ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Society of Hematology (ASH(TM)), the world’s largest professional society of blood specialists, is expecting nearly 20,000 attendees at its 48th Annual Meeting premiering the latest in blood disease research and treatments. The event will take place December 9-12, 2006, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
“The volume of research that will be presented makes the ASH annual meeting essential for disseminating these important developments and their implications to hematologists around the world and in every area of the discipline,” said ASH President, Kanti R. Rai, MD, of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
The focus of Dr. Rai’s Presidential Symposium will be recent advances in micro-RNAs and their significance for hematologists. In fact, this year’s Nobel Prize in medicine was given to two researchers for their work related to this topic. During the symposium, a panel of experts will discuss how the research on micro-RNAs, which regulate gene expression in cells, is providing new insights into how they modulate the formation of blood cells and the development of some hematologic malignancies. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, December 12, from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (EST) in Halls B3-B4.
E. Richard Stanley, PhD, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, will present the prestigious E. Donnall Thomas Lecture in which he will review his pioneering studies on the biology and action of a growth factor called colony- stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1). Dr. Stanley will explain the critical role of CSF-1 in development and in diseases such as leukemia, solid tumors, osteoporosis, nephritis, and atherosclerosis, and how studies of this growth factor may offer new approaches to innovative treatment options. The lecture will take place on Saturday, December 9, from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in Halls B3-B4.
Following Dr. Stanley’s lecture, a special symposium on the often neglected topic of bleeding disorders in women will take place from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Halls F3-F4. The speakers will discuss ways to diagnose these disorders earlier, optimize treatment management, and advance this important public health issue.
This year’s policy forum, which ASH is co-sponsoring with the European Hematology Association, will focus on the challenges facing researchers as they try to secure funding for biomedical research, and the policies which govern those decisions, both here and abroad, that can significantly affect the work of scientists. Elias A. Zerhouni, MD, Director of the National Institutes of Health, will discuss this topic from the American researcher’s perspective. Speaking about this issue from an international standpoint will be Colin Blakemore, FMedSci, FRS, Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council in London. The forum will take place on Sunday, December 10, from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in Halls B3-B4.
On Monday, the annual Ham-Wasserman Lecture will be given by Aaron Ciechanover, MD, DSc, from the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion -- Israel Institute of Technology. His lecture will focus on his study of the ubiquitin pathway, which plays an important role in the degradation of cellular proteins, and for which he won a Nobel Prize in 2004. The study of this particular pathway may lead to the development of new treatment modalities, such as treatments for multiple myeloma. The lecture will take place from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. in Halls B3-B4.
Other highlights of the meeting include a diverse educational program, special symposia, a practice forum, and scientific sessions. For the complete annual meeting program and abstracts, visit http://www.abstracts2view.com/hem4806.
The American Society of Hematology (http://www.hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders. Its mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems, by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology.
American Society of Hematology
CONTACT: Laura Stark of American Society of Hematology, +1-202-776-0544,lstark@hematology.org; or Leslie Humbel of Spectrum Science Communications,+1-202-955-6222, lhumbel@spectrumscience.com, for American Society ofHematology; On-site (12/8-12/12): +1-407-685-5405
Web site: http://www.hematology.org//
