Special Interest Sessions

Special Interest sessions provide the opportunity for ASH’s various communities to focus on specific topics of interest, ranging from coping with physician stress and burnout, to counseling fellows on careers in hematology, to the impact of ASH’s international outreach programs.

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.

Jump to:

ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Aplastic Anemia

In this session, speakers will highlight recommendations from the 2025 ASH guidelines on aplastic anemia and will discuss important considerations for the application of the recommendations in practice.

Chair:

Phillip Scheinberg, MD
Hospital A Beneficencia Portuguesa
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Speakers:

Austin G. Kulasekararaj, MD, MBBS, FRCPath, MRCP
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
London, United Kingdom
Recommendations for Diagnosis of Aplastic Anemia

Kristin Ammon Shimano
UCSF Benioff Children0s Hospital
San Francisco, CA, United States
Recommendations for transplant in patients with Aplastic Anemia

Emma Groarke, MD
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Bethesda, MD, United States
Recommendations for IST and medical management of Aplastic Anemia

ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency with and without Anemia

In this session, speakers will highlight recommendations from the upcoming ASH guidelines on diagnosis of iron deficiency and will discuss important considerations for the application of the recommendations in practice.

Chair:

Jacquelyn Powers, MD
Texas Children's Hematology Center
Houston, TX, United States

Speakers:

Imo Akpan, MD
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, NY, United States
Ferritin, TSAT, and how low is too low: Diagnosis of iron deficiency in adults

Layla Van Doren, MD, MBA
Yale School of Medicine
New Haven, CT, United States
Menstruating individuals: Evidence-based ferritin thresholds

Michelle Sholzberg, MD
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON, Canada
Screening and defining iron deficiency in pregnant individuals

ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Hydroxyurea for Sickle Cell Disease

In this session, speakers will highlight recommendations from the upcoming ASH guidelines on dosing and monitoring of hydroxyurea for SCD and will discuss important considerations for the application of the recommendations in practice.

Chair:

Venee N. Tubman, MDMMSc
Texas Children's Hospital
Houston, TX, United States

Speakers:

Aimee Hildenbrand, PhD
Nemours Children's Health
Wilmington, DE, United States
Adherence Recommendations for Hydroxyurea for SCD

Marvin Reid
Caribbean Institute for Health Research
Kingston 7, Jamaica W.I., Jamaica
Monitoring Recommendations for Hydroxyurea for SCD

Jane Hankins, MD, MS
St Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, TN, United States
Dosing Recommendations for Hydroxyurea for SCD

ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Myelofibrosis

In this session, speakers will highlight recommendations from the upcoming ASH guidelines on myelofibrosis and will discuss important considerations for the application of the recommendations in practice.

Chair:

Brady Stein, MD
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, IL, United States

Speakers:

Anthony Michael Hunter, MD
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Atlanta, GA, United States
Myelofibrosis Recommendation Highlights: Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), Aspirin Therapy, and Iron Chelators

Douglas Tremblay, MD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, NY, United States
Jak Inhibitors in Myelofibrosis: Recommendations for Different Risk Profiles, Symptoms, and Treatment History

Natasha Szuber
University of Montreal
Montreal, QC, Canada
Timing Transplantation and Pre-Transplant Therapy in Myelofibrosis: Recommendations for Optimal Management

ASH Clinicians in Practice Lunch: Access to Critical Drugs: The Causes, Costs, and Campaigns

Chair:

Mary-Elizabeth Percival, MD
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Seattle, WA, United States

Speakers:

Thomas Roades
Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy
Durham, NC, United States
The interactions of the pharmaceutical system and how the competing demands of different stakeholders can influence cost and shortages

Emily Mackler
YesRX
Ann Arbor, MI, United States
Combatting drug shortages with drug repository programs

Brooke Boring
Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association
Milwaukee, WI, United States
Advocacy at the federal and state level and how practitioners can get engaged

ASH Hemostasis and Thrombosis Community Networking Reception

ASH’s SCD Initiative: 10 Years of Progress and a Look to the Future of Sickle Cell Disease Research and Care

Join us for the Center for Sickle Cell Disease Reception in W240 to follow.

