Vascular Anomalies with RAS/MAPK Pathway Pathogenic Variants

back to top

Building Hematology Capacity Globally

Reducing global disparities in hematologic care requires more than scientific advances alone. It demands sustained investment in education, workforce development, mentorship, research collaboration, and health system strengthening, particularly in regions where the burden of hematologic disease is greatest and access to specialized care remains limited. This session will explore how the American Society of Hematology (ASH) can advance global hematology through integrated strategies that combine continuing medical education (CME), international training programs, mentorship, and collaborative research networks.

Dr. Najibah Galadanci will examine how innovative educational platforms, digital learning, clinical guidelines, and targeted training initiatives are expanding access to high-quality hematology education worldwide. Particular emphasis will be placed on how mentorship and experiential learning programs such as the ASH Visitor Training Program (VTP) and its regional adaptations help translate knowledge into sustainable local expertise and long-term professional partnerships.

Dr. Ruxandra Irimia will review a broad portfolio of career development, mentorship, research, and leadership initiatives designed to support hematologists at every stage of professional development. Through a real-world example, attendees will learn how these programs foster durable mentorship networks, strengthen local institutions, and create opportunities that extend well beyond individual trainees to benefit entire hematology communities.

Dr. Eduardo Rego will highlight how multinational consortia and strategic collaborations can improve patient outcomes while building sustainable capacity. The examples of the International Consortium on Acute Leukemias (ICAL) and the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) will demonstrate how collaborative networks can standardize care, strengthen diagnostic and clinical infrastructure, generate region-specific evidence, and support implementation of effective public health strategies in resource-limited settings.

Together, these presentations will provide practical examples of successful global partnerships and illustrate how education, mentorship, research collaboration, and capacity-building initiatives can strengthen the hematology workforce, improve access to evidence-based care, and advance health equity worldwide.

Chair:

Enrico M. M Novelli, MD, MS
University of Maryland
Baltimore, MD, 

Speakers:

Najibah Galadanci, PhD, MBBS, MPH
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
Showcasing ASH Resources for Continuing Medical Education for Local and International Trainees and Practitioners

Ruxandra Irimia, MD
Emergency Clinical Hospital Prof. Dr. Agrippa Ionescu
Bucharest, Romania
Highlights of ASH's Programs to Build Hematology Capacity Around the Globe in Education Research and Clinical Practice

Eduardo Rego, MD, PhD
University of São Paulo, Faculty of Medicine
São Paulo, Brazil
The Impact of Hematology Global Partnerships

back to top

Classical Hematology: Innovation and Technology to Match Supply and Demand

The field of classical hematology needs innovative strategies to confront the dual challenges of increased demand and lagging workforce growth. This educational session will explore how technology can assist with expanding access and optimizing workflow. The session will start by assessing the current mismatch in demand and supply of classical hematologists and what is being done to address this problem. This will be followed by talks on how virtual care and Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically language learning models (LLMs), can improve hematologic healthcare delivery.

Dr. Robert Stern will begin the session with an in-depth evaluation of the current workforce challenges facing the field. He will discuss the factors that are contributing to the current mismatch in demand and supply of classical hematologists. He will outline what has been done to address this challenge and the early success of these interventions.

Dr. Talib Dosani will discuss how the use of virtual care can expand access in classical hematology. He will review the distinct roles of different virtual care modalities– electronic consultations, video visits, and audio-only visits—in healthcare delivery. He will examine how strategic implementation can increase timely access without exacerbating workforce challenges. This talk will also review pitfalls in telehealth use, barriers in uptake, and propose guidance for clinicians and healthcare systems.

Dr. Sanjay Ahuja will discuss practical applications of LLMs in hematology, including clinical decision support, document generation, patient education, and research assistance. She will review strategies to improve model performance without requiring technical expertise and explore emerging approaches to improve AI. This talk will illustrate how AI can be used to our advantage in classical hematology practice by integrating into and augmenting clinic workflows.

Chair:

Talib Dosani, MD
Yale University
New Haven, CT, 

Speakers:

Robert Stern, MD
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Dealing with Workforce Challenges in Classical Hematology

Talib Dosani, MD
Yale University
New Haven, CT, 
The Use of Virtual Care in Classical Hematology to Overcome Geographic and Resource Limitations

Sanjay Ahuja I, MD, MSc, MBA
Innovative Hematology/Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center
Indianapolis, IN
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Hematology Learning and Practice

back to top

Don't Miss It! Methemoglobinemia: Inherited and Acquired

Disturbances in the normal physiologic process of continuous methemoglobin formation followed by its reduction to hemoglobin result in methemoglobinemia, which impairs oxygen delivery, sometimes discernible as cyanosis. When cyanosis occurs, the differential diagnosis is broad, and etiologies vary from acutely life-threatening to essentially compensated and harmless; therefore, evaluations can easily burgeon into extensive, costly endeavors and unnecessary treatments.  This educational session will explore the evidence for best practices for assessing, diagnosing, and managing patients with cyanosis and hypoxia, and when to consider methemoglobinemia. Laboratory diagnostic patterns will be compared. Inherited disorders, including M-hemoglobin variants and mutations in CYB5R3, and acquired disorders that carry the risk of acute toxicity will be discussed. Lastly, management strategies regarding these conditions will be reviewed.

Dr. Jennifer L. Herrick will discuss the diagnosis of methemoglobinemia and sulfhemoglobinemia in a reference laboratory setting. Laboratory test result patterns and possible pitfalls will be highlighted regarding acquired and inherited conditions, as well as treatment artifacts.

Dr. Josef T. Prchal will focus on inherited methemoglobinemias, which result from impaired reductive mechanisms. He will review methemoglobin structure, formation, and reduction to provide a basis for understanding the causes of inherited methemoglobinemias. The known genetic causes of methemoglobinemia, their diverse phenotypes and molecular biology, diagnostic strategies, and management will be discussed.

Dr. Noemi Roy will provide a structured approach to acquired methemoglobinemia, organized around four questions: who to suspect, why it happens, how to diagnose, and what to do. She discusses the populations and exposures that should raise suspicion, including dapsone and other chronic oxidant medications, rasburicase prescribing, peri-procedural topical anaesthetics, and recreational nitrite use. A mechanism-based framework that predicts each agent's clinical time course will be presented.

