Annual Meeting Sessions on Population Health

As the world’s largest professional society of clinicians and scientists dedicated to conquering blood diseases, ASH seeks to expand the availability of hematologic care while promoting the highest standards of excellence in hematology research, training, and practice. Population Health Sessions examine how and why diseases can disproportionally affect some populations and how attendees can navigate those challenges to deliver quality care to all individuals with hematologic diseases and disorders.

For more information about population health and ASH's Commitment to Excellence Through Expansion and Inclusion, please visit ASH's Expansion and Inclusion page.

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ASH-Sponsored Events

ASH Studio (Treating Fairly and MedEd Talks)

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. , MCCNO - ASH Central

Blood Journals Studio

Meet the Journal Editors: Blood Immunology & Cellular Therapy

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 9:05 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. , MCCNO - Hall F Journals Studio

This lively session provides the opportunity to meet with editors of Blood Immunology & Cellular Therapy, one of ASH’s newest journals. This journal is focused on publishing original research on basic, translational, and clinical studies focused on cellular and non-cellular immunotherapies for hematological disorders and their underlying immunology. Whether you're curious about how editorial decisions are made, want to sharpen your peer review skills, or are exploring how to share your research more effectively, this will be a great time to learn and ask questions.

Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. This session will be held at the Blood Journals Studio, which is located in the ASH Poster Hall.

Speaker:

Willem Fibbe, MD, PhD
Leiden University Medical Center
Leiden, Zuid Holland, Netherlands
Meet the Journal Editors: Blood Immunology and Cellular Therapy

Education Program

A New Treatment Paradigm for Follicular Lymphoma

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. , MCCNO - New Orleans Theatre A

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

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

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

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

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

Chair:

Alan Skarbnik, MD
Novant Health Cancer Institute
Charlotte, NC

Speakers:

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

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

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

Advances in Management of Vascular Anomalies

Monday, December 14, 2026, 10: 30 a.m. - 11: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - 220-222

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

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

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

Chair:

Kiersten Ricci, MD
University of Cincinnati Medical School
Cincinnati, OH

Speakers:

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

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

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

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

Monday, December 14, 2026, 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. , MCCNO - 278-282

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

Chair:

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

Speakers:

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

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

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

Building Hematology Capacity Globally

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. , MCCNO - 293-294

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

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

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

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

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

Chair:

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

Speakers:

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

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

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

Classical Hematology: Innovation and Technology to Match Supply and Demand

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. , MCCNO - 293-294

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

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

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

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

Chair:

Talib Dosani, MD
Yale University
New Haven, CT

Speakers:

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

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

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

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

Monday, December 14, 2026, 2:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. , MCCNO - Hall E

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

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

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

Chair:

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

Speakers:

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

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

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

Innovations in the Treatment of Pediatric AML

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. , MCCNO - Hall E

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

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

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

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

Chair:

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

Speakers:

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

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

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

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

Monday, December 14, 2026, 10: 30 a.m. - 11: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - Hall E

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

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

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

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

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

Chair:

Anat Gafter-Gvili, MD
Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University
Tel-Aviv, Israel

Speakers:

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

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

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

Optimizing Patient Care: Practicing Bloodless Medicine

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 9:30 a.m. - 10: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - 391-392

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

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

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

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

Chair:

Erica M Wood, MBBS
Monash University
Melbourne, Australia

Speakers:

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

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

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

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

Monday, December 14, 2026, 10: 30 a.m. - 11: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - 278-282

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

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

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

Chair:

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

Speakers:

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

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

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

The Heart and Brain in Older Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Monday, December 14, 2026, 10: 30 a.m. - 11: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - 243-245

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

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

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

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

Chair:

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

Speakers:

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

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

Stephanie Forte, MD, MSc
Centre hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM) and Centre de recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM)
Montreal, QC, Canada
Addressing Cognitive Changes in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

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

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. , MCCNO - 220-222

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

Chair:

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

Speakers:

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

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

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

Education Spotlight Sessions

Bispecific Antibody Therapy vs CAR T Therapy in Lymphoid Malignancies

Monday, December 14, 2026, 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. , MCCNO - 271-273

Bispecific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies (CAR-T) are rapidly changing the treatment Paradigm of Relapse/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (MM). With the recent approvals of these treatment options in earlier lines, choosing the right patient for each therapy might be challenging. Likewise, bispecific antibodies and CAR-T therapy have both transformed the management of lymphoma, with multiple agents approved across different histologic subtypes. Nonetheless, many unanswered questions remain about sequencing, optimal patient and/or product selection. We will discuss 4 cases (2 MM and 2 lymphoma) that highlight some of the challenges of real-world decision-making in this space.

