Special Interest Sessions

Ancestry Origins in Personalized Medicine: Advancing Biological Discovery, Population-Representative Research Design, and Translational Validity in Hematology

This session presents an integrated scientific framework for understanding how ancestry-associated genomic, epigenomic, immune, and microenvironmental variation shapes disease biology across malignant and classical hematologic disorders. Using diverse diseases as illustrative systems, it will highlight shared ancestry-driven mechanisms and population-specific determinants of hematopoietic and immune function, as well as the consequences of underrepresentation in multi-omic datasets. 

Cross-cutting discussions will examine how these factors affect biologic interpretation, biomarker development, therapeutic discovery, and translational validity, alongside the methodological limitations of current computational, statistical, and AI approaches. A central emphasis is on actionable, scalable solutions—including ancestry-aware models, globally representative cohort design, functional and multi-omic strategies, and international collaborations—to improve rigor, inclusivity, reproducibility, and the fair implementation of precision medicine in hematology.

Chairs:

Ruemu Ejedafeta Birhiray, MD
Marian University Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine
Indianapolis, IN

Ari Melnick, MD
Weill Cornel Medicine
Barcelona, Spain

Speakers:

Ambroise Wonkam, MD, PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
Population Genomics and Hematologic Disease Mechanisms Across Ancestries

Eimear Kenny, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, NY
Modeling Ancestry-Informed Bias in Hematology: Duffy-null Status and Other Genotypic Determinants

Ari Melnick, MD
Weill Cornel Medicine
Barcelona, Spain
Tumor Microenvironment and SASP in Lymphoma: Biological Heterogeneity and Translational Implications

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ASH Clinicians in Practice Lunch - Beyond Bandwidth: Improving Workflow Efficiency in Clinical Practice through Clinical Collaborations and Artificial Intelligence

The changing landscape and expectations of clinical practice have created an increasingly challenging practice environment. Added administrative tasks, documentation, regulatory requirements, and system inefficiencies alongside workforce shortages among each of the different types of providers has contributed to strain on delivering high quality health care and on those who provide it.  This session aims to show – from a systems perspective – innovative and practical approaches to improve practice efficiencies and workflows both through clinician collaboration and artificial intelligent tools. In this session, panelists will speak on, partnering with primary care to eliminate inefficiencies, optimizing clinician-APP collaboration to expand capacity, and how new AI tools are being integrated to streamline practice workflows. 

Chair:

Mary-Elizabeth Percival, MD
Miami Cancer Institute , Baptist Health South Florida
Florida, TX

Speakers:

Kylee L. Martens, MD
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR
Partnering with Primary Care to Eliminate Inefficiencies

Camila Masias, MD, MPH
Baptist Health Medical Group
Miami, FL
Development of Clinical Collaborations with Advanced Practice Providers to Create Efficiencies

Aziz Nazha, MD
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA
AI: Artificial Intelligence as a Tool to Streamline Practice Workflows

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ASH-FDA Joint Symposium on Newly Approved Therapies 1

These joint sessions, co-sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will feature therapies recently approved to treat hematologic disorders. FDA product-reviewers will discuss the safety and efficacy issues for the products' clinical trials and toxicity studies. The program will also include clinicians who will discuss their perspectives on the use of the products in the real-world setting. There will be ample time for questions from the audience.

More to come...

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ASH-FDA Joint Symposium on Newly Approved Therapies 2

These joint sessions, co-sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will feature therapies recently approved to treat hematologic disorders. FDA product-reviewers will discuss the safety and efficacy issues for the products' clinical trials and toxicity studies. The program will also include clinicians who will discuss their perspectives on the use of the products in the real-world setting. There will be ample time for questions from the audience.

More to come...