Chair:

Alexis A. Thompson, MDMPH
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, United States

Speakers:

Alexis A. Thompson, MDMPH
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, United States
10 Years of Progress: ASH’s Sickle Cell Disease initiatives

Catherine Chunda-Liyoka, Dr
University Teaching Hospitals - Childrens Hospitals, Ministry of Health
Lusaka, Zambia

Omar Niss, MD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH, United States
Leveraging the ASH Research Collaborative SCD Research Network to Understand Underused Disease Modifying Therapies and Updates from Voxelotor?Withdrawal

Michael R DeBaun, MD, MPH
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Nashville, TN, United States
Findings from “Sickle Cell Trait Does Not Cause ‘Sickle Cell Crisis’ Leading to Exertion Related Death: A Systematic Review”

Michael R DeBaun, MD, MPH
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Nashville, TN, United States

Catherine Chunda-Liyoka, Dr
University Teaching Hospitals - Childrens Hospitals, Ministry of Health
Lusaka, Zambia
Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa – Diagnostic to Community Based Efforts

Omar Niss, MD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH, United States

Robert Liem, MD
Lurie Children's Hospital
Chicago, IL, United States
ASH SCD Clinical Guidelines and Implementation Tools in Action

Robert Liem, MD
Lurie Children's Hospital
Chicago, IL, United States

ASH-FDA Joint Symposium on Newly Approved Therapies I

These joint sessions, co-sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will feature drugs 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.

ASH-FDA Joint Symposium on Newly Approved Therapies II

Back to Business Breakfast

Join us at the first ever Back to Business Breakfast, a?networking-style breakfast and a closer look at ASH IGNITE, the Society’s new initiative advancing the business of innovation in hematology. A member of the ASH Business of Innovation Task Force will briefly introduce the ASH IGNITE platform, which features a Knowledge Center of expert-vetted resources and a Networking Hub connecting innovators and investors, with the goal of bringing together like-minded hematologists to create a network of innovators.

Blood Advances Presents: How to Peer Review a Scientific Paper

In this session, the Deputy Editor from Blood Advances will demystify the peer review process, covering why it matters, what makes it effective, and how you can contribute meaningfully as a reviewer. Attendees will learn practical strategies for evaluating manuscripts constructively and ethically. If you’re new to the process or looking to refine your approach, this is your crash course in becoming a trusted voice in scientific publishing.

Speaker:

Andrew Weyrich
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Oklahoma City, OK, United States
Blood Advances Presents: How to Peer Review a Scientific Paper

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

In this candid and practical session, the Editor-in-Chief and one of the Deputy Editors from Blood will walk you through the key steps in preparing and submitting a scientific manuscript. The session will cover what editors are looking for, common pitfalls in manuscript preparation, what to expect after submission, and how to approach revisions or rejections with professionalism and purpose.

Speaker:

Andrew Roberts
Walter Eliza Hall Institute
Melbourne, Australia
Blood Presents: How to Get Published in a Peer Review Journal

Celebrating Diverse Voices: Enriching Hematology Lunch

This is a community-building and networking event for members from an expansive and inclusive group of communities attending the meeting. The event is hosted by the Committee on Advancing Excellence and Population Health and aims to create space for these communities to learn more about the differing experiences and needs across communities and create a sense of belonging and allyship. This year’s event will include inspiring remarks from a fellow member and networking opportunities throughout.

Center for Sickle Cell Disease Initiatives Reception

Join us for a special evening reception celebrating ASH’s 10-year commitment to improving the lives of individuals living with sickle cell disease. This milestone event honors a decade of transformative progress, collaboration, and advocacy. Guests will have the opportunity to network with leaders in hematology and sickle cell research. Whether you’ve been part of this movement from the beginning or are newly engaged, we welcome you to celebrate this momentous occasion with us.

Early Faculty Career Development Session

This year, we will focus on how to be successful in your first 'real' job. Curated faculty speakers representing diverse job profiles will share their journey and advice on this topic. Strategies to develop a productive clinical or laboratory based research program, finding success as an practicing clinician and a clinical educator will be discussed. The speakers will then join a panel discussion on pathways to sustained success and job satisfaction where they will also address questions from the audience.

