Have you made your travel arrangements for the annual meeting — the 51st ASH Annual Meeting being held in New Orleans, LA, on December 5-8, 2009? This is a meeting you will not want to miss — we have new awards and new sessions that will capture your attention, and we also celebrate the continuing recovery from the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina that prevented our previous meeting in New Orleans. Keep in mind that the cut-off date to register in advance (and pay less) is November 5. However, you can register on site; on-site registration begins Thursday, December 3, at 3:00 p.m. in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Hall G.
This year’s Education Program will be held Saturday, December 5, and Sunday, December 6. Chaired by Armand Keating, MD, and Alexis A. Thompson, MD, this year’s program will offer nearly 30 sessions covering the breadth of hematology. A majority of these sessions are offered twice, and topics will cover the spectrum of benign and malignant hematology, including sessions on thalassemia, sickle cell disease, hemolytic anemia, mucocutaneous bleeding disorders, transfusion medicine, hematologic malignancies, bone marrow transplantation, and iron overload. This year we will also have a session on health disparities and outcomes for patients with hematologic diseases, Drs. Joel Anne Chasis and Richard A. Van Etten are chairing this year’s Scientific Program, and, like the Education Program, most sessions will be offered twice and held on both Saturday and Sunday. Come and hear the latest scientific developments in a wide range of hematologic fields, including the developmental biology of hematopoiesis, apoptosis, genomic reorganization during erythropoiesis, innate sensors in immunity, leukemia stem cells, and immune consequences of transfusion, to name a few.
A new honorific award will be announced at this year’s meeting. The Ernest Beutler Lecture and Prize will be presented with its accompanying lecture on Monday, December 7. (See page 4 for information.) This two-part lectureship, intended to recognize major translational advances related to a single topic, honors the late Ernest Beutler, MD, past president of ASH and physician/scientist for more than 50 years. The Ham-Wasserman Lecture, presented by Melvyn F. Greaves, PhD, will reflect on the fact that 2009 is the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book, On the Origins of Species. This is especially timely, given the unfortunate decision by the Louisiana legislature to pass legislation requiring that teachers in the public school present “alternate theories” alongside the tenets of evolution. As always, there will be trainee activities and services available, special-interest sessions, ticketed sessions including Education Spotlight Sessions and Meet-the-Expert Sessions, and oral and poster sessions.
Come learn about top-notch research and breakthrough studies in the setting of Louisiana hospitality, cuisine, and the attractions of the New Orleans French Quarter. On a personal note, I want to say what a pleasure and honor it has been to serve as the ASH president this year. I continue to marvel at the extent of our members’ volunteer contributions to ASH’s agenda. Their efforts are critical to our goal of promoting the science and practice of hematology here and across the globe. And finally, I want to acknowledge the incredible dedication and professionalism of the ASH staff. They make it all possible — and fun besides. Thank you.