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Back to Business Breakfast

Start your Monday morning with a networking-style breakfast designed to connect innovators, investors, and leaders at the forefront of hematology. This informal reception will feature a brief introduction to ASH IGNITE, and speeches from key opinion leaders in the innovation and commercialization space. This breakfast is sponsored by the ASH Business of Innovation Task Force, the steering committee for ASH IGNITE which is the Society’s new initiative and digital platform focused on advancing the business of innovation in hematology. 

Chair:

Jonathan Hoggatt, PhD
Moderna
Cambridge, MA

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Blood Presents: How to Get Published in a Peer Review Journal

Peer-reviewed journals serve a crucial role in helping researchers refine and publicize their work and helping readers sort through the ever-expanding scientific literature. Yet finding the right journal for one's research and framing data properly can be a challenge. The editors of Blood will present recommended practices for writing a scientific paper and submitting it to a peer-reviewed journal. The session will include topics such as how to develop the "story" for your research, how to respond to reviewer comments, and what to do when your submission is rejected. The presentation will be followed by a period for audience questions.

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Clinical Practice Guideline on the Treatment of Iron Deficiency with or without Anemia

Evidence-based recommendations related to oral versus intravenous iron therapy, including effects on clinical outcomes, patient-reported outcomes, and adverse effects will be reviewed. Speakers will highlight how these recommendations compare with common practice patterns and where changes in therapy selection may be warranted. Attention will be given to how recommendations differ across important patient populations based on clinical risk factors including underlying etiology and severity of anemia. The session will also address incorporating patient values and preferences as well as how to approach challenging clinical scenarios where evidence is limited.  

By the end of the session, attendees should be able to describe the major recommendations for the treatment of iron deficiency, recognize situations in which guideline-directed care may differ from current practice, and identify concrete steps to align their clinical decision-making with these recommendations across diverse patient populations and care settings.

ASH has developed evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on the treatment of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. This session will focus on key recommendations and their application in everyday clinical practice, emphasizing how these guidelines can improve outcomes for pediatric patients, pregnant patients, and patients with blood loss (menstrual and other chronic blood loss) with iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia.

Chair:

Jacquelyn Powers, MD, MS
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX

Speakers:

Thomas Deloughery, MD
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR
Severe Anemia, Chronic Blood Loss, or Inflammation, Oh My! Recommendations For the Treatment of Adults with Iron Deficiency

Amanda Jacobson-Kelly, MD, MSc
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, OH
Indications and Approach to Iron Replacement Therapies in Children with Iron Deficiency

Jori May, MD
University of Alabama
Birmingham, AL
Menstruating and Pregnant Populations with Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia: Outcomes of Oral Versus Intravenous Iron Therapy

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Clinical Practice Guideline on the Treatment of Light-Chain Amyloidosis

ASH has developed evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on the treatment of light chain (AL) amyloidosis. This session will focus on key recommendations and their application in everyday clinical practice, emphasizing how these guidelines can improve outcomes for patients with AL amyloidosis.

Presenters will review major recommendations related to key clinical decisions including optimal first line therapy, the role of autologous stem cell transplantation, hematological and organ response/progression adapted treatment paradigms and management of relapsed/refractory disease. The session will highlight how these recommendations compare with common practice patterns and where changes in treatment may be warranted. Attention will be given to how recommendations differ across important patient subgroups, such as hematological response.

The session will also address practical considerations in implementing the recommendations, including balancing efficacy and toxicity, coordinating care across specialties and care settings, and incorporating patient values and preferences. Presenters will discuss clinical scenarios that are frequently encountered but challenging, areas where evidence is limited and clinician judgment is particularly important, and strategies for adapting recommendations in resource-constrained environments.

By the end of the session, attendees should be able to describe the major recommendations for the treatment of AL amyloidosis, recognize situations in which care may differ from current practice, and identify concrete steps to align their clinical decision-making with these recommendations across diverse patient populations and care settings.