Chair:

Hetty Carraway, MD, MBA
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH, United States

Speakers:

Courtney Jones, PhD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Cincinnati, OH, United States
Developing a Productive Research Program (How to Set up a New Laboratory) - Part 1

Alexey V. Danilov, MD, PhD
City of Hope National Medical Center
Duarte, CA, United States
Developing a Productive Research Program (How to Set up a New Laboratory) - Part 2

Peter Kouides, MD
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY, United States
Developing a Focused Area of Clinical Expertise - Part 1

Usha S Perepu
UT Health San Antonio
San Antonio, TX, United States
Developing a Focused Area of Clinical Expertise - Part 2

Courtney Jones, PhD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Cincinnati, OH, United States
Setting Yourself Up for Sustained Success - Panelist 1

Alexey V. Danilov, MD, PhD
City of Hope National Medical Center
Duarte, CA, United States
Setting Yourself Up for Sustained Success - Panelist 2

Peter Kouides, MD
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY, United States
Setting Yourself Up for Sustained Success - Panelist 3

Usha S Perepu
UT Health San Antonio
San Antonio, TX, United States
Setting Yourself Up for Sustained Success - Panelist 4

Grassroots Network Lunch

Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) Oral Presentations – Classical Hematology

Join us for this special session highlighting the research of ASH Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) awardees. The HIP initiative is a comprehensive, 13-year longitudinal career pathway designed to ensure that the field of hematology reflects and serves the diverse world we live in. The session will feature oral scientific presentations from current program awardees, highlighting their innovative work and contributions to the field, with a focus on Classical Hematology.

Following the presentations, we welcome you to connect with the HIP community and celebrate our awardees and their mentors at a networking reception.

Moderators:

Imo Akpan

Satiro De Oliveira

Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) Oral Presentations – Health Services Outcomes

Join us for this special session highlighting the research of ASH Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) awardees. The HIP initiative is a comprehensive, 13-year longitudinal career pathway designed to ensure that the field of hematology reflects and serves the diverse world we live in. The session will feature oral scientific presentations from current program awardees, highlighting their innovative work and contributions to the field, with a focus on Health Services Outcomes.

Following the presentations, we welcome you to connect with the HIP community and celebrate our awardees and their mentors at a networking reception.

Moderators:

Margo Rollins

Joanna Robles

Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) Oral Presentations - Malignant Hematology I

Join us for this special session highlighting the research of ASH Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) awardees. The HIP initiative is a comprehensive, 13-year longitudinal career pathway designed to ensure that the field of hematology reflects and serves the diverse world we live in. The session will feature oral scientific presentations from current program awardees, highlighting their innovative work and contributions to the field, with a focus on Malignant Hematology.

Following the presentations, we welcome you to connect with the HIP community and celebrate our awardees and their mentors at a networking reception.

Moderators:

Yolanda Fortenberry

Nada Hamad

Speaker:

Cilomar Martins de Oliveira Filho
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, MA, United States
Risk stratification of patients with TP53-mutated myeloproliferative neoplasms

Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) Oral Presentations – Malignant Hematology II

Join us for this special session highlighting the research of ASH Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) awardees. The HIP initiative is a comprehensive, 13-year longitudinal career pathway designed to ensure that the field of hematology reflects and serves the diverse world we live in. The session will feature oral scientific presentations from current program awardees, highlighting their innovative work and contributions to the field, with a focus on Malignant Hematology.

Following the presentations, we welcome you to connect with the HIP community and celebrate our awardees and their mentors at a networking reception.

Moderators:

Anita D'Souza, MD

Randolph Lyde

Speaker:

Kevin Robert Reyes, MD
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA, United States
The Role of Immunogenomics on the Sequencing of T-cell Redirection Therapies in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Hematology Inclusion Pathway Reception

How Can Community-Based and Academic Hematologists Foster Clinical Trial Participation as Part of Patient Care?

Patients often learn about clinical trials from their healthcare providers. However, the barriers to trial participation include: patients not being offered trials; physicians not having the capacity to effectively navigate clinicaltrials.gov and enroll patients; and community-based physicians are often not engaged (or engaged early enough to make a meaningful impact) in the clinical trial life cycle. This session will (1) address barriers that practicing hematologists face offering trials to patients, (2) provide practical solutions to overcome these barriers and (3) highlight best practices to engage patients and increase participation in trials.

