As I write this column, it is early fall, and I am contemplating the upcoming ASH Annual Meeting & Exhibition in San Diego and the end of this year when my tenure as ASH’s president will come to an end. It’s hard to say what exactly I will feel when that moment comes, but I know I am already proud of what we have accomplished and grateful for the experiences I’ve had with ASH this year and the many others that preceded it.
As an immigrant from India with an engineering background and no formal training in medicine, I am keenly aware that serving as president of this esteemed organization has afforded me unique and treasured opportunities. This past year, I have been fortunate to get to know and work with superb physician scientists and caring clinicians around the world. I have been enriched by each encounter.
During the past two decades, ASH’s stature and influence in helping hematologists conquer blood diseases has grown globally. This year’s launch of Blood Global Hematology, an addition to ASH’s growing family of journals, attests to that international commitment. This past year took me to the UAE, Colombia, England, France, Spain, India, Canada, and Japan, where I interacted with wonderful colleagues. My trips included a visit to La Jolla, California, for ASH’s Clinical Research Training Institute. There, I met 29 early-career hematologists interested in pursuing clinical research. It is always uplifting to see up close the talent and promise of our next generation.
As is the case with any year, there are accomplishments to celebrate. I am particularly pleased with the ASH Foundation’s support for a diverse range of initiatives and projects designed to drive innovation, improve patient care, and foster education. By funding critical programs, the Foundation is advancing research, supporting the next generation of hematologists, and raising awareness about blood diseases and disorders.
The projects are varied. For example, the Foundation funded a singing competition to help bring attention to sickle cell disease, an often-overlooked condition. The Foundation also supported an interactive education program on gene therapy, empowering physicians and researchers to better understand cutting-edge treatments.
In short, the Foundation’s work is consequential and helping to shape the future of hematology, one in which blood diseases are better understood, treated, and eventually cured. Its success would not be possible without the generous support of thousands of donors, including a number of ASH members. I extend to them my deep gratitude and humbly ask more of our members to consider supporting the Foundation during this season of giving. To learn more about the Foundation’s work and how to donate, please visit hematology.org/foundation.
It has been an enormous privilege — in fact, the highlight of my career — to serve as the 66th president of ASH. There are so many people to thank for making this past year such a joy for me. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the highly dedicated and outstanding ASH staff. I am also very grateful to the ASH Executive Committee, all of whom have proved to be cherished friends. Lastly, I am grateful for my wife of 51 years, Jyothsna, who has been at my side for the entire span of my hematology research career, all while pursuing her own impressive career as a pathologist.
I look forward to seeing you in San Diego. I expect to catch up with old friends, make new ones, learn, and be inspired. I hope the same for you. With yet another record number of abstract submissions and an expected attendance of 30,000 in person (and 5,000 virtually), we will be exposed to the best science and the brightest minds. What a wonderful way to end our year.
Looking ahead to 2025, ASH will be in highly capable hands with our incoming president and my dear friend Dr. Belinda Avalos. With her at the helm, ASH will soar ever higher.