Chair:

Yvonne Efebera, MD, MPH
OhioHealth
Columbus, OH

Speakers:

Eden Biltibo, MD, MS
Vanderbilt Health
Nashville, TN
Bispecific Antibodies vs CAR T: Myeloma Perspective

Matthew Mei I, MD
City of Hope
Duarte, CA
Bispecific Antibodies vs CAR T: Lymphoma Perspective

Public Health & Hematology: Results and Lessons from the PEN-Plus Model of Care for Severe, Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases like Sickle Cell Disease in Resource-Poor Areas

Monday, December 14, 2026, 10: 30 a.m. - 11: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - 295-296

Sickle Cell Disease has been declared a public health disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO). Estimates suggest that there are 8 million people in the world and 400,000 babies born every year, with sickle cell anemia, the most severe form of SCD. A public health approach to management of SCD is recommended in countries in Africa and Asia where the prevalence of disease is highest. This session will provide an overview of a public health strategy that has been developed, adopted and implemented as a regional health program by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa.

The Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions–Plus (PEN-Plus) is a strategy designed to provide a clinical model for decentralized, life-saving, high quality longitudinal healthcare for people living with severe and chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at first-level referral health facilities in rural and underserved communities. PEN-Plus focuses on three severe, chronic NCDs: sickle cell disease, rheumatic heart disease, and type 1 diabetes that cause an annual mortality of 30,000 of the world’s poorest children, adolescents, and young adults. The PEN-Plus Model aims to provide access to diagnosis and linkage to comprehensive, high-quality healthcare to reduce this mortality. The model poses a possible solution as a platform for SCD and other complex hematologic conditions.

Dr Emily Wroe will provide an overview of PEN-Plus and share clinical outcomes of 3,000 patients with sickle cell disease living in rural areas across 7 countries in the first years of PEN-Plus implementation and will discuss the training outcome and practical lessons learned in training healthcare providers, (non-hematology specialists), to care for sickle cell disease.

Dr Jane Hankins will discuss strategies to integrate newborn screening for sickle cell disease into the PEN-Plus model of care. At country level, a case study from Mozambique will share experience of partnerships with initiatives including St Jude's Global Hematology, ASHs, Consortium of Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) and national plans. Furthermore, she will provide an outline on scaling up newborn screening for sickle cell disease on the global landscape

Chair:

Julie Makani, MD, PhD
Muhimbili University
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Speakers:

Emily Wroe, MD
Center for Integration Science, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA
Introduction to the PEN-Plus SCD Model of Care and Outcomes From the First Years of Implementation

Jane Hankins, MD,MS
St Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, TN
Integrating Newborn Screening for SCD by CONSA, St Jude's Global Hematology and Ministries of Health into PEN-Plus in LMICs and Rural Settings

How I Treat

How I Treat: MPN

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. , Hilton - Jackson

A ticket is required to attend this session. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and can only be purchased on site at the "Ticketed Sessions" registration counter in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Great Hall Foyer. Ticket prices are as follows:

Active or International Member, or Non-Member: $90
Associate, International Associate, Resident, Graduate/Medical Student, Non-Member in Training, Allied Health Professional, or Honorary/Emeritus Member: $50

Tickets are restricted to medical professionals only; no industry or media registrants are able to purchase tickets.

Speaker:

Florian H. Heidel IV, MD
Hannover Medical School (MHH)
Hannover, Germany
How-I-Treat MPN

Industry Forums

Who Wants to Design a Better Sickle Cell Trial

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. , MCCNO - 293-294

For in-person participants only

This session will include a perspective from a patient advocate

Marquee Sessions

Best of ASH

Tuesday, December 15, 2026, 11: 30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. , MCCNO - Hall E

Best of ASH (BOA) highlights the most cutting-edge science presented in the oral abstract sessions during the Annual Meeting. This year’s session will consist of talks arranged in overarching themes and will be presented by the 2026 Scientific Program Co-Chairs: Saar Gill, MD, PhD (University of Pennsylvania) and Ami Bhatt, MD, PhD (Stanford University). back to top

Scientific Program

Balancing the Blood: Immune Control of Stem Cell Fidelity

Monday, December 14, 2026, 2:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. , MCCNO - 275-277

Maintaining a robust pool of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is fundamental to sustaining blood production and overall health across the lifespan. This session delves into recent discoveries of the dynamic ways immunity influences HSC fitness—from prenatal development through aging. Immune signals begin shaping HSCs even before birth, as perinatal inflammatory stimuli imprint long-lasting effects on their postnatal function. Throughout life, innate and adaptive immune cells act as vigilant guardians, not only responding to inflammatory stress but also curbing the expansion of dysfunctional or premalignant HSCs. As the research into these connections is fairly nascent, the aim of the session is for the audience to gain an understanding of the intricate dialogue between the immune system and HSCs and how these interactions maintain blood system resilience and inform strategies for disease prevention and therapy.