Chair:

Vishal Kukreti, MD, MSc, FRCP
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Toronto, ON, Canada

Speakers:

Vaishali Sanchorawala, MD
Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine
Boston, MA
Front-Line Therapy for Transplant-Eligible AL Amyloidosis

Manisha Bhutani, MD
Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute
Charlotte, NC
How Deep Is Deep Enough? Response-Guided ASCT Decisions in AL Amyloidosis

Timothy Martin Schmidt, MD
University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
Madison, 
Relapsed and Refractory AL Amyloidosis

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Early Faculty Career Development Session

The theme for the 2026 Early Faculty Career Development session is “Different Strokes for Different Folks: Surviving Academia in a Changing Environment.” The topical presentations will cover how to pursue non-traditional, non-academic hematology careers and how to diversify funding sources. The panel discussion following the presentations will focus on tackling common obstacles, like managing imposter syndrome, how to say “no” to manage workload and maintain work-life balance, and how to successfully negotiate.

Chair:

Annie Im, MD
University of Pittsburgh/UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Pittsburgh, PA

Speakers:

Kamal Menghrajani, MD, MSc
Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
How to Pursue Non-Traditional Academic Careers - Part 1

Nina Shah, MD
AstraZeneca
San Francisco, CA
How to Pursue Non-Traditional Academic Careers - Part 2

Julie Panepinto, MD
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD
Diversifying Funding - Part 1

Jonathan Licht, MD
Van Andel Institute
Grand Rapids, MI
Diversifying Funding - Part 2

Michaela Liedtke, MD
Stanford University Cancer Center
Stanford, CA
Tackling Common Obstacles - Panelist 1

Jane Churpek, MD, MS
The University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
Tackling Common Obstacles - Panelist 2

Rahma Warsame, MD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Tackling Common Obstacles - Panelist 3

Ifeyinwa Osunkwo, MD, MPH
Novo Nordisk
Plainsboro, 
Tackling Common Obstacles - Panelist 4

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Fireside Chats on Innovation in a Changing Regulatory Landscape

Hematology innovation is increasingly shaped by the intersection of regulatory expectations, investment decisions, and scientific advances. As policy priorities evolve, innovators must understand how regulatory signals influence translational planning, trial design, capital formation, and the adoption of emerging development tools.

This special-interest session will explore these issues through a series of fireside chats that build on one another. The first conversation will examine the regulatory environment affecting hematology innovation, including emerging Food and Drug Administration (FDA) priorities, common areas of misunderstanding among early-stage innovators, and the practical decisions teams should be considering now. The second conversation will focus on how investors interpret regulatory uncertainty and pipeline trends, including how these factors affect due diligence, portfolio strategy, and perceptions of fundable science. The final conversation will consider how new approach methodologies (NAMs), modeling strategies, and other translational tools may accelerate development while raising important questions about regulatory alignment and adoption.

Together, these discussions will help hematology innovators, funders, and other stakeholders better understand where regulation, investment, and science may be moving together or diverging. The session will close by identifying practical takeaways for innovators seeking to advance hematology discoveries in a changing development landscape.

Chair:

Jonathan Hoggatt, PhD
Moderna
Cambridge, MA

Speakers:

Jonathan Hoggatt, PhD
Moderna
Cambridge, MA
Opening Remarks

Tomas Ganz, MD, PhD
UCLA Medical School
Los Angeles, CA
Regulatory Environment

Meg Wood, MPH
NYBC Ventures
Boston, 
Investor Perspective: The Changing Regulatory Landscape

Wilbur A. Lam, MD, PhD
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
NAMs in the New Regulatory Landscape

Jonathan Hoggatt, PhD
Moderna
Cambridge, MA
Closing Remarks

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From Real-World Evidence to Real-World Impact: Translating Multiple Myeloma Data into Clinical Practice

Real-world evidence (RWE) has become an essential complement to clinical trials in multiple myeloma, offering insights into treatment effectiveness, safety, access, and outcomes across diverse patient populations and care settings. As RWE initiatives expand globally, a critical question remains: how can real-world data be translated into analyses that meaningfully inform clinical practice, research priorities, and policy

This special session will convene leaders from major international and U.S.-based RWE efforts including the International Myeloma Working Group, academic and clinical programs, and the ASH Research Collaborative Multiple Myeloma Research Network to present data-driven case studies derived from active real-world datasets. Each project will present the underlying data, the analytic approach, and the key findings, with a clear focus on what was learned and why it matters.