Chair:

Jennifer Herrick, MD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, 

Speakers:

Jennifer Herrick, MD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, 
Laboratory Testing in Methemoglobinemia

Josef Prchal, MD
University of Utah and VA and Huntsman Cancer institute
Salt Lake City, UT
Inherited Methemoglobinemia: Not Only and Not Always Cyanosis. Different Pathophysiology, Different Mutated Genes, and Different Management

Noemi Roy, MD
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Oxford, United Kingdom
Acquired Methemoglobinemia: Who, Why, and What to Do

back to top

From Mutations to Manifestations: Connecting Clonal Hematopoiesis (CH) and Thrombosis

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH), the age-related expansion of mutant hematopoietic clones, has emerged as a prevalent and increasingly recognized risk factor for thrombotic disease. Once viewed as an incidental finding, CH is now understood to drive a proinflammatory state that connects somatic mutations in blood cells to clinical manifestations across the vascular system. This educational session traces that connection from mechanism to bedside, examining how CH contributes to both arterial and venous thrombosis and how its inflammatory underpinnings may be therapeutically targeted. Together, the speakers will equip clinicians to recognize the prognostic significance of CH in thrombotic disease and to anticipate how emerging anti-inflammatory strategies may reshape prevention and management.

Dr. Siddhartha Jaiswal will review recent literature linking clonal hematopoiesis to arterial thrombosis, especially atherosclerotic disease. He will discuss the role of altered myeloid cell function in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and suggest clinical evaluation strategies for patients with clonal hematopoiesis who may be at risk for arterial thrombosis.

Dr. Yan Xu will examine the relationship between CH and venous thromboembolism (VTE). He will review the epidemiology and prognostic significance of CHIP in adults with VTE, addressing open questions about its prevalence in unprovoked VTE, its prognostic implications for VTE recurrence, and its impact on anticoagulant-associated bleeding, and will consider the implications of this biomarker for the net clinical benefit of anticoagulation.

Dr. Abhay Singh will explore the evolving role of clonal hematopoiesis as a thromboinflammatory condition linking somatic mutations, inflammasome activation, and thrombosis. He will discuss emerging therapeutic strategies targeting inflammatory pathways, including NLRP3/IL-1β signaling and other immune-modulatory approaches, and how these interventions may shift the field from risk recognition toward precision prevention. He will highlight future opportunities for multidisciplinary trials aimed at reducing thrombotic, cardiovascular, and hematologic complications in aging populations with CH.

Chair:

Siddhartha Jaiswal, MD PhD
Stanford University
Stanford, CA

Speakers:

Siddhartha Jaiswal, MD PhD
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential and Arterial Thrombosis: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

Yan Xu, MD
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Clones and Clots: Clonal Hematopoiesis in the Management of Venous Thromboembolism

Abhay Singh, MD, MPH
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Role of Inflammasome Inhibitors in the Intersection of CH and Thrombosis

back to top

Hemolysis Beyond Globin: Managing Inherited RBC Membrane and Enzyme Disorders

Inherited hemolytic anemias are a heterogeneous group of disorders in which overlapping clinical features have historically complicated diagnosis and management. In this session, Dr. Khoriaty will highlight the shift from traditional stepwise testing toward molecular-based diagnosis, emphasizing its central role in accurate classification and therapeutic decision-making. Using pyruvate kinase deficiency as a model, he will review the emergence of targeted therapies such as mitapivat and their impact on hemoglobin levels, hemolysis, and transfusion burden. He will also discuss current supportive strategies alongside evolving approaches, including next-generation metabolic therapies and gene-based interventions. Together, these advances illustrate a broader transition toward precision medicine aimed at modifying disease biology rather than managing its complications.

Dr. Shenoy will focus on the treatment of HHAs with a stem cell transplant, with an intention to cure. While stem cell transplantation as an intervention is not new, it has been increasingly used over the recent years to replace the genetically defective erythrocytes with normal donor-derived erythropoiesis. She will discuss the wide-ranging modern advances in stem cell transplantation that have facilitated successful outcomes with low toxicity that have enabled expansion of this treatment modality to include a variety of human-leukocyte-antigen (HLA) matched and mismatched donors, stem cell sources, and disease states, even in very young children.  

Hereditary hemolytic anemias (HHAs) have long been managed with supportive interventions, such as transfusions and splenectomy. This paradigm is now beginning to change. In this presentation, Dr. Al-Samkari will focus on non-hemoglobinopathy HHAs, examining the emerging therapeutic landscape through representative cases. He will highlight pyruvate kinase deficiency as the clearest example of successful targeted pharmacologic therapy, reviewing the development and clinical impact of pyruvate kinase activators. He will additionally discuss the broader potential for metabolic therapies in other HHAs such as membranopathies and enzymopathies, where early clinical and preclinical data suggest that modulating red cell energetics or membrane biology may lead to clinical benefit. Finally, he will look forward to the next frontier of precision medicine, discussing genetic approaches to fixing the underlying molecular defect in selected disorders. Although many of these approaches remain investigational, they signal an important shift toward mechanism-based treatment.

Chair:

Hanny Al-Samkari, MD
Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA

Speakers:

Rami Khoriaty, MD
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Management Considerations in Inherited Hemolytic Anemias

Shalini Shenoy, MD
Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, MO
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Severe Congenital Hemolytic Anemias

Hanny Al-Samkari, MD
Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA
Emerging Therapies for Treatment of Hereditary Hemolytic Anemias

back to top

Improving Care of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease via Complement, Pain Control, and Trial Design

Dr. Chonat will review the critical role of complement in the pathogenesis of sickle cell disease (SCD), linking hemolysis, inflammation, endothelial injury, and organ damage. This session will discuss new evidence for the function of the complement in acute and chronic symptoms of SCD, including hyperhemolysis, vaso-occlusive events, and multi-organ damage. He will discuss molecular results from translational research, biomarkers of complement activation, and the clinical rationale for complement inhibition. The presentation will end with a discussion on the current clinical trials of complement-targeted medicines and how these advancements might change the therapeutic landscape and enhance patient outcomes in SCD.

Dr. Caroll will review more recent mechanistic insights into SCD pain, and discuss management of SCD pain at levels from clinical systems to strategy to individual interventions.

Dr. Kanter will review the barriers to success and discuss new opportunities for novel clinical trials, as have been done in other rare conditions or malignancies, using more objective endpoints to increase the number of people eligible for clinical trials and broaden the use of novel therapies.

Chair:

Satheesh Chonat, MD
Emory University School of Medicine
Atlanta, GA

Speakers:

Satheesh Chonat, MD
Emory University School of Medicine
Atlanta, GA
Complement Inhibition in Sickle Cell Disease

C. Patrick Caroll, MD
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
What's New in Pain Management in Sickle Cell Disease?