Dr. Anna Beaudin will discuss how distinct fetal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell populations interpret inflammatory signals differently and how their prenatal immune experiences can leave lasting effects on the postnatal immune system, shaping future responses to infection and disease.

Dr. Masayuki Yamashita will discuss the role of adaptive immune cells in recognition and clearance of neoantigen-expressing mutant HSCs and the potential of this quality control mechanism to be exploited to prevent or eradicate clonal or premalignant hematopoiesis.

Dr. Leila Perié will present new technology for in vivo cell division assessment that can help reveal the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on healthy and malignant hematopoiesis and on cell-based therapies within distinct tissue microenvironments.

Chair:

Teresa Bowman, PhD
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, NY

Speakers:

Anna Beaudin, PhD
University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, UT
The Impact of Perinatal Inflammation on HSC Fitness

Masayuki Yamashita, MD, PhD
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memphis, TN
Regulation of HSCs by the Adaptive Immune System

Leila Perié, PhD
IIS Biogipuzkoa
San Sebastian, Spain
Regulation of HSCs by the Innate Immune System

Iron Homeostasis Across the Lifespan in Health and Disease

Monday, December 14, 2026, 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. , MCCNO - 288-290

This session will explore the critical role of iron homeostasis across the lifespan, from fetal development to adult disease, highlighting how disruptions in iron regulation contribute to diverse pathological conditions. Through presentations spanning developmental biology, hematologic malignancies, and systemic metabolic regulation, speakers will examine the molecular pathways governing iron balance and the consequences of iron deficiency, overload, and dysregulated signaling. Together, these talks provide a comprehensive perspective on the mechanisms that maintain iron homeostasis and emerging therapeutic approaches to address iron-related disorders.

Dr. Veena Sangkhae will discuss how maternal iron status influences fetal development by regulating iron transport across the maternal–placental–fetal axis. She will describe how iron-dependent epigenetic enzymes regulate chromatin modifications essential for germ cell development, demonstrating how iron deficiency can disrupt these processes and alter sex determination. Dr. Sangkhae will also review mechanisms governing placental iron uptake and delivery to the fetus and how these processes are altered by iron deficiency, iron overload, and β-thalassemia. Findings from human studies and mouse models will illustrate the developmental consequences of abnormal maternal iron delivery.

Dr. Francesca Vinchi will examine the role of iron toxicity in myelodysplastic syndromes, focusing on mechanisms that drive iron overload through ineffective erythropoiesis and chronic transfusion therapy. She will explore how excess iron contributes to disease progression and transformation to acute myeloid leukemia, while highlighting emerging therapies that reduce iron burden, improve erythropoiesis, preserve hematopoietic stem cells, and enhance clinical outcomes.

Dr. Laura Silvestri will discuss the regulation of hepatic bone morphogenic protein (BMP)– small mother against decapentaplegic (SMAD) signaling and its control of hepcidin, the master regulator of systemic iron homeostasis. She will examine the role of TMPRSS6 in modulating this pathway and highlight emerging evidence linking BMP–SMAD signaling to hepatic metabolic reprogramming, revealing new therapeutic opportunities for metabolic disorders such as metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease or metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis.

Chair:

Stefano Rivella, PhD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA

Speakers:

Veena Sangkhae, PhD
UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
Los Angeles, CA
Consequences of Maternal Abnormal Iron Delivery to the Fetus

Francesca Vinchi, PhD
Emory University School of Medicine
Atlanta, GA
The Role of Iron in Myelodysplastic Syndrome Progression

Laura Silvestri, PhD
San Raffaele Scientific Institute
Milan, Italy
Iron and Novel Pathologies: Beyond Erythropoiesis

Power Sharing: Transplantation and Cellular Therapy in Autoimmunity

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 9:30 a.m. - 10: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - Hall E

Hematologists and hematology researchers have been at the forefront of the pre-clinical development, manufacture and clinical application of cellular therapies, and in particular, redirected chimeric antigen receptor cytotoxic therapies in the treatment of malignancy. The powerful and targetable manipulation of immune effector function, and in particular their ability to profoundly deplete B lymphocytes, has now captured the imagination of clinicians and researchers who treat patients with immune dysfunction including auto-immunity. The power of immune therapies is now shared across a range of connective tissue disorders and immune driven pathologies including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, multiple sclerosis and auto-immune nephritides. Hematologists, hematology scientists, transplant team members and cellular therapy logistic experts will all be increasingly involved in the delivery of these therapies in a widening group of indications and in patients with a range of prior therapies and disease-specific comorbidities. In this session we will learn of cutting-edge developments in the application of cellular therapies in these disorders. Overall, this session will explore the scientific rationale for cellular therapy, the factors that determine case selection, the biomarkers of response and factors that determine on-target or off-target toxicity.