Speakers will consist of a mix of practicing hematologists as well as other stakeholders in the clinical trial enterprise sharing their perspectives on the issue. The session will conclude with the speakers providing practical tactics that the audience can take to enhance access, inclusivity, and ultimately representation in hematology trials.

Chair:

Leonard Valentino
Rush University Medical Center
New York, NY, United States

Speakers:

Leonard Valentino
Rush University Medical Center
New York, NY, United States
Challenges to Clinical Trial Participation

Lanre Tunji-Ajayi, MS
Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario
Pickering, ON, Canada
Patient Perspective

John M. M. Burke, MD
Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers
Aurora, CO, United States
Engagement of Community Physicians in Clinical Trials

Fabio Dennstaedt
University Hospital and University of Bern
Bern, Switzerland
Moving Patients to Participants in Hematology Clinical Trials

Stephanie Valer Seremetis, MD
Novo Nordisk A/S
Plainsboro, NJ, United States
Industry Perspective

Alysha Croker
Health Canada
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Government Perspective

Jeffrey Keefer, MD, PhD
IQVIA
Keswick, VA, United States
Contract Research Organization Perspective

Michelle Feige
Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP)
Washington, DC, United States
Institutional Review Board Perspective

Joint Session: Advancing Hematology Through Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform hematology - from decoding the biology of hematopoiesis to guiding real-time treatment decisions. This session will unite innovators spanning discovery science to bedside care, delivering an evidence-based roadmap of where AI is today and where it is headed.

Specifically, the session will address the following goals: (1) contextualizing the AI revolution in biomedicine; (2) showcasing state-of-the-art foundation models that refine cell-state inference in health and disease; (3) revealing AI-driven diagnostic platforms already reshaping laboratory hematology; and (4) charting practical, ethical pathways for responsible clinical deployment.

Attendees will leave with a clear conceptual framework linking foundational AI principles to concrete applications in hematology; actionable examples of how large-scale models boost biological insight and diagnostic accuracy; and a realistic grasp of implementation challenges. By tracing the arc from algorithm to patient, the session will empower participants to critically appraise emerging technologies, identify collaboration opportunities, and craft informed research or adoption strategies that ultimately can improve patient care.

Speakers:

Shannon McWeeney
OHSU
Portland, OR, United States
General AI:The AI Revolution in Healthcare: From Hype to Real-World Impact

Bo Wang
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON, Canada
Basic and Translational AI: Mapp

Sanam Loghavi, MD
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, United States
Diagnostics and Implementation:

Karandeep Singh
University of California San Diego
San Diego, CA, United States
Clinical Applications of AI: AI at the Bedside: Real-World Clinical Applications

Leveraging Genetic Diversity in Preclinical Discovery to Guide Precision Medicine

Consideration for variability in the constitutional DNA in medical research presents a unique opportunity to uncover novel biology, identify population-specific risk factors, and develop tailored therapies. By embracing the genetic and environmental variations across populations, we can unlock new avenues for innovation. While the clinical impact of variations in the somatic genetic profile, clinical presentation and survival prognostications are recognized, there is an unmet need to better understand the underlying biology of sometimes contrasting genotype-phenotype associations originating from varying germline genetic ancestries. This is caused by difficulties of biologically faithful functionalization approaches, and also limitations in the availability of suitable model organisms.

This session will present examples of bench-to-bedside translations, new model systems and basic research tools that have broad applicability for both basic and translational researchers. It may catalyze collaborations between translational researchers and basic scientists. In addition, the session aims to bridge the gap between clinical practice and basic research by exploring the critical role of genetic variation as a proxy for advancing precision medicine.

Attendees of the session will leave with an appreciation for the importance of considering genetic variation in research and cross-disciplinary partnerships to drive meaningful advances in patient treatment and survival.