Julie Kanter Washko, MD
University of Alabama Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
After the Fall: Trial Design, National and International, in the Modern Era of Sickle Cell Disease

back to top

Longer Lives, New Challenges: Managing Thalassemia in 2026

Advances in transfusion practices, iron overload monitoring and chelation therapy, and multidisciplinary care have significantly improved survival in individuals with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and non-transfusion dependent thalassemia (NTDT). This educational session will explore some of the challenges faced by individuals with thalassemia as we continue to aim for improved survival and quality of life. As more women with TDT are surviving into adulthood and pursuing pregnancies, this session will explore the challenges and strategies to ensure optimal pregnancy outcomes. Gene therapy has been transformative for individuals with TDT, however current approaches are limited by high costs and risk of infertility. This session will highlight new approaches aimed at making gene therapy more affordable and less toxic. Lastly, individuals with NTDT experience increasing complications as they age. The session will discuss the challenges of NTDT and strategies for early interventions to change the disease course.

Dr. Farzana Sayani will discuss the risks associated with pregnancy in women with TDT and NTDT. She will discuss the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach and key monitoring and intervention strategies, from pre-conception counselling through to post-partum care, required to optimize pregnancy outcomes in women with thalassemia.

Dr. Yongshui Fu will provide an update on the current status of gene therapy in TDT, specifically outlining the current challenges including high costs and conditioning-related risk of infertility.  He will discuss strategies to improve costs and toxicities, highlighting KL003, a lentiviral vector-based gene therapy used with the Nansha conditioning protocol as one such strategy.

Dr. Forni will use a case-based approach to illustrate the challenges of managing beta-NTDT. He will discuss the importance of monitoring for early complications, and address strategies for early interventions to prevent severe complications, including indications for phenocoversion to TDT.

Speakers:

Farzana Sayani, MD
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON, Canada
Pregnancy in Transfusion-Dependent and Non-Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia (TDT and NTDT)

Yongshui Fu
Guangzhou First People’s Hospital
Guangzhou, China
Changing the Paradigm of ß-Thalassemia Treatment: An Affordable and Less Toxic Gene Therapy

Gian Luca Forni, MD
IRCCS Gaslini Hospital
Genoa, Italy
An Enigma Wrapped in a Mystery: NTDT in Adults

back to top

Managing Iron Status Before and During Pregnancy: Protecting Mother and Fetus

Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are both well-recognized global health problems that disproportionately affect reproductive-aged girls and women. Even in the absence of anemia, maternal ID during pregnancy can significantly compromise both maternal and neonatal health. Maternal iron status acts as a fundamental pillar of fetal brain development and obstetric safety.

In this session, we will discuss the critical, life-cycle impact of ID and IDA on women, mothers, neonates, and the long-term health of their children. Across three interconnected presentations, this session will bridge the gap amongst gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, and hematology, mapping the trajectory from unrecognized heavy menstrual bleeding to pre and periconceptual iron deficiency, maternal ID, and fetal iron underloading, exploring both diagnostic and treatment strategies.

Dr. Malcolm Munro will discuss the single most common, yet vastly underappreciated, cause of ID and IDA in reproductive-aged girls and women, heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB).  Despite affecting up to 50% of this population, HMB is systematically normalized by society and underreported to and by healthcare providers, creating a persistent gap between gynecologic and hematologic care. He will highlight how HMB may lead to periconceptual ID, and the scope of their combined impact on women, infants, and society, and will address the steps required to bridge the gap between gynecologic and hematologic practitioners.

Dr. Michael Georgieff will discuss the neurodevelopmental consequences of maternal gestational iron deficiency. He will show how iron depletion alters the fetal brain. The presentation will elaborate on the neurological consequences of maternal ID on the developing fetus, exploring how the timing, dose, and duration of the deficiency shape lifelong mental health. It will outline how early gestational ID—even without anemia—may compromise infant development, leading to neurodevelopmental disorders including autism, schizophrenia, and neurocognitive disorders. It will also address the societal burden of neonatal ID.

Dr. Gafter-Gvili will focus on the distinct impacts of iron depletion and IDA during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes. She will underscore the critical need for early screening and early treatment for ID. She will outline treatment strategies throughout the pregnancy, emphasize the role of intravenous iron, and review the latest clinical evidence on the efficacy and safety profile of intravenous iron therapy during pregnancy.

Chair:

Anat Gafter-Gvili, MD
Beilinson Hospital, Rabin Medical Center
Petah-Tikva, Israel

Speakers:

Malcolm Gordon Munro, MD
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding, Iron Deficiency, and Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Hidden Epidemic in Plain Sight

Michael Georgieff, MD
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
The Role of Iron in the Developing Brain

Anat Gafter-Gvili, MD
Beilinson Hospital, Rabin Medical Center
Petah-Tikva, Israel
Intravenous Iron Therapy to Prevent Perinatal Iron Deficiency

back to top

Neutropenia: Updates in Diagnosis, Treatment, and Supportive Care.

In this session, we will discuss the challenges involved in the diagnosis of different types of congenital and acquired neutropenia. We will present practical diagnostic algorithms based on clinical and laboratory parameters and highlight ongoing research aimed at elucidating the pathogenesis of poorly defined neutropenia entities. We will also review standard treatment approaches, including Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as well as emerging targeted therapies. Finally, we will examine factors affecting the quality of life of patients with chronic neutropenia and discuss supportive care measures to reduce disease burden and improve patient outcomes

Chair:

Helen Papadaki, MD
Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete and Department of Hematology, University Hospital of Heraklion.
Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Speakers:

Helen Papadaki, MD
University of Crete School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion,
Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Diagnosis of Congenital and Acquired Neutropenia

Francesca Fioredda, MD
Giannina Gaslini Research Children's Hospital
Genova, Italy
Treatment of Neutropenia: Cytokines and Beyond

Julia Warren, MD, PhD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Supportive Care for Patients with Chronic Neutropenia

back to top

Optimizing Patient Care: Practicing Bloodless Medicine

This educational session will explore key issues in patient blood management, including managing scenarios where transfusion support is not an option, by patient choice, or when no compatible blood is available for a range of reasons. Our three speakers will address different aspects of blood management, including considering different settings, such as surgery and hemato-oncology.

Dr. Erica Wood will introduce concepts around blood management and the approach to the patient who cannot or will not be able to receive a blood transfusion, including people who decline or refuse transfusions, or those with rare blood groups or multiple complex antibodies.

Dr. Patricia Locantore-Ford will share her experience in managing hematology-oncology care and provision of autologous bone marrow transplantation and cellular therapies (such as CAR-T) for patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses.

Dr Aryeh Shander will provide an overview of transfusion-free medicine and surgery, including newly published data on clinical outcomes.