Dr. Maria Raimondo will discuss the mechanistic and long-term immune consequences of B-cell depletion strategies using T cell redirection in rheumatology including the possible future application of in vivo CAR-T cell strategies.

Dr. Dimitros Wagner will describe the development of multi-base edited cellular products that are evolving as off-the-shelf therapies in autoimmunity. These therapies have the dual advantage of effective eradication of auto-immune populations whilst still allowing the ongoing administration of pharmacological immunosuppressive therapies.

Dr. Jeffrey Bluestone will outline the preclinical and clinical findings of using CAR- redirected regulatory T cell populations to reestablish immune tolerance in rheumatoid arthritis

Chair:

David Ritchie, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D.
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Melbourne, Australia

Speakers:

Maria Gabriella Raimondo, MD
Department of Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg and Uniklinikum Erlangen
Erlangen, Germany
Ex Vivo or in Vivo CAR-T for Autoimmunity

Dimitrios Wagner, MD, PhD
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX
Barrier to Feature: Immunosuppression-Resistant Off-the-Shelf CAR T Cells for Severe Autoimmune Disorders

Jeffrey Bluestone, PhD
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Promoting the Peacekeepers: Treg Adoptive Therapies to Re-Establish Tolerance

T Resident Memory Cells (Trm) in Health, Disease, and Therapeutics

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 4:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. , MCCNO - 275-277

T Resident Memory (Trm) cells are increasingly recognized participants in tissue-localized inflammation in infections, tumor immunity, and organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and may in fact play central roles in the more chronic pathology associated with these processes. The molecular and phenotypic definition of Trm and the mechanisms driving their persistence has proven challenging and will be a focus of this session. The speakers will also highlight recent cutting-edge research deciphering mechanisms by which Trm cells are sustained and/or drive chronic inflammation, emphasizing key pathways which could serve as therapeutic targets.

Dr. Jason Schenkel will discuss tissue residency of T cells in the context of infection and cancer. He will review what is known with respect to the ontogeny of tissue resident T cells, as well as the mechanisms that mediate residency. He will also discuss the difficulties of studying tissue resident T cells in vivo, and current methodologies that can be harnessed to study regionalized immunity in different disease contexts. He will also describe next generation therapies that aim to use tissue resident T cells for different disease contexts, including for cancer.

Dr. Nicholas Jarjour will discuss cytokine regulation of tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells. Stability of Trm is dependent on local maintenance, supported by a remarkable capacity for self-renewal dependent on cytokines. While the previously prevailing model highlighted exclusive roles for IL-7 and IL-15 in memory CD8+ T cell biology, Dr. Jarjour will describe how common gamma chain cytokines instead collaboratively govern the maintenance of Trm. Potential therapeutic implications of cytokine-based therapies on Trm will also be highlighted.

Dr. Defu Zeng will provide a comprehensive overview of the role of Trm cells in perpetuating pathogenesis of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). He will review characteristic molecular and cellular features of Trm subsets in GVHD target tissues, including TCF1+CD69- stem-like (Tsm), TCF1+CD69+ tissue resident progenitor-like (Trmp), and TCF1-CD69+ TRM cells as well as regulation of TSM differentiation into Trmp and Trm.

Chair:

Asha Pillai, MD
Regeneron Therapeutics
Tarrytown, NY

Speakers:

Jason Schenkel, MD, PhD
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Trm Phenotype and Functions

Nicholas Jarjour, PhD
Versiti Blood Research Institute
Milwaukee, WI
Molecular Mechanisms of Trm Maintenance, Activation, and Proliferation

Defu Zeng, MD, PhD
The Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope
Duarte, CA
Coming to Trms with GVHD

Scientific Spotlight Sessions

CAR-T Manufacturing Across Nations: From Low-to-Middle-Income Academic Platforms to Frontier Innovations in Global Access

Monday, December 14, 2026, 2:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. , MCCNO - 391-392

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) -T cell therapy has transformed the treatment of many hematologic malignancies, yet access remains deeply unequal worldwide, and the science of how these products are manufactured is still unevenly understood. CAR-T products directed against the same antigen can differ in vector design, T-cell composition, culture duration, and manufacturing workflow — differences that are not merely operational but biologically meaningful, shaping product phenotype, expansion, persistence, and toxicity. This session will examine CAR-T manufacturing as both a scientific variable and a determinant of global access, pairing two complementary perspectives: a cross-center view from academic programs in lower-resource settings and a high-income view on what manufacturing science must develop next to broaden access. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for weighing centralized versus decentralized manufacturing models and transferable lessons from academic programs that they can apply in their own institutions.