Through these examples, speakers will illustrate how RWE has been used to:

·        Evaluate real-world treatment patterns and outcomes across lines of therapy

·        Assess effectiveness and safety in populations underrepresented in clinical trials

·        Identify gaps, disparities, and variations in care

·        Inform guideline development, trial design, and clinical decision-making

Importantly, presenters will also address the limitations, methodological challenges, and interpretive considerations encountered in their analyses, providing a balanced view of RWE’s strengths and constraints. The session will conclude with a moderated panel discussion engaging clinicians, researchers, industry, and government stakeholders on how collaborative RWE efforts can be optimized to maximize impact in multiple myeloma research and patient care.

Chair:

Saad Z. Usmani, MD, MBA
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, 

Speakers:

Saad Z. Usmani, MD, MBA
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, 
Welcome and Opening Remarks

Yi Lin Jr, MD, PhD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, 
International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Perspective: From Multinational Real-World Data to Global Myeloma Guidelines

Shaji Kumar, MD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, 
ASH Research Collaborative Multiple Myeloma Research Network: Building Actionable Evidence at Scale

Doris K. Hansen, MD
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, 
United States Experience: Real-World Evidence from U.S. Practice: Treatment Patterns, Outcomes, and Quality Improvement

Kimmo Porkka Jr, MD, PhD
University of Helsinki
Helsinki, Finland
Europe/Asia Perspective: Real-World Evidence from Diverse Health Care Systems: Treatment Patterns, Outcomes, and Quality Improvement (Part 1)

Wee-Joo Chng Jr, MD, PhD, MBBS, FRCP, FRCPath
National University of Singapore
Clementi, Singapore
Europe/Asia Perspective: Real-World Evidence from Diverse Health Care Systems: Treatment Patterns, Outcomes, and Quality Improvement (Part 2)

Saad Z. Usmani, MD, MBA
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, 
Panel Discussion, Audience Q&A, and Closing Remarks

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Medical Educators' Symposium

The 2026 theme of the Medical Educators Symposium is “Teaching with Intention: Time, Technology, and Inclusion in Modern Medical Education.” The program empowers clinicians and teachers to thrive in a rapidly evolving learning environment. This year’s program focuses on practical strategies for educator time management, wellness, and creating inclusive learning spaces, while embracing innovation through AI, educational apps, and social media. Participants will gain actionable tools to teach with purpose, balance, and creativity in the digital age.

Chair:

Reshma Ramlal, MD
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
Tampa, FL

Speakers:

Torsten Haferlach, MD, PhD
MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory
Munich, Germany
General Session 1: How to Use AI for Curriculum Development

Alice Ma, MD
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Chapel Hill, NC
General Session 2: Educator Wellness

Manpreet Kochhar, MD
Brown University
Providence, RI
General Session 3: MEI project presentation

Scott Moerdler Jr, MD
Rutgers Cancer Institute
New Brunswick, NJ
Breakout 1: Best AI and Social Media Tools to Support Instruction

Rakhi P. Naik Jr, MD
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Breakout 2: Fostering Critical Thinking and a Feedback Culture

Toyosi Onwuemene, MD, MS
Duke University
Durham, NC
Breakout 3: Time Management for Educators

Rima Jubran, MD, MPH
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Break 4: Creating Engaging Environments for Learners

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QI Intensive - A Practical Guide to Quality Improvement in Hematology

This interactive workshop provides a practical introduction to quality improvement (QI) principles and their application within hematology practice. Designed for hematologists, trainees, advanced practice providers, nurses, and interdisciplinary healthcare professionals, the session introduces participants to the foundational concepts of improvement science and equips them with the skills necessary to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful QI initiatives.