Chair:

Erica M Wood, MD
Monash University
Melbourne, Australia

Speakers:

Erica M Wood, MD
Monash University
Melbourne, Australia
Blood Management and Transfusion Practice in Patients Who Need Alternatives to Blood

Patricia Locantore-Ford, MD
Pennsylvania Hospital, University of Pennsylvania Health Systems
Philadelphia, PA
Managing Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation, CAR-T Therapy and Leukemia without Blood

Aryeh Shander, MD
Englewood Health, Englewood New Jersey
Englewood, CA
Update on Transfusion Free Surgery

back to top

Tailored Transfusion Strategies for Alloimmunized Patients

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is the most effective supportive therapy in sickle cell disease (SCD), yet alloimmunization frequently affects chronically transfused patients. As allogeneic HSCT and autologous gene therapies expand treatment options for SCD, more patients now require intensive peri-transplant transfusion support, and alloimmunization complicates this process at every stage, from sourcing compatible units to managing post-engraftment hemolysis. This session brings together three perspectives on alloimmunization in SCD, moving from peri-transplant and pre–gene-therapy transfusion planning, to sourcing blood when inventory is insufficient, to bedside management of immune-mediated transfusion reactions.

Dr. John Manis will review Pre-Transplant Transfusion Strategies in Alloimmunized Sickle Cell Disease Patients, focusing on transfusion management surrounding allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and autologous gene therapy. This talk will address transfusion indications, transfusion targets including red cell exchange, and the short- and long-term hemolytic complications that may follow transplantation.

Dr. Marianne Yee will present Procurement of Blood for Highly Alloimmunized Patients, which examines the factors governing how quickly and reliably antigen-matched units can be obtained and discusses transfusion alternatives when compatible blood cannot be sourced immediately.

Dr. Patricia Shi will close the session with Immune-Mediated Transfusion Reactions in Sickle Cell Disease: A Practical Approach, outlining reaction types disproportionately observed in SCD, including hyperhemolysis and delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction, and discussing why distinguishing among them shapes prognosis, future transfusion risk, and treatment, including emerging antibody-depletion strategies.

Chair:

John P Manis, MD
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, MA

Speakers:

John P Manis, MD
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, MA
Pre-Transplant Transfusion Strategies in Alloimmunized Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Marianne Elaine McPherson Yee, MD, MSc
Emory University
Atlanta, GA, 
Procurement of Blood for Highly Alloimmunized Patients

Patricia Shi, MD
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, WA
Immune-Mediated Transfusion Reactions in Sickle Cell Disease:  A Practical Approach

back to top

The Big Clot Problem

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a major global health challenge, not only due to acute mortality from pulmonary embolism (PE) but also substantial long-term morbidity associated with post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). Despite advances in diagnosis and therapy, gaps persist in recognizing patients at the highest risk and in optimizing prevention and treatment strategies. The education session, The Big Clot Problem, is designed to address these critical issues through a multidisciplinary lens. It will explore changes in risk stratification of PE, the burden of PTS, and strategies for prevention, and management of VTE with thrombolytic and catheter-based interventions. Together, these presentations will explore the acute and long-term consequences of VTE, emphasizing opportunities to improve patient outcomes across the continuum of care.

Dr. Akhilesh Sista will highlight evolving strategies in the classification and management of intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism, where balancing early intervention with safety remains a critical challenge. Using a case-based approach, she will review multi-society guideline updates on anticoagulation, risk stratification, and the role of interventional therapies.

Dr. Iding will provide a comprehensive clinical evaluation of PTS following extensive DVT, specifically involving the iliofemoral segment. He will explore the natural history and progressive burden of PTS in the context of its diagnostic framework. Risk factors and an overview of preventive and management will be discussed. Finally, the talk will highlight the novel therapeutic options that are currently under investigation, setting the stage for the subsequent discussion on advanced interventional strategies.

Lastly, Dr. Vedantham will discuss recent clinical trials studying clinical management of extensive DVT and evidence for catheter-directed therapies for acute and chronic DVT. His case-based presentation will highlight patient selection, risk–benefit considerations, and the implications for improving long-term outcomes.

Chair:

Lisa Baumann Kreuziger I, MD, MS
Versiti
Milwaukee, WI

Speakers:

Akhilesh Sista, MD
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, NY
Update on the Management of Intermediate Risk Pulmonary Embolism

Aaron Iding, MD
Maastricht University Medical Center
Maastricht, Netherlands
Post-Thrombotic Syndrome and the Long-Term Burden of Extensive DVT

Suresh Vedantham, MD
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Update on the management of Extensive DVT

back to top

The Unusual Bleed: Cracking the Code of Platelet and Rare Bleeding Disorders

Increased recognition and awareness of bleeding symptoms, improved access to specialized care and laboratory tests, and broader use of genetic testing all potentially lead to more opportunities to diagnose platelet and fibrinogen disorders and rare clotting factor deficiencies. Diagnosis of many of these inherited conditions can be tricky, and management is often based on expert consensus, clinical experience, and a patient’s personal and family bleeding (or clotting) history rather than results of randomized controlled trials. This educational session will provide a better understanding of the considerations important for diagnosing and managing these conditions.”

Chair:

Tyler Buckner, MD, MSc
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Aurora, CO

Speakers:

Elisabeth M. Battinelli, MD, PhD
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA
The Unusual Bleed: Cracking the Code of Platelet Disorders

Alessandro Casini, PhD
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève
Genève, Switzerland
Diagnosis and Management of Fibrinogen Disorders

Tyler Buckner, MD, MSc
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Aurora, CO
Diagnosis and Management of Rare Bleeding Disorders

Sessions on Malignant Hematology

A Decade of Progress Towards Safer and More Broadly Applicable Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

This CME-accredited ASH session, chaired by Dr. Shernan Holtan (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center), highlights the remarkable transformation that allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has undergone over the past decade, with substantial gains in reducing major post-transplant graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

The session opens with Dr. Hany Elmariah (Stanford) presenting "New Standards in GVHD Prophylaxis: Towards a Future Without GVHD," which examines the latest advances in prophylactic strategies, including Orca-T, abatacept, and post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy), and how these approaches are reshaping the standard of care.

Next, Dr. Mahasweta Gooptu (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) delivers "Targeting Acute and Chronic GVHD with Effective New Therapies," providing a comprehensive review of the wave of agents approved over the past five years. These include ruxolitinib and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for acute GVHD (with pediatric indications), as well as belumosudil, ruxolitinib, and axatilimab for chronic GVHD, and how they are improving outcomes for patients with steroid-refractory disease.

The session concludes with Dr. Holtan's talk, "A Donor for All: Increasing Access and Improving Outcomes," which addresses expanding donor options through mismatched unrelated donor (MMURD), haploidentical, and cord blood transplantation, emphasizing the data supporting broader access and equitable outcomes across donor types. These presentations chart a bold trajectory for the field, illuminating how scientific innovation, therapeutic breakthroughs, and a renewed commitment to equity are converging to make allogeneic HCT a safer, more effective, and more universally attainable curative therapy.