Dr. Fernando Gibran-Nunes will present a comparative, cross-center overview of how academic programs approach CAR-T manufacturing to broaden access to cellular therapy. Drawing on perspectives gathered from academic platforms in middle-income countries across Latin America and the Middle East, the talk synthesizes how these centers weigh centralized and decentralized models of manufacturing and the operational and biological trade-offs each entail. He will examine the challenges, priorities, and emerging solutions voiced by academic manufacturers working in lower-resource settings, and what their shared experience reveals about the science of manufacturing as a determinant of global access to CAR-T therapy.

Dr. Sarah Nikiforow will offer a perspective from a high-income setting, focusing on manufacturing innovations that could lower barriers to CAR-T access in low- and middle-income countries. She will consider what the field should prioritize next in CAR-T manufacturing science — moving from frontier development toward practical deployment — to make cellular therapies more broadly available

Speakers:

Fernando Gibran-Nunes, MD
Hospital Sirio-Libanês
São Paulo, Brazil
Centralized and Decentralized Models of CAR-T Manufacturing: Insights from a Latin American Academic Platform on the Science of Global Access

Sarah Nikiforow, MD, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
From Frontier to Field: Manufacturing Innovations That Could Lower Barriers to CAR-T Access in LMICs

Sticky Situations: Glycans in Classical and Malignant Hematopoiesis

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. , MCCNO - 288-290

Glycosylation is the most common post-translational modification. It occurs on more than half of all proteins and nearly all cell surface proteins yet has been poorly studied historically. With the advancement of novel mass spectrometry technologies, glycosylation research has gained traction. The goal of this session is to highlight fundamental and preclinical advances in the glyco-hematology field that are relevant to benign and malignant disorders. We hope to inspire the audience to consider the role of glycosylation on their protein or disease of interest.

Dr. Marie Hollenhorst will discuss glycobiology of hemostasis and thrombosis. She will discuss her lab's in-depth analysis of platelet glycoprotein glycosylation that has provided insight into glycoepitopes that are relevant for diseases caused by antiplatelet antibodies.

Dr. Anna Marneth will discuss how glycosylation of major hematopoietic growth factor receptors contributes to their function, the role of glycans in chemotherapy resistance and immune evasion, and proof-of-concept studies highlighting the potential avenue of targeting glycosylation in myeloid malignancies.

Speakers:

Marie Hollenhorst, MD, PhD
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA
Novel Insights Into the Glycobiology of Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Anna Marneth, PhD
Radboud University Medical Center
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Glycans in the Pathogenesis and as a Therapeutic Target in Myeloid Malignancies

Scientific Symposia

Designing Microbiome-Directed Interventional Trials in Hematologic Malignancies

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 9:30 a.m. - 10: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - 288-290

This session will provide a practical framework for designing microbiome-directed interventional trials in hematologic malignancies. The gut microbiome has emerged as an important determinant of clinical outcomes, with growing evidence linking microbial composition and function to treatment response, survival, immune reconstitution, and toxicity. Although much of this evidence remains observational, advances in high-resolution sequencing, metabolomics, and immune profiling now enable integrated mechanistic studies that can move beyond correlation toward causality. While these mechanistic studies are evolving, their insights are informing therapeutic strategies.

Despite growing interest, few rigorously designed microbiome-directed interventional trials have been conducted in hematologic malignancies and their precursor conditions. This session will equip attendees with a practical framework for designing microbiome-directed clinical trials by highlighting lessons learned from completed and ongoing studies, key considerations for selecting interventions and endpoints, integrating microbiome and immune biomarkers, addressing important confounders, and identifying opportunities to develop novel microbiome therapies.

Dr. Urvi Shah will discuss dietary and prebiotic interventions as broad ecological approaches to microbiome modulation. She will review the rationale and summarize evidence linking diet, the microbiome, and clinical outcomes including NUTRIVENTION trial results. She will highlight key principles and practical challenges in designing rigorous dietary and prebiotic intervention trials.

Dr. Florent Mallard will discuss fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as an approach to restore disrupted microbial communities. With a focus on allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT), he will review the mechanisms and clinical evidence for FMT in the prevention and treatment of graft-versus-host disease, including the pooled allogeneic fecal microbiota (MaaT013), and discuss its potential to reduce infections.

Dr. Doris Ponce will focus on defined live biotherapeutic products as targeted microbial therapeutics. She will review the rationale for using defined bacterial consortia to selectively modulate microbial communities and host–microbe interactions, present clinical data from SER-155 to reduce infections in alloHCT and discuss adaptive trial design implementation in microbiome-directed clinical development.