Through a combination of didactic teaching, case-based discussions, and interactive exercises, participants will learn how to identify gaps in care, develop effective problem and aim statements, and utilize commonly used QI tools. The workshop will emphasize the importance of measurement in QI, including the use of process, outcome, and balancing measures to determine whether changes result in true improvement. Real-world hematology examples will be used to illustrate key concepts and provide practical insights into conducting successful QI projects.

The session will also introduce participants to the American Society of Hematology’s Quality Improvement Training Institute (QITI), a comprehensive hematology-focused QI training program that supports teams in developing and disseminating impactful improvement work. By the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to apply core QI methodologies to their own clinical environments, identify meaningful measures of success, engage stakeholders effectively, and develop sustainable strategies to improve the quality, safety, equity, and patient-centeredness of hematologic care.

Chair:

Michael Keng, MD
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA

Speakers:

Menaka Pai, MD, MSc, BSc, FRCPC
McMaster University
Hamilton, Canada
Understanding the Problem and Developing Measures within Quality Improvement

Michael Keng, MD
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, 
Process Analysis Tools and Introduction to Data in Quality Improvement

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Real-World Data Applications in Sickle Cell Disease Trial Design

This special session will examine how real-world data, disease registries, and emerging trial designs are transforming evidence generation in sickle cell disease (SCD). Through a series of data-driven, practice-oriented presentations, speakers will present concrete examples of how registry and EHR data are being used to support contemporaneous and simulated external control arms, inform post-authorization safety studies, and address longstanding challenges in SCD clinical research where traditional placebo-controlled designs may be infeasible. 

The session will highlight the ASH Research Collaborative SCD Data Hub as a real-world infrastructure for trial-aligned evidence generation, including lessons learned from constructing external control populations, assessing data readiness for trial-critical variables, and aligning registry-based outcomes with clinical trial benchmarks. Presentations will also address current debates around the use of synthetic data for control arm construction, emphasizing why high-quality registry and EHR data remain essential for preserving clinical validity, especially for safety outcomes and underrepresented?populations. One session will include a case study on defining acute sickle cell pain as a real-world data endpoint, demonstrating how structured data review, quality assessment, and endpoint definition can translate routine EHR data into meaningful, interpretable evidence.  

Collectively, these talks will provide attendees with a practical and methodologically grounded framework for leveraging real-world registry data to strengthen the rigor, transparency, and regulatory credibility of clinical trials and post-market evaluation in sickle cell disease.

Chair:

Charles Abrams, MD
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA

Speakers:

Charles Abrams, MD
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Welcome and Opening Remarks

Michael Callaghan Jr, MD
Agios Pharmaceuticals
Cambridge, MA
Using the SCD Data Hub as a Contemporaneous Control Arm in a Clinical Trial

Keith Marsolo, PhD
Duke University
Durham, NC
EHR to Evidence: Defining Acute Sickle Cell Pain as a Real-World Data Endpoint

Jeremy Rupon, MD, PhD
Pfizer Inc
Philadelphia, PA
Simulating Placebo Control Arms Using Real-World Registry Data in Sickle Cell Disease Trials

Tina Hernandez-Boussard, PhD, MPH, MS
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Real World Registry Controls Versus Synthetic Data: Safeguarding Validity in Trial Design

Charles Abrams, MD
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Panel Discussion and Q&A

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Showcasing a Decade of Discoveries in Blood Advances

Blood Advances debuted at the 58th ASH Annual Meeting in 2016, making this year’s Annual Meeting the 10th anniversary of the journal. Over those 10 years, Blood Advances has published studies of major clinical and scientific impact, including clinical trial reports, foundational basic science studies, and the ASH Clinical Guidelines. The founding editor-in-chief of Blood Advances, Dr. Robert Negrin, will introduce the session, where Dr. Catherine Bollard (current Editor-in Chief) and Dr. Andrew Weyrich (Deputy Editor), will highlight a selection of the journal's most impactful publications. The presentation will be followed by a period for audience questions.