Chair:

Shernan Holtan, MD
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Buffalo, NY

Speakers:

Hany Elmariah, MD, MS
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
New Standards in GVHD Prophylaxis: Towards a Future Without GVHD

Mahasweta Gooptu, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Targeting Acute and Chronic GVHD with Effective New Therapies

Shernan Holtan, MD
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Buffalo, NY
Donor for All: Increasing Access and Improving Outcomes

back to top

A New Treatment Paradigm for Follicular Lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common indolent lymphoma, yet it remains clinically heterogeneous and largely incurable with conventional chemoimmunotherapy—some patients never require treatment, while others cycle through multiple lines or develop transformed disease. This session brings together complementary perspectives on how molecular characterization and a rapidly expanding therapeutic landscape are reshaping FL management across the disease continuum, with practical guidance for translating advances into academic and community practice.

The first presentation, Role of Molecular Disease Characterization in Diagnosis and Prognosis, establishes the diagnostic and prognostic foundation. It reviews the current model of FL pathogenesis and diagnostic criteria, the role of molecular testing in diagnosis and risk stratification, the validated significance of progression of disease within 24 months (POD24), and the emerging value of circulating tumor DNA as a prognostic biomarker—underscoring the persistent gap in predicting outcomes at diagnosis.

Building on this framework, Novel Therapies for Follicular Lymphoma: Immune-Effector Cell Based examines how T-cell–redirection biology has transformed treatment at every line. It covers CD20×CD3 bispecific antibodies and anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy across frontline and relapsed/refractory settings, individualized selection and sequencing, antigen switching and escape, and toxicity management strategies that support safe delivery.

Finally, Beyond Immune Effector Cell Therapy: Non-T-Cell Engaging Strategies in Follicular Lymphoma addresses the diverse non–immune effector landscape—CELMoDs, BTK inhibitors and degraders, antibody-drug conjugates, and chemotherapy-free combinations—that can be more broadly delivered, with attention to resistance mechanisms, treatment selection, and equitable access.

Together, these talks equip clinicians to integrate molecular risk assessment with an increasingly biology-guided, less-toxic therapeutic armamentarium.

Speakers:

Joanna M Rhodes, MD
Rutgers Cancer Institute
New Brunswick, NJ
Role of Molecular Disease Characterization in Diagnosis and Prognosis

Alan Skarbnik, MD
Novant Health Cancer Institute
Charlotte, NC
Novel Therapies for Follicular Lymphoma: Immune-Effector Cell Based

Manali Kamdar, MD
University of Colorado Cancer Center
Aurora, CO
Beyond Immune Effector Cell Therapy: Non-T-Cell Engaging Strategies in Follicular Lymphoma

back to top

Addressing Resistance and Progression in Myeloproliferative Diseases

Therapy resistance and disease progression remain major clinical challenges in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). This session will explore the mechanisms underlying clonal persistence and progression, strategies to prevent progression and overcome resistance, and emerging mutation-targeted therapies.

In the first talk, “Mechanisms of Clonal Persistence and Progression,” Florian Heidel will discuss how clonal architecture, inflammatory signalling, and bone marrow niche remodelling contribute to persistence and progression in JAK2-, CALR-, and MPL-mutant MPNs. Drawing on human genetics and functional studies, he will demonstrate how driver mutations can arise decades before clinical disease and how additional mutations influence clonal fitness and the risk of leukemic transformation. He will also highlight the need for dynamic, biomarker-driven risk models incorporating mutational complexity, serial variant allele frequencies, fibrosis, cytokine profiles, and niche characteristics.

In the second talk, “Preventing Progression and Overcoming Resistance in MPNs,” Francesca Palandri will examine the transition from reactive, symptom-based management to proactive, phenotype-guided approaches. She will discuss earlier use of disease-modifying therapies, molecular monitoring, and identification of patients who may benefit from timely transplant referral. The clinical significance of primary and secondary JAK inhibitor resistance and its implications for treatment sequencing and combination strategies will also be addressed.

Finally, in “Mutation-Targeted Therapies in MPNs: A New Dawn?”, Claire Harrison will review emerging therapies targeting mutant calreticulin (CALR), including antibodies, vaccines, antibody–drug conjugates, and cellular therapies. She will also discuss next-generation JAK inhibitors and the need for clinical trial endpoints that better capture disease modification and molecular responses.

Chair:

Claire Harrison, PhD, DM
Guy's and St Thomas' N H S Foundation Trust
London, United Kingdom

Speakers:

Florian H. Heidel IV, MD
Hannover Medical School (MHH)
Hannover, Germany
Mechanisms of Clonal Persistence and Progression in MPN

Francesca Palandri, MD, PhD
IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna
Bologna, Italy
Preventing Progression and Overcoming Resistance in MPNs

Claire Harrison, PhD, DM
Guy's and St. Thomas' Foundation
London, United Kingdom
Mutation-Targeted Therapies in MPN: A New Dawn?

back to top

Advancing Personalized Care in Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

As cure rates for patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma continue to improve, treatment goals have shifted toward optimizing long-term outcomes by balancing efficacy with treatment-related toxicity through personalized care. In the frontline setting, risk- and response-adapted strategies are increasingly used to guide treatment escalation and de-escalation. Emerging biomarkers, including circulating tumor DNA, offer additional opportunities to further individualize therapy.

Management of relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma similarly requires thoughtful integration of prior frontline therapy and is evolving toward risk- and response-adapted approaches to avoid both over- and under-treatment. The session will also address personalized survivorship and post-treatment monitoring strategies, tailored to patient age and prior treatment exposures.

Chair:

Alison Moskowitz, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
NEW YORK, NY

Speakers:

Sarah Rutherford, MD
NYU Langone Health
New York, NY
Who Needs More, Who Needs Less? Risk-Adapted Frontline Care in Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Alison Moskowitz, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
NEW YORK, NY
Therapeutic Approaches for Relapsed/Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma in a Rapidly Evolving Treatment Landscape

Sharon Castellino Jr, MD, MSc
Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
Personalized Care of Patients Cured from Hodgkin Lymphoma

back to top

Are We There Yet? Improving Outcomes in MDS

Myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS) are the most common myeloid malignancies in older adults, characterized by a heterogeneous group of bone marrow failure disorders with a risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. Management of cytopenias remains a significant clinical challenge, and improving patient outcomes continues to be an unmet need. Over the past decade, advances in disease biology have led to expanded classification systems and improved risk stratification. This educational session will review current evidence and best practices in the assessment and management of MDS.