Chair:

Urvi A. Shah, MD, MS, DipABLM
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Speakers:

Urvi A. Shah, MD, MS, DipABLM
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Dietary and Prebiotic Intervention Strategies

Florent Malard, MD, PhD
Sorbonne University, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP
Paris, France
Fecal Microbiota Transplant Intervention Strategies

Doris M Ponce, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Live Bacterial Therapeutic Intervention Strategies

Lab-Grown Red Blood Cells: From Scalable Manufacturing to Clinical Translation

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. , MCCNO - 391-392

The production of lab-grown red blood cells has advanced rapidly, creating new opportunities to address persistent challenges in transfusion medicine. However, major barriers remain before cultured red cells can be produced reproducibly, economically, and at the scale required for routine diagnostic and therapeutic use. These include the need for robust erythroid progenitor sources, efficient differentiation and enucleation, high-density culture systems, standardized product characterization, and clinically compatible manufacturing processes. This session will examine recent progress across the translational continuum, from scalable bioprocessing to unmet clinical needs and first-in-human studies.

Dr. Eric Bouhassira will discuss the metabolic and bioprocessing constraints that limit large-scale production of lab-grown red blood cells. He will describe self-renewing erythroblasts carrying KIT and JAK2 signaling modifications that can proliferate without exogenous cytokines while retaining the capacity for terminal differentiation and enucleation. He will also present hollow-fiber and stacked-membrane bioreactors designed to support ultra-high-density erythroid culture through improved nutrient delivery, waste removal, and process control.

Dr. Stella Chou will address the unmet needs of patients with red cell alloimmunization and rare blood types, including difficulties in antibody identification and access to compatible blood. She will discuss how genetically engineered lab-grown red blood cells could provide standardized, antigen-defined reagent cells and, ultimately, customized transfusion products.

Dr. Joanne Mountford will review the clinical translation of lab-grown red blood cells, including first-in-human studies evaluating their safety, survival, and function. She will discuss manufacturing consistency, regulatory requirements, product characterization, and the early evidence supporting cultured red cells as a future transfusion product for patients with complex transfusion needs.

Chair:

Eric Bouhassira, PhD
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, NY

Speakers:

Eric Bouhassira, PhD
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, NY
Scalable Manufacturing of Lab-Grown Red Blood Cells: Overcoming Metabolic and Bioprocess Constraints

Stella T Chou, MD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Unmet Needs in Transfusion Medicine: Alloimmunization, Rare Blood Types, and the Case for Lab-Grown Red Cells

Joanne Mountford, PhD
Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Clinical Translation of Lab-Grown Red Blood Cells: First-in-Human Studies and Early Outcomes

Single-Cell and Spatial Genomics Redefining the Immune Cell Landscape in AML/MDS

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. , MCCNO - 288-290

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic neoplasms (i.e. MDS) are increasingly recognized as diseases shaped not only by malignant clones, but also by complex and dynamic interactions with the immune microenvironment. Recent advances in single-cell and spatial genomics are providing unprecedented resolution of these interactions, enabling simultaneous characterization of cellular identity, functional states, clonal architecture, and spatial organization within the bone marrow. These approaches are revealing previously unrecognized immune cell states, disease-associated cellular programs, and specialized microenvironmental niches that contribute to immune evasion, disease persistence, and therapeutic resistance. The presentations in this session will illustrate how high-resolution genomic technologies are reshaping our understanding of the AML/MDS immune ecosystem and enabling the discovery of clinically actionable mechanisms of immune escape and therapeutic response.

Dr. Livius Penter will discuss mechanisms of immune escape that contribute to medullary and extramedullary AML relapse following chemotherapy, allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, and immunotherapy. He will highlight how single-cell approaches are defining the interplay between leukemic clonal evolution, remodeling of the immune microenvironment, and dysfunctional anti-leukemia T-cell responses, with implications for the development of next-generation immunotherapeutic strategies.

Dr. Susan de Wolf will present spatial analyses of the AML/MDS bone marrow microenvironment, integrating in situ gene expression, mutation and RNA isoform profiling, and T-cell receptor characterization. Her presentation will examine spatial interactions between malignant and immune cells, with a focus on disease-associated regulatory T-cell populations and the role of TGFβ signaling in immune escape. Computational approaches to identify disease-defining cellular niches and changes in T-cell immunity across myeloid neoplasms will also be discussed.