Speakers:

Kellie Machlus, PhD
Harvard Medical School
Boston, United States
Discovery Based on Population Structure: How to Faithfully Understand and Functionalize Novel Treatments

Adam J de Smith
University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Decoding Bias in Disease Risk: The Role of Ancestry and Genomic Variant Clustering

Jesse Boehm Jr
Break Through Cancer
Cambridge, United States
Moving Towards Precision Medicine: Influence of Germline and Ancestry on Preclinical Target Discovery

Leveraging Real-World Data in Multiple Myeloma for Regulatory Purposes

Real-world data (RWD) programs have become a vital resource to researchers to transform medicine. RWD provide large volumes of data that allow researchers to precisely target specific patient populations for research and to tailor new treatments and care regimens to improve patient outcomes. This 90-minute session, hosted by the ASH Research Collaborative Multiple Myeloma Research Network, will explore how various programs are leveraging RWD to drive real-world evidence generation and impactful research for regulatory purposes and advancing care.

Chair:

Saad Z. Usmani, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY, United States

Speakers:

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

Shaji Kumar, MD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN, United States
Using Real-World Data to Accelerate Research on Multiple Myeloma Patient Cohorts: Lessons from the ASH RC Multiple Myeloma Data Hub

Othman Salim Akhtar, MD, MBBS
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI, United States
Using Real-World Data to Accelerate Research on Multiple Myeloma Patient Cohorts: Lessons from CIBMTR

Nicole Gormley, MD
Food and Drug Administration
Silver Spring, MD, United States
Using Real-World Data to Accelerate Research on Multiple Myeloma Patient Cohorts: RWE Guidance from the FDA Perspective

Edward Laane, MD, PhD
European Medicines Agency (EMA)
Tartu, Estonia
Using Real-World Data to Accelerate Research on Multiple Myeloma Patient Cohorts: RWE Guidance from the EMA Perspective

Sushmita Sen, PhD
Roche
Basel, Switzerland
Using Real-World Data to Accelerate Research on Multiple Myeloma Patient Cohorts: RWE Considerations from the Industry Perspective

Saad Z. Usmani, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY, United States
Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A

Leveraging Real-World Data in Sickle Cell Disease to Identify and Study Specific Cohorts of Interest

Real-world data (RWD) programs have become a vital resource for researchers to transform medicine. RWD provides large volumes of data that allow researchers to precisely target specific patient populations and tailor new treatments and care regimens to improve patient outcomes. This 90-minute session, hosted by the ASH Research Collaborative SCD Research Network, will explore how various RWD programs allow researchers to use RWD to identify specific patient populations of interest and drive impactful research.

Chair:

Charles Abrams, MD
U Penn
Philadelphia, PA, United States

Speakers:

Charles Abrams, MD
U Penn
Philadelphia, PA, United States
Welcome and Opening Remarks

Biree Andemariam, MD
University of Connecticut
West Hartford, CT, United States
Using Machine Learning to Analyze Sickle Cell Disease Hospital Utilization and Chronic Kidney Disease

Patty Steinert, PhD, MBA
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI, United States
Case Studies for Collaborative Research: Using RWD to Accelerate Research on SCD Patient Cohorts: Using CIBMTR to Track Patients on Gene Therapy for Long-Term Safety and Efficacy

Jeffrey Lebensburger, DO
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL, United States
Case Studies for Collaborative Research: Using RWD to Accelerate Research on SCD Patient Cohorts: Using RWD to Develop a Framework to Support SCD Treatment Research

Charles Abrams, MD
U Penn
Philadelphia, PA, United States
Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A

Julie Kanter, MD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL, United States
Case Studies for Embedding Data Quality with Cohort Identification Studies for More Effective SCD Research Case: Using Multiple RWD Sources to Identify People with SCD Eligible for Novel Therapies

Charles Abrams, MD
U Penn
Philadelphia, PA, United States
Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A

LGBTQIA+ Community Networking Brunch

This is a community-building and networking event for members of the LGBTQIA+ community attending the meeting. The event is hosted by the Committee on Advancing Excellence and Population Health and aims to create a sense of belonging and allyship. This year’s event will include breakout group discussion on mentorship, community building, and career advancement followed by speed networking.

Medical Educators' Symposium

The ASH 2025 Medical Educators Symposium will be focused on cultural evolutions, both for academic medical practice and trainee education. Medical education and patient care are rapidly transforming from the perspective of inclusivity, cultural humility, and mixed methods of teaching. Come hear from educational experts about how to better engage trainees through revolutionary multimedia approaches as well. Regardless of your training level or faculty rank, come join the conversation and share your perspectives. Everyone's voice matters!