Dr. Yazan Madanat will discuss the evolving treatment landscape for lower-risk MDS, with a focus on recently approved therapies and practical considerations for selecting and sequencing available treatment options to optimize patient outcomes.

Dr. Sangeetha Venugopal will address unmet needs in higher-risk MDS, including a review of prior studies comparing hypomethylating agents with combination approaches. She will highlight recent findings from the phase III VERONA trial and discuss the role of venetoclax in clinical practice in light of these results.

Dr. Maximilian Stahl will examine the role of targeted therapies in MDS and clonal cytopenias of undetermined significance (CCUS), identifying patient subsets most likely to benefit and summarizing ongoing efforts to integrate targeted approaches into clinical care.

Chair:

Rami Komrokji I, MD
H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
Tampa, FL

Speakers:

Yazan F. Madanat, MD
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Dallas, TX
Choosing and Sequencing Treatment Options in Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Sangeetha Venugopal, MD, MS
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Miami
Miami, FL
High Risk MDS: Is Two Better than One?

Maximilian Stahl, MD
Yale School of Medicine and Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center
New Haven, CT
Straight to the Point: Targeted Therapies in MDS and CCUS

back to top

Battle-Scarred Blood Cells: Hematologic Malignancies in Military Service Members

This session explores hematologic malignancies in U.S. service members and Veterans through three complementary lenses: the clinical realities of caring for patients whose military service, exposures, and fitness standards shape diagnosis, treatment decisions, and access; the epidemiologic evidence linking military-related environmental and occupational exposures to B-cell malignancies and the methodological challenges of studying them; and the emerging understanding of how toxic exposures may drive clonal hematopoiesis and myeloid neoplasms, alongside the VA’s growing capacity to deliver decentralized, molecularly targeted trials to geographically dispersed Veterans. Together, these perspectives equip hematologists to recognize service-related factors that influence disease biology, treatment eligibility, and long-term outcomes in a population increasingly encountered across all practice settings.

Chair:

Christin Blair DeStefano I, MD
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Bethesda, MD

Speakers:

Christin Blair DeStefano I, MD
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Bethesda, MD
Mission-Critical Care: Approaching a Service Member or Veteran with a Hematologic Malignancy

Helen Ma, MD
VA Long Beach Healthcare System
Long Beach, CA
Beyond the Uniform: Understanding B-cell Malignancy Risks in Military Personnel

Suman Kambhampati, MD
VA Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
From Service to Cells: Toxic Exposures, Myeloid Malignancies, and Search for Pragmatic Solutions for Veterans

back to top

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - From Clonal Evolution to Novel Therapies

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has undergone a remarkable therapeutic transformation with the widespread adoption of targeted therapies. Despite these advances, disease progression remains driven by clonal evolution and acquired resistance, with Richter transformation affecting a minority of patients. Importantly, the growing complexity of treatment options has created new challenges regarding therapy selection, sequencing, and management of disease in both the frontline and relapsed/refractory setting. In this session, Dr. Sun will review the clinical aspects of clonal evolution that affect modern CLL  care. Next, Dr. Hallek will discuss the use of targeted agents in the first- and second-line setting. Finally, Dr. Coombs will focus on late-line CLL, including patients failed by covalent BTK inhibitors and venetoclax and Richter's transformation.

Chair:

Catherine C. Coombs, MD
University of California Irvine
Orange, CA

Speakers:

Clare Sun, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY, 
A Clinical Perspective on Clonal Evolution in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Michael Hallek Jr, MD
University of Cologne
Köln, Germany
First and Second-Line Therapy of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Catherine C. Coombs, MD
University of California Irvine
Orange, CA
Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory CLL and of Richter Transformation

back to top

Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), NOS is a biologically and clinically heterogeneous entity. Most patients are treated at diagnosis with curative intent, with 60% achieving durable remission following R-CHOP chemoimmunotherapy. Patients with primary refractory or relapsed disease can be cured with secondary therapies, although outcomes are poorer. Recent advances in biologic insight, along with the development of numerous novel therapies, have led to a rapidly changing management algorithm. This session will discuss expanding options in the frontline setting, the role of immunotherapy approaches, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies, as well as additional targeted agents that are leading to improved outcomes.

Dr. Laurie Sehn will review approaches to the frontline therapy of DLBCL. While R-CHOP has been the universal standard of care for decades, recent phase 3 trials assessing novel combinations have demonstrated improvement in outcomes, resulting in new therapeutic options. Dr. Sehn will review data from these trials and discuss how they have influenced current treatment strategies. This session will review some of the key biological and clinical determinants that should be considered to optimize initial therapy, including molecular subtype, stage of disease, clinical risk as measured by the International Prognostic Index (IPI) score, and patient-related factors such as age, comorbidities, and cardiac fitness. This talk will also review ongoing clinical trials to anticipate how the future landscape may evolve.  

Dr. Gilles Salles will review immunotherapy options that have emerged as highly effective therapies for DLBCL. CAR T-cell therapy has shown curative potential and is routinely used in the third-line setting or as second-line therapy for patients with refractory or early-relapsing disease.  Similarly, CD3XCD20 bispecific antibodies have demonstrated durable responses as monotherapy in the third-line setting, and more recently in combination strategies at first relapse. Dr. Salles will review the efficacy data supporting their use, as well as toxicity profiles. He will consider appropriate patient selection and sequencing strategies to maximize their benefit. He will also review novel agents under investigation that may lead to future options.

Dr. Christopher Melani will review the growing list of novel targeted agents and combinations demonstrating efficacy in DLBCL. He will consider where approved treatments such as polatuzumab vedotin in combination with bendamustine-rituximab, loncastuximab tesirine, tafasitamab-lenalidomide, and brentuximab vedotin with lenalidomide-rituximab fit into current management algorithms. He will also discuss promising agents under investigation, including novel therapies targeting B-cell receptor signaling, apoptosis, and lineage-restricted transcription factors. This talk will also review combination strategies being explored to overcome treatment resistance.

Chair:

Laurie Sehn, MD
BC Cancer Center for Lymphoid Cancer
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers:

Laurie Sehn, MD
BC Cancer Center for Lymphoid Cancer
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Frontline Therapy of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Gilles Salles I, MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Bispecific Antibodies and Cellular Therapies for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Christopher Melani, MD
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD
Novel Approaches for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

back to top

Driving CARs Safely- Preventing and Managing Intermediate and Long-Term CAR-T Toxicity

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has reshaped the treatment of relapsed and refractory B-cell malignancies and multiple myeloma and is now increasingly integrated into routine hematologic practice. As more patients achieve durable responses, attention is shifting from the well-characterized acute toxicities of cytokine release syndrome(CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) toward the intermediate and long-term complications that shape survivorship and remain a leading source of non-relapse mortality. These complications span hematologic, infectious, and immunologic domains, often emerge weeks to months after infusion. This educational session will examine the epidemiology, mechanisms, and clinical management of these later toxicities, and will offer practical frameworks for monitoring, prevention, and intervention. The session will also highlight priority questions for prospective study and emerging strategies aimed at improving the long-term safety of next-generation cellular immunotherapies.

