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.

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ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Aplastic Anemia

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Plaza Int'l HIJK

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

Speakers:

Austin G. Kulasekararaj, MD,MBBS,FRCPath,MRCP
King's College Hospital
Recommendations for Diagnosis of Aplastic Anemia

Kristin Ammon Shimano
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital
Recommendations for transplant in patients with Aplastic Anemia

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

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

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Hyatt - Regency Ballroom OPQ

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

Speakers:

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

Layla Van Doren, MD,MBA
Yale School of Medicine
Menstruating individuals: Evidence-based ferritin thresholds

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

ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Hydroxyurea for Sickle Cell Disease

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
OCCC - W311ABCD

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, MD MMSc
Texas Children's Hospital

Speakers:

Aimee Hildenbrand, PhD
Nemours Children's Health
Adherence Recommendations for Hydroxyurea for SCD

Marvin Reid
Caribbean Institute for Health Research
Monitoring Recommendations for Hydroxyurea for SCD

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

ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Myelofibrosis

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
OCCC - W414CD

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

Speakers:

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

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

Natasha Szuber
University of Montreal
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

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Hyatt - Florida Ballroom

Chair:

Mary-Elizabeth Percival, MD
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Speakers:

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

Emily Mackler
YesRX
Combatting drug shortages with drug repository programs

Brooke Boring
Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association
Advocacy at the federal and state level and how practitioners can get engaged

ASH Hemostasis and Thrombosis Community Networking Reception

Monday, December 8, 2025, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
OCCC - Valencia Foyer

A networking reception supporting the Hemostasis & Thrombosis community that serves as a gathering space for leaders in the field to connect and acknowledge the great lengths of progress made within the past year.

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

Monday, December 8, 2025, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
OCCC - W230

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

Chair:

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

Speakers:

Alexis A. Thompson, MD MPH
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
10 Years of Progress: ASH’s Sickle Cell Disease initiatives

Omar Niss, MD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
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
Findings from “Sickle Cell Trait Does Not Cause ‘Sickle Cell Crisis’ Leading to Exertion Related Death: A Systematic Review”

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

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

ASH-FDA Joint Symposium on Newly Approved Therapies I: New Frontiers in Rare Hematology - From Replacement to Reinvention

Monday, December 8, 2025, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Regency Ballroom S

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.

Chair:

Donna Whyte-Stewart

Speakers:

Donna Whyte-Stewart

Introduction

Alison Moliterno
Johns Hopkins University SOM
Fitusiran for Hemophilia A and Hemophilia B

Andrew Dmytrijuk

Concizumab for Hemophilia A and Hemophilia B

Anjali Sharathkumar, MD, MS

Clinical Discussant for Hemophilia

Donna Whyte-Stewart

Rilzabrutinib for Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia

Michele Lambert

Clinical Discussant for Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia

Megha Kaushal

Late-Breaking Approval TBD

ASH-FDA Joint Symposium on Newly Approved Therapies II: From Approval to Action - New Therapies, Mult-Rregional Studies, and Post-Market Insights

Monday, December 8, 2025, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Regency Ballroom S

Chair:

Cara Rabik
U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Moderators:

Bindu George

Bindu Kanapuru

Nicole Gormley

Kelly Norsworthy

Speakers:

Cara Rabik
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Introduction

Joseph Wynne

Ziftomenib for Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Susceptible NPM1 Mutation

Joseph Wynne

Revumenib for Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Susceptible NPM1 Mutation

Uma Borate, MD, MSc
The Ohio State University
Clinical Discussant for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Margret Merino
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Multi-Regional Trials

Poornima Sharma

Post-Approval Safety Monitoring Following CAR T Cell Therapies

Back to Business Breakfast

Monday, December 8, 2025, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Hyatt - Florida Ballroom A

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

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
OCCC - W314

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
Blood Advances Presents: How to Peer Review a Scientific Paper

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

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
OCCC - W314

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

Celebrating Diverse Voices: Enriching Hematology Lunch

Monday, December 8, 2025, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Hyatt - Florida Ballroom A

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

Monday, December 8, 2025, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
OCCC - W240

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

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Regency Ballroom S

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:

Pallawi Torka, MD

Speakers:

Courtney Jones, PhD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital
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
Developing a Productive Research Program (How to Set up a New Laboratory) - Part 2

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

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

Hetty Carraway, MD, MBA
Cleveland Clinic
Setting Yourself Up for Sustained Success - Panel Discussion

Grassroots Network Lunch

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Hyatt - Florida Ballroom

The ASH Grassroots Network Lunch provides a forum for interested members to learn how they can participate in ASH’s advocacy efforts, communicate with Congress and their elected officials, become effective advocates for hematology, and discuss the Society’s legislative and regulatory priorities. An overview of the Society’s 2025 advocacy accomplishments and a preview of the Society’s 2026 advocacy agenda will also be provided. This year’s event will also highlight ASH’s expanded advocacy and the Fight4Hematology campaign with a panel of ASH stakeholders who have advocated in different ways, sharing their efforts and stories.