Chair:

Robert Negrin, MD
President, American Society of Hematology, Stanford University
Stanford, CA

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The AI Colleague: Promise, Peril, and Practice in Hematology

This session will introduce the emerging landscape of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in hematology and explore its practical applications, evolving capabilities, and key challenges. Generative AI and large language models (LLMs) are rapidly transforming how clinicians and investigators interact with biomedical information. In hematology, these technologies have the potential to accelerate knowledge synthesis, augment clinical decision-making, automate routine analytical tasks, and enable entirely new modes of scientific discovery. At the same time, their integration into clinical and research workflows raises important questions regarding reliability, oversight, bias, and responsible deployment. 

Following a brief overview of the field, three expert presentations will address complementary perspectives: the first talk will focus on practical generative AI tools for clinicians and investigators — LLM-based assistance for literature synthesis, clinical documentation, research workflows, coding, and data analysis. The second talk will examine multi-agent AI systems — how multiple AI models collaborate to perform complex reasoning, analysis, and autonomous scientific workflows. The third talk will address limitations and risks of generative AI — hallucinations, bias amplification, data governance, and strategies for responsible adoption and human oversight.

Chair:

Roni Shouval Jr, MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Speakers:

Andrew Srisuwananukorn, MD
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH
Practical generative AI tools for clinicians and investigators

Jan-Niklas Eckardt, MD
Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, TUD Dresden University of Technology
Dresden, Germany
Multi-agent AI systems

Vanessa Kennedy, MD
Stanford University
Palo Alto, CA
Limitations and risks of generative AI

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The Future of Clinical Endpoints in Sickle Cell Disease

A key ongoing challenge in sickle cell disease (SCD) clinical trials is the field’s reliance on vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC)–based endpoints to evaluate treatment efficacy. Although VOCs are a defining feature of SCD, they are episodic, heterogeneous, and influenced by variability in care practices, access to healthcare, and reporting. These limitations complicate interpretation of study results and hinder comparability across trials. At the same time, many high-impact manifestations of SCD—such as chronic pain, organ damage, and impaired quality of life—lack standardized definitions or validated biomarkers and composite endpoints, constraining innovation in trial design and slowing regulatory progress. 

This session, chaired by Dr. Alexis Thompson, will open with remarks that provide an overview and updates on the ASH Center for Sickle Cell Disease Initiatives, framing the broader context for the discussion. This will be followed by a presentation from Dr. Karina Yazdanbakhsh reviewing the current landscape and recent progress in SCD endpoints, highlighting both advances and persistent gaps. 

A moderated panel discussion led by Dr. Melissa Creary will bring together multidisciplinary perspectives. Panelists include Dr. Karina Yazdanbakhsh, Dr. Nicole Verdun, Dr. Julie Panepinto, Dr. Ted Love, and Dr. Ronisha Edwards-Elliott, representing research, clinical care, regulatory science, industry, and the patient community. 

Discussion will focus on identifying endpoints beyond VOCs, including the role of biomarkers, composite measures, and patient-reported outcomes that better capture disease burden and treatment benefit. Panelists will also examine whether current limitations stem from gaps in endpoint development, trial design, or alignment with precision medicine approaches. 

As the therapeutic landscape expands to include gene addition therapies, gene editing, and disease-modifying agents such as hydroxyurea, defining meaningful and measurable outcomes is increasingly urgent. By highlighting diverse perspectives, this session aims to identify opportunities for alignment across stakeholders and outline next steps to advance endpoint development, improve trial design, and accelerate progress toward patient-centered outcomes in SCD research.