Dr. Marco Ruella will examine the epidemiology, mechanisms, and clinical management of prolonged cytopenias and secondary malignancies following CAR T-cell therapy. He will review recent advances in understanding how lymphodepletion regimens, hematopoietic reserve, clonal hematopoiesis, and immune dysregulation contribute to persistent cytopenias, and will discuss emerging evidence on therapy-related myeloid neoplasms and secondary T-cell malignancies, including their incidence, risk factors, and biological origins. He will conclude with practical recommendations for monitoring, prevention, and management, along with future approaches to improve the long-term safety of cellular immunotherapies.

Dr. Zainab Shahid will present a framework for understanding and managing infections after CAR T-cell therapy based on the underlying immune determinants of infectious risk. The talk will link early, intermediate, and late immune perturbations to specific pathogens and prevention strategies, highlighting how risk evolves from lymphodepletion-induced cytopenias, T-cell ablation, and corticosteroid exposure, to persistent CD4 lymphopenia, NK-cell dysfunction, T-cell exhaustion, and long-term humoral immune compromise. The presentation will also highlight priority areas for prospective study, including biomarker-guided immunoglobulin replacement, vaccination strategies, and CAR designs that better preserve host immunity.

Dr. Noffar Bar will focus on delayed and atypical immune effector cell-associated toxicities following BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy in multiple myeloma, including parkinsonism, cranial nerve palsies, and enterocolitis. Distinct from CRS and ICANS, these complications often arise weeks to months after infusion and may reflect unique aspects of CAR T-cell expansion, persistence, and tissue-specific immune activity. Using clinical presentations to anchor the discussion, she will review diagnostic workup and evolving management strategies, with an emphasis on early recognition and intervention to prevent irreversible toxicity, infectious complications, and non-relapse mortality.

Chair:

Noffar Bar, MD
Yale University, Yale Cancer Center
New Haven, CT

Speakers:

Marco Ruella I, MD
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Beyond Remission: Long-Term Hematopoietic Toxicity and Second Malignancies After CAR-T Cell Therapy

Zainab Shahid, MBBS
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Immune Determinants of Infections after CAR T- Cell Therapy: A Framework for Prevention and Management

Noffar Bar, MD
Yale University, Yale Cancer Center
New Haven, CT
A Practical Review of delayed Neurologic and Gastrointestinal Immune Toxicities After CAR-T Therapy in Multiple Myeloma

back to top

Innovations in the Treatment of Pediatric AML

Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) differs fundamentally from adult AML, with distinct biology that influences treatment and drug development. It features fewer somatic point mutations and a higher frequency of structural genomic changes, especially chromosomal rearrangements that produce oncogenic fusion proteins. These differences shape disease behavior and highlight the need for pediatric-specific therapies. This session will review how these biologic insights are guiding the development of targeted and immune-based treatments, advancing more precise and effective care for pediatric AML.

Next-generation sequencing has refined this genomic taxonomy and highlighted shared transcriptional and biologic dependencies, creating opportunities for targeted therapy. In this presentation, Dr Gruber will outline three major targeted therapy classes currently shaping therapeutic strategies in pediatric AML: BCL-2 inhibitors, Menin inhibitors, and FLT3 inhibitors.

Dr Massetti will outline current antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) strategies targeting pediatric AML and offering enhanced efficacy over conventional chemotherapy. Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO), an anti-CD33 ADC, has demonstrated improved event-free survival and reduced relapse risk, notably in subgroups with KMT2A rearrangements and high CD33 expression. Clinical evidence supporting GO's integration into frontline and salvage therapies, its safety profile, and pharmacogenomic factors influencing response will be reviewed. Additionally, novel ADCs targeting CD123 and other antigens under investigation are discussed to expand therapeutic options

Dr Velasquez will review the current landscape of CAR T-cell therapy in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia. Key biological and clinical barriers will be discussed. The session will also highlight strategies being investigated to overcome these challenges, such as multiantigen and logic-gated CAR designs and combination approaches targeting the tumor microenvironment. Attendees will gain insight into ongoing clinical trials, current limitations, and emerging opportunities to advance CAR T-cell therapies for pediatric AML.

Chair:

Paulina Velasquez, MD
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, TN

Speakers:

Tanja Gruber, MD
Stanford University
Palo Alto, CA
Targeted Therapies: From Genomic Insights to Therapeutic Strategies

Riccardo Masetti, MD, PhD
IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Bologna
Bologna, Italy
Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Delivering Targeted Payloads

Paulina Velasquez, MD
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, TN
CAR T-Cell Therapy in Pediatric AML: Current Limitations and Emerging Opportunities

back to top

Multiple Myeloma: The Future is Now

Chair:

Craig Cole I, MD
Karmanos Cancer Institute
Detroit, MI

Speakers:

Ajai Chari, MD
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Bispecific Antibodies OR CAR-T in Early Relapse for Multiple Myeloma

Surbhi Sidana, MD
Stanford University
Palo Alto, CA
Treatment Sequencing After CAR-T Failure in Multiple Myeloma

Joshua Richter I, MD
Tisch Cancer Institute
New York, NY
Maintenance Therapy for High-Risk Multiple Myeloma

back to top

Navigating the Treatment Landscape of CNS Lymphomas

CNS lymphomas are rare and highly aggressive malignancies associated with distinctive therapeutic challenges. They broadly comprise primary and secondary CNS lymphoma, each characterized by distinct biological features and clinical courses. Intensive chemotherapy strategies are frequently implemented; yet relapse is common. Furthermore, older patients are increasingly affected, requiring the integration of performance status and comorbidities in the decision-making process. This educational session will examine the evidence base for best practices across common clinical scenarios in both primary and secondary CNS lymphoma, while also describing the expanding landscape of immunotherapies and novel targeted agents that are reshaping the treatment landscape.

Professor Kate Cwynarski will outline the diagnosis and management of patients with Primary CNS lymphoma. She will outline staging investigations and potential induction chemo-immunotherapy regimens associated with consolidation strategies such as Thiotepa-based autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The role of modern neuroimaging, diagnostic biomarkers, management of intraocular and leptomeningeal diseases, and the effects of treatment on cognitive function and quality of life will be highlighted. Treatment of older patients, immunosuppression-associated PCNSL in people living with HIV, and relapse/refractory disease will also be discussed. 