Chair:

Bart L Scott, MD

Speaker:

Bart L Scott, MD

Expanded Advocacy and Fight4Hematology

Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) Oral Presentations – Classical Hematology

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Florida Ballroom C

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

Speakers:

Adekunle Emmanuel Alagbe, MD, PhD

Interleukin-27 in vaso-occlusion in Sickle Cell Disease

Alex Pollock

Role of TRPV-1 and Histone Deacetylase 6 Pro-inflammatory Signaling in HbAA Mice

Halimat Olaniyan

TETRIS: Timing of Exchange Transfusion in Sickle Cell Disease

Jesse Sanchez

Clinical and Biomolecular Features of Non-JAK2 Erythrocytosis: A Single Center Experience

Luisanna Sanchez Ventura

Clinical and Hematopoietic Profiles Associated with Sustained Hydroxyurea Response for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

NaShea Kendrick

Neutrophil cathepsin G potentiates biased signaling through protease activated receptor 4 (PAR4)

Oluwafunke Kolawole

Iron restriction via iron chelation on hematological outcomes in Sickle Cell-Hemoglobin C (HbSC) Disease

Tony Owusu

Bleeding and Thrombosis in Patients with Cancer and Acute Venous Thromboembolism Requiring Urgent Proced

Victoria Heigh

Characterizing the clinicopathologic features of bone marrow failure syndromes

Virginia Camacho, PhD

Tet2 Age Associated Somatic Mutations alter Megakaryocytes and Platelet Function

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

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Plaza Int'l F

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

Speakers:

Elizabeth A Doss, BS

Evaluating the Efficacy of Brief Neurocognitive Assessments in Adults and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease

Jennifer Salako

Evaluating Risk Factors for Malnutrition in Children with and without Sickle Cell Disease in Northern Nigeria

Britney Bell

Piloting Health Literacy Universal Precautions to Impact Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies

Dominique Mosley

Characterizing a racially diverse cohort of patients with AL amyloidosis treated with daraVCD

Sarah Addison

Financial Toxicity in Young Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Valentina Ardila Avila

Obesity Associations with Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Helen Ajufo

Analysis of the North American Transplant Outcomes(NAMTO) Study

Ayobami Olafimihan, MD

Risks and Trends of Cancer in Sickle Cell Disease: A Multi-Year United States Population-Based Study

Nidhi Patel

Assessing Disparities in Screening and Treatment of Iron Deficiency during Pregnancy

Olanipekun Lanny Ntukidem

Comparing 1-Year and 5-Year Outcomes of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Acute Leukemia and Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (NHL): A Multi-Center Analysis of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Impact

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

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Florida Ballroom A

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

Speakers:

Alejandro De Janon

High Throughput and Long-Term Human Bone Marrow Organoids to Study Tumor Microenvironment and Drug Sensitivity in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Ariel Leyte-Vidal

Identification and characterization of novel asciminib-resistant kinase domain mutations in BCR::ABL1

Breanna Maniaci

Acquisition of dual CSF3R mutations enhance oncogenic signaling and MYC stability

Chijioke Nze, MD, MPH

Long-Term Lymphoma Follow-Up Survey (LTL-FUS)

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

Claudia Cabrera

Targeting Nonsense-Mediated RNA Decay in Splicing Factor Mutant Myeloid Malignancies

Dejah Blake, MS

The impact of heme modulation on CAR T cell therapy

Jessica Maria Stempel, MD, MHS
Yale School of Medicine
Impact of metformin on outcomes in older adults with classical myeloproliferative neoplasms

Veronica Canarte

Characterization of novel factors that contribute to myeloma cell survival

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

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Florida Ballroom B

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

Speakers:

Juan Balandrán

Inflammation at the core: MYD88 mutations and clonal hematopoiesis

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

Michael Pineda

Inducible Anti-CCR8 Producing CAR-T Cells For Specific Cancer Treg Ablation

Nicole S Arellano, MS

Dissecting the metabolic state of myeloproliferative neoplasms

Olivia Parker

Immune-Mediated Thrombosis: Understanding the extracellular trap’s role in clotting and resistance to lysis.