Dr. Hussein Abbas will discuss the phenotypic diversity, spatial organization, clonal architecture, and functional states of AML/MDS-associated T-cell populations. He will highlight how single-cell and spatial transcriptomic approaches are redefining our understanding of immune surveillance and dysfunction in AML and informing biomarker development and novel immunotherapeutic strategies

Chair:

Catherine J. Wu, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

Speakers:

Livius Penter, MD
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Berlin, Germany
AML Immune Escape Mechanisms Driving Post-Therapy Relapse

Susan DeWolf, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Spatial Niches within the AML/MDS Bone Marrow Immune Microenvironment

Hussein Ali Abbas, MD, PhD
M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Phenotypes and Specificities of AML/MDS-Associated T Cell Populations

Special-Interest Sessions

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

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 9:30 a.m. - 10: 45 a.m. , MCCNO - 220-222

Genetic ancestry is a fundamental driver of human genomic diversity, yet populations remain underrepresented in hematology research, limiting biological discovery and the generalizability of precision medicine. This session brings together leaders in population genomics, computational biology, and translational hematology to examine how ancestry-associated genomic variation shapes disease biology, influences genomic interpretation, and informs therapeutic discovery across hematologic disorders. Rather than focusing on individual diseases, the session highlights shared biological principles that transcend disease boundaries, demonstrating how inclusive genomic research strengthens biomarker discovery, improves computational models, and enhances translational validity. The Chair will highlight the biologic and ancestral heterogeneity of hematologic neoplasms and disorders, identify the unifying scientific principles connecting the presentations, and describe a practical approach for translating ancestry-informed discovery into representative research and equitable clinical impact. Attendees will gain frameworks for incorporating ancestry into study design, genomic interpretation, and precision medicine while appreciating ancestry as a critical biological variable in hematology research.

Dr. Ambroise Wonkam will discuss how Africa’s unparalleled genetic diversity provides unique opportunities to advance biological discovery. Using examples including sickle cell disease, APOL1, and Duffy-null biology, he will demonstrate how expanding African genomic research improves variant interpretation, reveals novel disease mechanisms, and accelerates precision medicine globally.

Dr. Eimear Kenny will highlight how diverse genomic datasets and innovative computational methods improve disease discovery, genomic risk prediction, and the clinical implementation of precision medicine across diverse populations.

Dr. Ari Melnick will present evidence that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma exhibits ancestry-associated biological differences that influence genomic instability, immune evasion, and treatment resistance. These findings illustrate how ancestry-informed translational research can identify novel therapeutic targets and improve precision medicine.

Speakers:

Ambroise Wonkam, MD, PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
Leveraging our Common African Genomes to Improve Health Globally

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
Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute
Barcelona, Spain
African Ancestry-Associated Mechanisms of Immune System Malignancies and Precision Therapies

Celebrating Diverse Voices: Enriching Hematology Lunch

Monday, December 14, 2026, 12: 00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. , Marriott Warehouse - Cypress I-II

The Celebrating Diverse Voices Luncheon is a community-building and networking event hosted by the Committee on Advancing Excellence and Population Health for attendees from an expansive and inclusive range of communities. The 2026 theme, Good Trouble, Lasting Impact: Using Your Voice to Influence Change, will explore how individuals can use their voice, experiences, and relationships to create meaningful change across hematology. The program will include guided table discussions, a keynote from Dr. Chancellor Donald, audience Q&A, and networking opportunities throughout.

Chair:

Noha Soror, MD
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center
Keller, TX

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

Monday, December 14, 2026, 2:45 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. , MCCNO - 293-294

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.

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.

Chair:

Jacquelyn Powers, MD
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

Early Faculty Career Development Session

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 9:30 a.m. - 11: 00 a.m. , MCCNO - 293-294

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
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
Novo Nordisk
Plainsboro,
Tackling Common Obstacles - Panelist 4

LBGTQIA+ Community Networking Brunch

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 11: 00 a.m. - 12: 30 p.m. , Marriott Warehouse - Cypress I-II

The LGBTQIA+ Community Networking Brunch is a community-building and networking event hosted by the Committee on Advancing Excellence and Population Health for LGBTQIA+ attendees and allies. The 2026 theme, Stronger Together: Finding Courage, Connection, and Community in Challenging Times, will focus on connection, support, and navigating personal and professional challenges within the hematology community. The program will include guided table discussions, a moderated panel featuring personal and professional perspectives, audience Q&A, and networking opportunities throughout. back to top

The Predicament of Patients in Prison: A Hematology Perspective

Monday, December 14, 2026, 2:45 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. , MCCNO - 295-296

This session will explore the unique clinical, ethical, and structural challenges faced by incarcerated patients with hematologic conditions. Through expert perspectives and lived experiences, panelists will examine barriers to high-quality hematologic care in carceral settings, discuss potential strategies to address these challenges, and highlight opportunities for hematology professionals to support more equitable care for this patient population.

Chair:

Alan E. Mast, MD, Phd
Versiti Blood Research Institute
Milwaukee, WI

Speakers:

Shira Shavit, MD
University of California in San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Subject Matter Expert

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

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

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

Treating Fairly Rounds Lunch

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 11: 30 a.m. - 12: 30 p.m. , Marriott Warehouse - Gravier AB

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.