Dr. Juan Alderuccio will outline the biological features, prognostic factors, and clinical course of patients with secondary central nervous system lymphoma (SCNSL) in large B-cell lymphoma. Management is guided by disease timing, location, patient fitness, kidney function, and prior therapy. Dr. Alderuccio will synthesize current evidence on risk-adapted management of SCNSL, highlight the integration of immunochemotherapy regimens with transplantation and cellular therapies, and address unresolved controversies.

Chair:

Juan Pablo Alderuccio, MD
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center University of Miami
Miami, FL

Speakers:

Kate Cwynarski, PhD, MBBS, FRCP, FRCPath
university college london hospital
London, United Kingdom
Management of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

Juan Pablo Alderuccio, MD
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center University of Miami
Miami, FL
Management of CNS Involvement By Systemic Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Lakshmi Nayak, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
The Role of CAR T-Cell Therapy, Novel Targeted Agents, and Emerging Therapies in CNS Lymphomas

back to top

Persistent Challenges in Managing Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Twenty-five years of tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy have rewritten the natural history of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and defined the era of targeted cancer therapy, but CML management is far from being over. Many of the most important questions clinicians face today are no longer about survival. Instead, success has generated new challenges and increasingly ambitious goals. Clinicians must now navigate dynamic treatment strategies and complex decisions regarding therapy selection among multiple highly effective options, optimization of long-term outcomes, treatment-free remission, disease progression, and reproductive planning. This educational session will examine these persistent challenges and provide practical guidance for managing some of the most complex scenarios encountered in modern CML care.

Chair:

Elisabetta Abruzzese, MD, PhD
S. Eugenio Hospital, ASL Roma2
Rome, Italy

Speakers:

Akriti G Jain, MD, FACP
Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Update on CML-CP Management: From Choice of First-Line Therapy to Treatment-Free Remission

Andreas Hochhaus, MD
Universitaetsklinikum Jena
Jena, Germany
Management of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Blast Phase

Elisabetta Abruzzese, MD, PhD
S. Eugenio Hospital, ASL Roma2
Rome, Italy
Treating CML During Pregnancy

back to top

Targeted Therapies for AML: Bulls Eye!

Dr. Zeidner will discuss the clinical outcomes of menin inhibitors in relapsed/refractory AML, investigational agents in development, and the emerging development of resistance mechanisms to menin inhibitors. Additionally, a summary of the clinical data and future directions of menin inhibitor combinations in relapsed/refractory AML will be presented. Lastly, the impactful development and future directions of novel combinations of menin inhibitors with frontline azacitidine/venetoclax and intensive chemotherapy for newly diagnosed AML patients will be reviewed and summarized.

Dr. Perl will discuss the use of FLT3 inhibitors in the therapy of AML, including the data supporting current standards and future directions for investigational approaches.

Dr. Kadia will review future directions in the treatment of AML, including the use of new combination strategies: new chemotherapy backbones, new targeted therapy combinations.  Also, will touch on mechanisms of resistance to currently available therapies and the development of next generation therapies to address these mechanisms of resistance.

Chair:

Joshua Zeidner, MD
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC

Speakers:

Joshua Zeidner, MD
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Targeted Therapy Approaches with Menin Inhibitors: Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Alexander Perl, MD
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Flt3 inhibitors in newly diagnosed and relapsed patients

Tapan Kadia I, MD
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Future of Targeted Therapies in AML

back to top

The Golden Era of ALL Management: Rapid Advances Across the Age Spectrum

Treatment of pediatric B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has quickly transitioned from sole reliance on multiagent cytotoxic chemotherapy into the immunotherapy era thanks to landmark clinical trials demonstrating that incorporation of upfront blinatumomab improved disease free survival across the age spectrum. With the importance of upfront immunotherapy established, Dr. Rau will discuss ongoing clinical trials that will help define the role of additional immunotherapeutics such as inotuzumab ozogamicin and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy in frontline treatment, determine if components of chemotherapy can be eliminated without compromising treatment success, and evaluate the impact of such approaches on treatment-associated toxicity and burden. While the use of frontline immunotherapy continues to be refined, it is already largely considered a cornerstone of therapy for children with newly diagnosed B-ALL. We will also discuss how future generations of pediatric B-ALL clinical trials should seek to drastically alter the paradigm of B-ALL therapy by not only optimizing the use of immunotherapy, but by leveraging immunotherapy to significantly reduce reliance on traditional chemotherapeutics.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a leading cause of cancer mortality and morbidity among adolescents and young adults (AYAs). In the last decade, the treatment of AYAs with pediatric ALL regimens, which incorporate high doses of steroids and asparaginase, has contributed to significant improvements in cure rates. Dr. Valtis will discuss the addition of the bispecific antibody blinatumomab in upfront therapy is likely to improve outcomes for all AYAs with B-ALL, while chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells are moving earlier in the treatment paradigm and are curative for a subset of patients. Further augmentations of B-ALL chemotherapy with venetoclax, inotuzumab, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and other agents are being tested and may improve outcomes in specific patient subsets. Allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloSCT), once the main curative pathway for adults with ALL, has a smaller but important role today. Outcomes have also improved for T-ALL in the upfront setting, although the lack of approved immune therapy options makes relapsed T-ALL an important challenge. Lastly, important efforts are underway to reduce long-term morbidity among AYAs who undergo ALL treatment and ensure that all patients benefit from the golden era of ALL treatment.

Dr. Badar will provide a practical framework for managing older adults with B-cell ALL using chemotherapy-free and chemotherapy-light approaches. Emphasis will be placed on integrating disease biology, fitness, antigen expression, and MRD kinetics to guide sequencing of inotuzumab ozogamicin, blinatumomab, TKI-based therapy for Ph-positive disease, CAR T-cell therapy, and alloHCT. Key clinical challenges include discordant flow versus NGS MRD results, persistent MRD after sequential immunotherapy, antigen escape, and individualized escalation strategies aimed at durable MRD-negative remission with preserved quality of life.

Chair:

Rachel E. Rau, MD
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, WA

Speakers:

Rachel E. Rau, MD
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, WA
Next Steps for Treatment of Pediatric ALL in the Era of Frontline Chemo-Immunotherapy

Yannis Valtis I, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Adolescents and Young Adults: Improving Outcomes Beyond the Use of Two Pediatric Regimens

Talha Badar, MD
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL
Older Adults Take the Lead: Revolutionizing B-cell ALL Treatment with Chemo-Sparing Approaches

back to top