Scientific Symposia
The Scientific Symposia feature presentations that cover the latest scientific developments that cut across many sub-disciplines of hematology and appeal to a wide audience.
Unless otherwise noted, all sessions will take place in person and stream simultaneously on the virtual platform. Session recordings will be available on demand on the virtual platform.
Discovering the Biology of Hematopoiesis Through Studies of Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes
Studies exploring the germline genetic
causes of inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) provide important
opportunities to understand the mechanisms of normal and abnormal
hematopoiesis. This session will feature the latest studies using IBMFS as
models to identify the cellular and molecular underpinnings of hematopoiesis.
Fundamental insight into abnormal ribosome
biogenesis and the tissue specific phenotypes of human ribosomopathies will be
discussed, using the selective defects in erythropoiesis in Diamond-Blackfan
anemia syndrome as a model. Attendees will be updated on the connections
between aberrations in telomere biology genes associated with bone marrow
failure and telomere function in hematopoiesis. Updates on new mechanisms by
which genotoxic aldehydes contribute to aging phenotypes in Fanconi anemia will
be presented, with implications for understanding the link between hematopoiesis
and aging and its relevance to cancer development.
Taken together, this session will show how lessons from IBMFS can be translated to stem cell biology, aging and cancer.
Chair:
Austin G. Kulasekararaj, MD, MBBS, FRCPath, MRCP
Speakers:
Deena Iskander
Imperial
London, United Kingdom
The Role of Ribosome Dysregulation in Erythropoiesis
Luis Batista
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, United States
The Connections Between Telomere Biology and Hematopoiesis
Meng Wang
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY, United States
Genotoxic Aldehydes, DNA Repair, and Premature Aging in Fanconi Anemia
Hematopoiesis in the Golden Years: Aging, Epigenetic Landscapes, and Clonal Destiny
The role of chronological age as predisposition for disease development is undebated. However, in depth understanding of genetic, epigenetic, metabolic and other mechanisms causing age-induced alterations that increase the predisposition for the development of blood-born disease are unresolved. High-dimensional analysis are broadly used in the context of aging and disease addressing fundamental alterations in hematopoiesis and clonal contributions to benign and malignant hematopoiesis.
This session will focus on recent advances in understanding the regulation of hematopoiesis in response to the stem cell microenvironment but also more broadly to systemic factors and it will also address approaches to reverse potentially harmful molecular alterations. Attendees will be exposed to recent advances in the field of hematopoietic stem cell regulation with the context of its native environment.
Chair:
Stephanie Halene
Yale University School of Medicine
New Haven, CT, United States
Speakers:
Marta Derecka, PhD
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, TN, United States
Context Matters: HSC Regeneration in the Cellular Niche
Leif Ludwig
Berlin Institute of Health at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Tic, Toc: Cell Intrinsic Regul
Eirini Trompouki
Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), CNRS UMR7284, INSERM U1081, Université Cote d'Azur, 06107, Nice, France.
Nice, France
Preventing Fires: Targeting Strategies to Mitigate Clonal Evolution
Ouch-it Hurts: Mechanisms of the Origin, Perception and Evolution of Pain in Sickle Cell Disease
The understanding and treatment of pain in
many genetically inherited red blood cell disorders such as sickle cell disease
(SCD) and hemophilia remain understudied, while individuals with these rare
diseases continue to suffer and lead a poor quality of life since childhood.
Individuals with SCD suffer with debilitating and often life-threatening and
unpredictable episodes of acute pain of “crises,” in addition to lifelong
chronic pain. Opioids are the mainstay of pain therapy but remain challenging
due to side effects and stigma. A critical unmet need is to identify how organ
damage, sickle cell pathobiology, social determinants of health, and curative
therapies influence SCD pain?
This session will present the current understanding of mechanisms underlying sickle cell pain, revealing treatable targets for the development of novel interventions to prevent/treat pain. It will highlight novel molecular and cellular mechanism based pharmacologic and integrative approaches and advancement in non-invasive technology to treat pain with potential for translation to the clinics.
Chair:
Hyacinth Hyacinth
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cincinnati, OH, United States
Speakers:
Kalpna Gupta, PhD
University of California, Irvine, CA
Orange, CA, United States
Two Sides of the Same Coin: Sickle Cell Pathobiology and Neural Mechanisms that Evoke, Maintain and Perceive Pain
Bin He
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Treat the Pain in My Brain: Understanding Neuromodulation and Technology Enhanced Interventions for Sickle Cell Disease Pain
Manisha Madkaikar
ICMR-National Institute of Immunohaematology
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
It Refuses to Leave: The Challenging Bone Pain in Sickle Cell Disease
Special Symposium on the Basic Science in Hemostasis and Thrombosis
Wound healing is a highly coordinated process composed of distinct but interdependent phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and tissue remodeling. The precise timing of each phase is essential for effective tissue repair and the prevention of excessive scarring. This session will highlight the critical contributions of platelets, the coagulation cascade, and the fibrinolytic system in promoting optimal cutaneous wound healing.
The session will also explore the intricate mechanisms that regulate clot structure and influence wound healing at the intersection of hemostasis, vascular biology, and platelet function.
Speakers:
Ashley Brown
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC, United States
Clots, Cuts, and Healing: The Dynamic trio of Coagulation, Platelets, and Fibrinolysis
Tirthadipa Pradhan-Sundd, PhD
Versiti Blood Research Institute
Milwaukee, WI, United States
Blood, Clots, and Scars: Unraveling the Hidden Links Between Coagulation and Liver Cirrhosis
Oliver Borst
University of Tuebingen
Tübingen, Germany
Lipoprotein(a) and Venous Thromboembolism: A Silent Culprit or Innocent Bystander?
Targeting Cancer Metabolism – Innovative Methods to Translation
Cancer cells exhibit heightened
context-specific metabolism, driven in part by specific genetic lesions
(translocations/mutations) and microenvironmental constraints. Intrinsic tumor
metabolism has profound implications on therapy sensitivity and resistance.
Despite identification of small molecule metabolic inhibitors, targeting
metabolism has been challenging given the plasticity of cellular metabolism and
toxicity in normal cells. Testing metabolic inhibitors more comprehensively in
immune competent models and identification of synthetically lethal strategies
can overcome barriers to targeting cancer metabolism. A re-interest in tumor
metabolism has emerged from a better understanding of why cells engage aerobic
glycolysis i.e. the Warburg effect and identification of oncometabolites like
2-HG. Serum metabolites including 2-HG have aided in stratifying AML prognosis.
Diet and microbial derived metabolites also are emerging as important
regulators of therapy sensitivity.
This session will review mechanisms of tumor-specific metabolism, and insights on how extrinsic metabolites impact therapy sensitivity and resistance will be highlighted. The session will also shed light on approaches that have informed researchers’ understanding of cancer metabolism including the identification of therapeutic strategies for heme malignancies.
Chair:
Mala Shanmugam
Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University
Atlanta, GA, United States
Speakers:
Matthew Vander Heiden, MD, PhD
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA, United States
Nutrient Environment Considerations for Understanding Leukemia Therapy
Jeffrey C Rathmell
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL, United States
Metabolic Sources of Immune Cell Dysfunction
Andrew Intlekofer
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY, United States
Enzyme Hyperactivation to Target Oncometabolism