Chair:

Alexander Boucher, MD
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN, United States

Speakers:

Robert Stern, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA, United States
General Session 1: The Evolving Landscape of Cultural Terminology in Hematology Part 1

Laura DeCastro, MD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
General Session 1: The Evolving Landscape of Cultural Terminology in Hematology Part 2

Jean M. Connors, MD
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA, United States
General Session 2: Tips and Tricks to Efficiently Handle Knowledge Gathering Part 1

Jori May, MD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL, United States
General Session 2: Tips and Tricks to Efficiently Handle Knowledge Gathering Part 2

Ronak Mistry, DO
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, United States
General Session 3: Content Creation as Medical Educators Part 1

Jonaphine Mata, MD
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD, United States
General Session 3: Content Creation as Medical Educators Part 2

Ronak Mistry, DO
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, United States
Breakout 1: Multimedia Integration into Educational Curricula - Facilitator A

Jonaphine Mata, MD
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD, United States
Breakout 1: Multimedia Integration into Educational Curricula - Facilitator B

Marina Heskel, MD
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA, United States
Breakout 2: Mixed Methods Educational Strategies for All Learners - Facilitator A

Reed E. Drews, MD
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA, United States
Breakout 2: Mixed Methods Educational Strategies for All Learners - Facilitator B

Robert Stern, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA, United States
Breakout 3: Cultural Humility in Hematology Care - Facilitator A

Rohini Jain, MD
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA, United States
Breakout 3: Cultural Humility in Hematology Care - Facilitator B

Sana Saif Ur Rehman, MD
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO, United States
Breakout 4: Innovation in Education for the Current Generation - Facilitator A

Thomas Deloughery, MD
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR, United States
Breakout 4: Innovation in Education for the Current Generation - Facilitator B

Simulcast of Announcement of Awards and Plenary Scientific Session

To, Through and Thereafter: Guiding Sickle Cell Disease Patients Considering Gene Therapy

In 2023, the Food & Drug Administration approved the first gene therapies for the treatment of sickle cell disease. However, despite these advancements, only a small number of impacted individuals have received gene therapy, despite over 100,000 people living with the disease in the United States. The ASH Health Equity Task Force is hosting this special-interest session to highlight important considerations for providers and administrators to consider as they guide patients and patient representatives in accessing, navigating through, and after care for gene therapy.

This session is 90 minutes in duration. The first hour will consist of a facilitated panel discussion to educate hematologists on the nuances of understanding (1) key considerations to share with patients in determining if gene therapy is a viable treatment for them, (2) helping patients understand what they can expect and how they may need to prepare, if they proceed with gene therapy, and (3) critical preparation for patients and their caregivers to optimize their post treatment recovery and continuity of care for the long term. Following the panel discussion there will be 30 minutes for questions from the audience. The panel will be composed of 3 hematologists and 2 lived experience experts (LEEs) who will share their expertise and perspective for how to support and guide patients through each of the three stages of the process:

1. To Gene Therapy – which will focus on hematologists who are selecting and referring patients for gene therapy and also facing insurance approval challenges.
2. Through Gene Therapy – which will focus on physicians performing gene therapy and involved in day-to-day management of complications, etc.
3. Thereafter, Gene Therapy – which will focus on physicians involved in post-gene therapy management.

Chair:

Titilope Fasipe, MD, PhD
Texas Children's Hospital
Houston, TX, United States

Speakers:

Alexis Leonard, MD
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, TN, United States
To Gene Therapy

Alexander Ngwube, MD
Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital
Houston, TX, United States
Through Gene Therapy

Andrew Campbell, MD
Children's National Hospital
Washington, DC, United States
Thereafter Gene Therapy

Rae Blaylark
Agios
Cambridge, MA, United States
Lived Experience Expert

Olujimi Olaghere
Sugarloaf Capital
Atlanta, GA, United States
Lived Experience Expert

Training Program Directors Workshop

The goal of the 2025 Training Program Directors Workshop is to look forward and determine how hematology-oncology fellowships can innovate and change in order to improve our programs and meet the needs of our future fellows. Through learning about innovations within other fellowship programs, understanding how professionalism expectations can change to meet the contemporary fellow, and considering the career trajectories for med-peds trained residents, we hope that the session will encourage program directors to assess their own programs and consider opportunities for improvement/innovation.