Chair:

Alexis A. Thompson, MD, MPH
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA

Speakers:

Alexis A. Thompson, MD, MPH
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Welcome and Opening Remarks

Karina Yazdanbakhsh, PhD
New York Blood Center Enterprises
Rye, NY
Setting the Stage: Progress and/or Current Landscape of SCD Endpoints

Melissa Creary, PhD
University of Michigan School of Public Health
Ann Arbor, MI
Advancing SCD Endpoints: Multidisciplinary Perspectives - Panel Discussion - Moderator

Nicole Verdun, MD
Food and Drug Administration
DC, 
Advancing SCD Endpoints: Multidisciplinary Perspectives - Panel Discussion - Panelist 1

Julie Panepinto, MD
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD
Advancing SCD Endpoints: Multidisciplinary Perspectives - Panel Discussion - Panelist 2

Ted Love, Md
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
DC, DC
Advancing SCD Endpoints: Multidisciplinary Perspectives - Panel Discussion - Panelist 3

Ronisha Edwards-Elliot, BA, MA
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
Advancing SCD Endpoints: Multidisciplinary Perspectives - Panel Discussion - Panelist 4

Karina Yazdanbakhsh, PhD
New York Blood Center Enterprises
Rye, NY
Advancing SCD Endpoints: Multidisciplinary Perspectives - Panel Discussion - Panelist 5

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The Predicament of Patients in Prison: A Hematology Perspective

Chair:

Alan Mast, MD, PhD
Versiti Blood Research Institute
Milwaukee, WI

Speakers:

Shira Shavit
UCSF
San Francisco, CA
Subject Matter Expert

Anjali Niyogi
Tulane University School of Medicine
New Orleans, LA
Subject Matter Expert

Michael R DeBaun, MD, MNAMS, MPH
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Nashville, TN
Hematologists

Ian Cazenave
Formerly Incarcerated Transitions (FIT) Clinic
New Orleans, LA
Lived Experience Expert Representative

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Training Program Directors Workshop

In 2026, the Training Program Directors Workshop will focus on career pathways for hematologists and how to support trainees in search of research funding given the current political climate. Speakers from various stages of their career will provide insights and discuss various perspectives and will also provide a summary of ASH opportunities to support trainees. The workshop will also focus on the relevance of artificial intelligence to program directors. Participants will discuss how to use AI within medical education resources and how to develop guidelines for fellows who use AI. The last segment of this session will include a discussion on program signaling from both the program director and trainee perspectives.

Chair:

Katherine Walsh Jr, MD, MEd
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, TN

Speakers:

Alissa Kleinhenz, MD
UCSF
San Francisco, CA
Supporting Fellows in their Pursuit of Research Funding and Career Placement (Part 1)

Olufolake Egbujo (Adisa) Jr, MD, MSc
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
East Hanover, NJ
Supporting Fellows in their Pursuit of Research Funding and Career Placement (Part 2)

Andrew Srisuwananukorn, MD
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH
Artificial Intelligence for Program Directors (Part 1)

Roni Shouval Jr, MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Artificial Intelligence for Program Directors (Part 2)

Lori Rosenstein, MD
Emplify by Gundersen Health
La Crosse, WI
Insights and Experiences After One Year of Program Signaling (Part 1)

Kenneth S. Cohen Jr, MD
The University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Insights and Experiences After One Year of Program Signaling (Part 2)

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Treating Fairly Rounds Lunch

The theme for the 2026 Treating Fairly Rounds Lunch will be “Challenges and Opportunities with Healthcare Reform”. The session will cover steps that the average fellow and hematologist can take to influence policy and funding changes in areas like research funding, Medicaid, and funding for hospitals. The conversation will explore the intersection of policy and inequities and what attendees can do to try to influence outcomes.

Chairs:

Urshila Durani, MD, MPH
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN

Srinivas Devarakonda, MD
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH

Speakers:

Deirdra Terrell Jr, PhD
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, OK
Challenges and Opportunities with Healthcare Reform (Perspective 1)

Amar Harry Kelkar Jr, MD, MPH
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Challenges and Opportunities with Healthcare Reform (Perspective 2)