Omonike Oyelola

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms and the Bone Marrow Microenvironment (Currently Developing Complete Title)

Rigoberto De Jesus

A Prospective Study of Whole Genome Sequencing (ChromoSeq) as an Adjunct to Conventional Genomic Profiling in MDS

Vivian Altiery De Jesus

Impact of bone marrow immune microenvironment on the response to blinatumomab and checkpoint inhibitors in relapse ALL treated on ETCTN10003

Hematology Inclusion Pathway Reception

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Plaza Int'l DE

Join the HIP community to connect, network, and celebrate the achievements of our awardees and their mentors at this special reception following the oral presentations. This event offers an opportunity to build connections across the HIP network, engage with colleagues who share a commitment to fostering diversity in hematology, and recognize the exceptional work of program participants.

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

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Hyatt - Plaza Int'l HIJK

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

Speakers:

Leonard Valentino
Rush University Medical Center
Challenges to Clinical Trial Participation

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

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

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

Stephanie Valer Seremetis, MD
Novo Nordisk A/S
Industry Perspective

Alysha Croker
Health Canada
Government Perspective

Jeffrey Keefer, MD,PhD
IQVIA
Contract Research Organization Perspective

Michelle Feige
Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP)
Institutional Review Board Perspective

Joint Session: Advancing Hematology Through Artificial Intelligence

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Hyatt - Regency Ballroom S

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.

Chairs:

Vijay G Sankaran
Boston Children's Hospital/HHMI

Shannon McWeeney
OHSU

Speakers:

Shannon McWeeney
Oregon Health and Science University
General AI: The AI Revolution in Healthcare: From Hype to Real-World Impact

Sanam Loghavi, MD
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Diagnostics and Implementation: Smart Diagnostics: Implementing AI in Hematopathology

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

Leveraging Genetic Diversity in Preclinical Discovery to Guide Precision Medicine

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
OCCC - W314

Who are our current hematologic cancer therapies really built for—and who gets left at the margins? The patients at highest risk and with the poorest outcomes are not always the ones most represented in our data. This session bridges clinical practice with translational/basic research to show how human genetic variation and ancestry can help us ask—and answer—the right questions and serve as a practical proxy to advance precision medicine for all individuals.

Dr. Adam de Smith will speak about acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Individuals of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity have the highest risk of developing ALL and African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino ALL patients have inferior outcomes compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Recent tumor-sequencing studies have revealed novel insights into the role of genetic ancestry and somatic alterations in ALL patient outcomes. These will be discussed along with considerations for ancestry analysis in epidemiologic studies.

Dr. Kellie Machlus will address ancestral diversity in hematology research including the fact that this work starts in the lab and its importance in effective and equitable patient care. This talk will focus on preclinical models that enable ancestry-informed research, with emphasis on bone marrow organoids. Bone marrow organoids can recapitulate donor-specific genetic profiles, revealing ancestry-dependent gene expression, drug responses, and disease biology. They model hematopoiesis across diverse populations and help bridge gaps left by traditional cell lines.

Dr. Jesse Boehm will describe how patient ancestry and germline genomics play important roles in discovering and validating cancer targets. He will address (1) ancestry bias in preclinical models, which underrepresent diverse ancestries and impact research into leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumors; (2) how germline variation causes false negatives in CRISPR screens, with differing impact across ancestries; and (3) the discovery and validation of “dependency quantitative trait loci” related to synthetic lethalities in the DNA damage repair pathway.