Chair:

Robert Stern, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA, United States

Speakers:

Rakhi P. Naik Jr, MD, MHS
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD, United States
Innovations Large and Small in Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Training Part 1

Lisa Pei Chu I, MD
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center
Aurora, CO, United States
Innovations Large and Small in Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Training Part 2

Jennifer Yui Jr, MD, MSc
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD, United States
Innovations Large and Small in Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Training Part 3

Yannis Valtis, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY, United States
Med Peds Path to Heme/Onc Training Part 1

John Molina, MD, MEd
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH, United States
Med Peds Path to Heme/Onc Training Part 2

Jennifer Kesselheim, MD, MEd
Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
Boston, MA, United States
Professionalism Part 1

Jennifer Cooperrider, MD
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL, United States
Professionalism Part 2

Treating Fairly Rounds Lunch

The Treating Fairly Rounds Lunch session will

Introduce the role of language (and cultural diversity) in the delivery of health care for non-English speaking populations
Discuss the impact of language barrier on the utilization of old and novel therapies, patient compliance, safety, and disease outcomes
Present potential solutions to overcome some of the challenges posed by language barriers and improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.

Speakers:

Rahma Warsame, MD
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN, United States
Healthcare Access to Non-English Speaking Populations - Presenter 1

Cesar Rodriguez Valdes, MD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, NY, United States
Healthcare Access to Non-English Speaking Populations - Presenter 2

Updated ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in Older Adults

In this session, speakers will highlight recommendations from the updated ASH guidelines on AML in older adults and will discuss important considerations for the application of the recommendations in practice.

Chair:

Mikkael Sekeres, MD
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami
Miami, FL, United States

Speakers:

Kah Poh (Melissa) Loh, MD, MS
University of Rochester Medical Center
Rochester, NY, United States
Treatment Options for Older Adults with AML: Recommendations on Low-Dose Cytarabine, Azacitidine, and Decitabine Regimens as Monotherapy or Combinations

Luca Malcovati, MD
University of Pavia and IRCCS S. Matteo Hospital Foundation
Pavia, PV, Italy
Treatment Options for Older Adults with AML and IDH1/IDH2 Mutations: Recommendations on HMA Monotherapy, Combinations with Venetoclax, and Targeted Therapies

Maria R. Baer, MD
University of Maryland
Baltimore, MD, United States
Recommendations for Treatment for Older Adults with AML and FLT3 Mutations

Updated ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) in Adults

In this session, speakers will highlight recommendations from an upcoming revision to the ASH ITP guidelines focused on second-line therapies. Speakers will also discuss important considerations for the application of the recommendations in practice

Chair:

Douglas Cines Sr, Prof
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, United States

Speakers:

Sylvain Audia, MD, PhD
University of Bourgogne
Dijon, Bourgogne, France
Should adults with primary ITP requiring initial treatment receive steroids alone or steroids in combination with an additional agent? Recommendations from the ASH Guidelines

Camila Masias, MD, MPH
Miami Cancer Institute
Miami, FL, United States
What treatment should be given to adults with primary ITP who require therapy beyond steroids? Recommendations from the ASH Guidelines

Donald Arnold, MD
McMaster University
Hamilton, ON, Canada
Considerations on the Role of Splenectomy and Switching TPOs After Treatment Failure

Women in Hematology Networking Event

This popular annual networking event will provide a space where all can gather and connect with peers and potential mentors. The panel will explore the theme of transitions—an important and relevant topic that offers valuable, actionable insights for navigating change in both personal and professional life. Light refreshments available during the panel; please join us for a post-panel reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres.

Speakers:

Leslie Ellis, MD
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Winston Salem, NC, United States

Ann Mullally, MD
Stanford University School of Medicine
Boston, MA, United States

Tammuella Chrisentery-Singleton
ATHN/Ochsner Clinic Foundation
New Orleans, LA, United States

67th ASH Annual Meeting and exposition

Registration for ASH members, non-members, groups, exhibitors, and media is now open.

Register by October 22 for the advance registration discount!