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

Women in Hematology Networking Dinner Event

Monday, December 14, 2026, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. , Hilton - St. Charles Ballroom

Negotiating the Room, the Role, and the Future for the 2026. Through four concise Ted-style talks and facilitated table discussions with the speakers after, participants will leave with concrete negotiation strategies and strengthened connections within the WIH community to support ongoing, effective advocacy throughout their careers. Food will be served at the start of the event.

Speakers:

Hetty Carraway, MD, MBA
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Leadership: Authority Without Penalty

Adele K. Fielding, MBBS PhD
Centre for Blood Research, University of York
York, United Kingdom
Influence: Voice, Credibility, and Impact

Monica Guzman, PhD
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, NY
Mid-Career: Expansion Versus Stagnation

Oluwatoyosi Onwuemene, MD, MS
Duke University
Durham, NC
Difficult Conversations: Respect Under Tension

Treating Fairly Talks

Treating Fairly Talks: Building Infrastructure for Systemic Change in Maternal Health Outcomes

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 8:00 a.m. - 8:25 a.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

As part of our commitment to excellence through expansion and inclusion, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) is offering the ASH Treating Fairly Talks. This inclusive space is designed to help attendees recognize the drivers of differing outcomes for various populations as viewed through the hematology lens and provide tools to make changes in their institutions. These sessions will include a short expert commentary followed by facilitated conversations about actions that can be taken to drive change at your institution. The Treating Fairly Talks will take place at the ASH Studio, located in ASH Central.

Dr. Imo Akpan will present “Building Infrastructure for Systemic Change in Maternal Health Outcomes.”

Speaker:

Treating Fairly Talks: Building Infrastructure for Systemic Change in Maternal Health Outcomes

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 4:00 p.m. - 4:25 p.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

Dr. Imo Akpan will present “Building Infrastructure for Systemic Change in Maternal Health Outcomes."

Speaker:

Imo J. Akpan, MD
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, NY
Building Infrastructure for Systemic Change in Maternal Health Outcomes

Treating Fairly Talks: Engaging American Indians and Alaska Native Populations in Community Interventions/Research

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 11: 00 a.m. - 11: 25 a.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

Dr. Denise Dillard will present on engaging American Indians and Alaska Native populations in community interventions/research.

Speaker:

Treating Fairly Talks: Engaging American Indians and Alaska Native Populations in Community Interventions/Research

Monday, December 14, 2026, 10: 00 a.m. - 10: 25 a.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

Dr. Denise Dillard will present on engaging American Indians and Alaska Native populations in community interventions/research.

Speaker:

Denise Dillard, Phd, MS
Washington State University
Spokane, WA
Engaging American Indians and Alaska Native Populations in Community Interventions/Research

Treating Fairly Talks: Iron Deficiency Interventions in Low Resource Settings

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 3:30 p.m. - 3:55 p.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

Dr. Ali Taher will present on iron deficiency interventions in low-resource settings.

Speaker:

Ali Taher, MD, PhD
American University of Beirut Medical Center
Beirut, Lebanon
Iron Deficiency Interventions in Low Resource Settings

Treating Fairly Talks: Leveraging AI on Our Path to More Inclusive Clinical Outcomes

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 1:30 p.m. - 1:55 p.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

Dr. Shakira Grant will present “Leveraging AI on Our Path to More Inclusive Clinical Outcomes.”

Speaker:

Treating Fairly Talks: Leveraging AI on Our Path to More Inclusive Clinical Outcomes

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 8:00 a.m. - 8:25 a.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

Dr. Shakira Grant will present “Leveraging AI on Our Path to More Inclusive Clinical Outcomes.”

Speaker:

Shakira Grant, MBBS, MSc
CROSS Global Research and Strategy
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina,
Leveraging AI on Our Path to More Inclusive Clinical Outcomes

Treating Fairly Talks: What is "Normal?" Updating Absolute Neutrophil Count Reference Ranges by Duffy Status

Sunday, December 13, 2026, 1:30 p.m. - 1:55 p.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

Dr. Lauren Merz will present “What is ‘Normal?’ Updating Absolute Neutrophil Count Reference Ranges by Duffy Status.”

Speaker:

Treating Fairly Talks: What is "Normal?" Updating Absolute Neutrophil Count Reference Ranges by Duffy Status

Monday, December 14, 2026, 8:00 a.m. - 8:25 a.m. , MCCNO - Hall D ASH Studio

Dr. Lauren Merz will present “What is ‘Normal?’ Updating Absolute Neutrophil Count Reference Ranges by Duffy Status.”

Speaker:

Lauren E Merz, MD, MSc
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
What is "Normal?" Updating Absolute Neutrophil Count Reference Ranges by Duffy Status

68th ASH Annual Meeting and exposition

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