Conference Coverage

Guest: Avery H. LaChance, MD, MPH, FAAD

Cutaneous dermatomyositis has a distinct pattern of skin findings that, once recognized, can make diagnosis much more straightforward. Tune in to hear Dr. Avery H. LaChance walk through the key visual clues and exam tips that help bring this condition into focus. Dr. LaChance is Director of the Connective Tissue Disease Clinic, Director of the Advanced Psoriasis Therapeutics Clinic, Director of Health Policy and Advocacy, and Program Director of the Dermatology-Rheumatology Fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She’s also an Associate Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, and she spoke on this topic at the 2026 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Susanna Gallani, PhD

AI is enabling a more thoughtful, value-driven approach to healthcare—one that prioritizes patient outcomes over the volume of services delivered. At the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting, Dr. Matt Birnholz sat down with this year's keynote speaker, Dr. Susanna Gallani, to explore how rich data can be transformed into actionable insights that ultimately improve patients' lives. Tune in to hear how leaders are balancing innovation with ethical responsibility while empowering clinicians to reconnect with the human side of medicine. Dr. Gallani is the Tai Family Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Justin O’Rourke, PhD, MBA

Trust is foundational to effective scientific communication—but what factors actually drive it? Find out as Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with Dr. Justin O’Rourke, a recent business psychology PhD graduate from The Chicago School, about his research on physician perceptions of medical science liaisons (MSLs) and their implications for delivering scientific information. Tune in for practical insights from this conversation at the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Abigail Sporer, PhD, MBA

At the intersection of expertise, strategy, and collaboration, medical affairs professionals are translating vaccine science into meaningful and actionable insights for healthcare providers. In this candid conversation from the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting, Dr. Matt Birnholz and Dr. Abigail Sporer, Director of US Medical Affairs at CSL Seqirus, discuss the evolving realities of vaccine education, from addressing misinformation to strengthening engagement. Learn more about how medical affairs plays a role in supporting clinicians and improving communication in a complex public health landscape.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Michael DeLuca, PharmD, MBA, MSRA

From launch excellence to global operational support, medical affairs teams are evolving to enhance scientific exchange and drive meaningful outcomes for patients. Learn more with Dr. Matt Birnholz and Dr. Michael DeLuca, Executive Vice President of Global Medical Affairs and Medical Information at EVERSANA, who explored key trends shaping the field at the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting. Hear about how artificial intelligence and other innovations are transforming data generation, insight development, and engagement strategies.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Renu Juneja, PhD

What do pharmaceutical leaders actually need from their agency partners? Find out as Dr. Matt Birnholz sits down with Dr. Renu Juneja to explore how insight-led collaboration can unlock stronger relationships, faster timelines, and more impactful medical education. In this conversation at the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting, they share perspectives on how challenging assumptions, leveraging artificial intelligence, and developing scalable strategies can help deliver meaningful value. Dr. Juneja is the President of ADPAL LLC, a boutique company advising consulting firms and agency partners.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Tony Page

Early, integrated insights can dramatically improve pharmaceutical launch outcomes and reduce the risk of missed expectations. Discover best practices for aligning market needs with clinical strategy and leveraging AI for smarter insight planning with Dr. Matt Birnholz and Mr. Tony Page, who shared their perspectives at the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting. Mr. Page is the Senior Vice President of Insight at Within3, a platform dedicated to launch insights.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Brandon Young, PhD

Today’s medical science liaisons (MSLs) are navigating a rapidly shifting healthcare landscape. Step inside the evolving world of medical affairs as Dr. Matt Birnholz sits down with Dr. Brandon Young, senior MSL at CSL Seqirus, to uncover how communication, collaboration, and emerging technologies are shaping the future of the field. Gain insights on these shifts in this discussion from the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Guest: Karen Roy, MSc

For medical affairs teams, demonstrating the value and impact of educational initiatives in a meaningful and measurable way is essential. At the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting, Dr. Matt Birnholz spoke with Ms. Karen Roy, CEO and Co-Founder of Infograph-ed, about how CME-informed strategies can elevate planning, content design, and outcomes measurement. Learn more about new approaches that can help create more targeted, insight-driven education.

Guest: Mark Freedman, HBSc, MSc, MD, CSPQ, FAAN, FRCPC

The role of cell-based therapies in multiple sclerosis (MS) is evolving, with immune system replacement via autologous stem cells, investigational mesenchymal repair strategies, and CAR T-cell approaches changing the treatment landscape. Hear from Dr. Mark Freedman as he dives into current and emerging mechanisms of action, which he also discussed at the 2026 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting. Dr. Freedman is a Professor of Medicine in Neurology at the University of Ottawa and a Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.