Chairs:

Ann-Kathrin Eisfeld, MD
The Ohio State University

Sophie Zaaijer
University of California Irvine

Speakers:

Kellie Machlus, PhD
Harvard Medical School
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
Decoding Bias in Disease Risk: The Role of Ancestry and Genomic Variant Clustering

Jesse Boehm Jr
MIT
Moving Towards Precision Medicine: Influence of Germline and Ancestry on Preclinical Target Discovery

Leveraging Real-World Data in Multiple Myeloma for Regulatory Purposes

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
OCCC - West Hall E1

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

Speakers:

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

Shaji Kumar, MD
Mayo Clinic
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
Using Real-World Data to Accelerate Research on Multiple Myeloma Patient Cohorts: Lessons from CIBMTR

Nicole Gormley, MD
Food and Drug Administration
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)
Using Real-World Data to Accelerate Research on Multiple Myeloma Patient Cohorts: RWE Guidance from the EMA Perspective

Sushmita Sen, PhD
Roche
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
Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A

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

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
OCCC - W308

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

Speakers:

Charles Abrams, MD
U Penn
Welcome and Opening Remarks

Biree Andemariam, MD
University of Connecticut
Understanding Predictors of Severe Outcomes in SCD

Patty Steinert, PhD, MBA
Medical College of Wisconsin
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
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
Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A

Julie Kanter, MD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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
Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A

LGBTQIA+ Community Networking Brunch

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Hyatt - Plaza Int'l DEFG

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

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Hyatt - Plaza Int'l DEFG

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

Speakers:

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

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

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

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

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

Ajay Major, MD, MBA
University of Colorado Cancer Center
General Session 3: Content Creation as Medical Educators Part 2

Alexander Boucher, MD
University of Minnesota
General Session Q&A

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

Ajay Major, MD, MBA
University of Colorado Cancer Center
Breakout 1: Multimedia Integration into Educational Curricula - Facilitator B

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

Reed E. Drews, MD
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Breakout 2: Mixed Methods Educational Strategies for All Learners - Facilitator B

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

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

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

Thomas Deloughery, MD
Oregon Health and Science Univ.
Breakout 4: Innovation in Education for the Current Generation - Facilitator B

Simulcast of Announcement of Awards and Plenary Scientific Session

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
OCCC - W314

If you are unable to make it to the Marquee Session Room (OCCC - West Hall D2) in time for the start of the Announcement of Awards and/or Plenary Scientific Session, take advantage of this opportunity as the sessions will be shown in this room.

Simulcast of Announcement of Awards and Plenary Scientific Session

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Hyatt - Regency Ballroom S

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

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
OCCC - W311ABCD

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 Jr, MD, PhD
Baylor College of Medicine

Speakers:

Alexis Leonard, MD
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
To Gene Therapy

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

Andrew Campbell, MD
Children's National Hospital
Thereafter Gene Therapy

Rae Blaylark
Sickle Cell Foundation of MN
Lived Experience Expert

Olujimi Olaghere
Sugarloaf Capital
Lived Experience Expert

Training Program Directors Workshop

Friday, December 5, 2025, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
SeaWorld - Ports of Call 1

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.

The Training Program Directors Workshop will be held at the SeaWorld’s Ports of Call building near Sea Harbor Pavilions. To reach the correct entrance, enter SeaWorld at the cross section of Central Florida Parkway and Sea Harbor Drive. Upon entrance, drive on the outside of the parking lot until you see the Ports of Call signage. A shuttle will depart for the Ports of Call building every 15 minutes from the Orange County Convention Center’s Westwood entrance on the back side of the convention center starting at 8:00 AM. To get to the Shuttle Pick-Up, access the corridors to the Westwood entrance on level 3 above Hall C. Shuttles will run until 7:30 PM that night.

Chair:

Robert Stern, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Speakers:

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

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

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

Yannis Valtis, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Med Peds Path to Heme/Onc Training Part 1

John Molina, MD, MEd
CCF
Med Peds Path to Heme/Onc Training Part 2

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

Jennifer Cooperrider, MD
University of Chicago
Professionalism Part 2

Treating Fairly Rounds Lunch

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Hyatt - Manatee Spring

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.

Chairs:

Yvonne Efebera, MD, MPH
Ohio Health

Srinivas Devarakonda, MD
The Ohio State University

Speakers:

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

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

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

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
OCCC - W414CD

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

Speakers:

Kah Poh (Melissa) Loh, MD, MS
University of Rochester Medical Center
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
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
Recommendations for Treatment for Older Adults with AML and FLT3 Mutations

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

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
OCCC - W304EFGH

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:

Keith McCrae, MD

Speakers:

Sylvain Audia, MD, PhD
University of Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, Dijon, 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
Miami Cancer Institute
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
Considerations on the Role of Splenectomy and Switching TPOs After Treatment Failure

Women in Hematology Networking Event

Monday, December 8, 2025, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Hyatt - Plaza Int'l DEFG

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.

67th ASH Annual Meeting and exposition

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