In this podcast, Chair of the ASH Committee on Practice Dr. Joseph Alvarnas and Chair of the ASH Committee on Government Affairs Dr. Alan Rosmarin, update ASH members on key policy topics affecting hematologists. They discuss the current political climate and its effects on issues impacting the field of hematology, including research funding, drug access and pricing issues, and efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Drs. Rosmarin and Alvarnas provide information about ASH programs and resources hematologists, whether clinicians or researchers, can use to advocate for issues of importance to them and their patients.

To learn about ASH's advocacy efforts and how you can get involved, visit www.hematology.org/advocacy. For more information about the ASH Congressional Fellowship Program and the ASH Advocacy Leadership Institute, visit the ASH website.

Music: “Jellyfish in Space” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In her Diffusion article from the May/June 2017 issue of The Hematologist, Dr. Sioban Keel looks at genetic profiling to guide stem-cell transplantation in myelodysplastic syndromes. She covers a New England Journal of Medicine article co-authored by Dr. Benjamin Ebert. In this podcast, Dr. Ebert joins Dr. Keel for a thought-provoking conversation. You can find the article online at www.hematology.org/Thehematologist/Diffusion/7259.aspx.

Music: "Jellyfish in Space" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this podcast, ASH Awards Committee members, Drs. Linda Burns and Mohandas Narla discuss ASH's most prestigious awards, the Honorifics. They provide a thorough overview of the seven awards, the nomination process, as well as the importance of nominating your colleagues to be honored for their achievements. These awards recognize hematologists for accomplishments that serve as building blocks for new medical advancements in hematology. To learn more about the ASH Honorific Awards, visit www.hematology.org/awards/honorific. Remember to submit your nominations by July 15, 2017.

In her Clinical Trials Corner article from the March/April 2017 issue of The Hematologist, Dr. Elizabeth Raetz along with Dr. Tibor Kovacsovics take a look at the Beat AML Trial. In this podcast, and through ASH's partnership with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, AML experts Dr. John Byrd and Dr. Eytan Stein join Dr. Raetz in a conversation about the trial's design, rationale, and results, as well as its significance in developing a precision medicine approach for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. You can find the article online at www.hematology.org/Thehematologist/Clinical-Trials/7134.aspx.

Music: "Jellyfish in Space" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The first podcast of 2017 for The Hematologist: ASH News and Reports features Dr. Jason Gotlib (Stanford University School of Medicine) and Dr. Alexis Thompson (Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital) having a conversation about the highlights of 2016 in sickle cell disease (SCD). They cover studies in SCD and ASH Sickle Cell Disease initiatives in order to demonstrate why it is such an exciting time for the study of this disease. You can read the Year's Best article authored by Dr. Michael DeBaun by visiting www.hematology.org/Thehematologist/Years-Best/6994.aspx. For more information about ASH SCD Initiatives, visit www.hematology.org/Advocacy/4329.aspx.

Music: “Jellyfish in Space” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 crativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this special podcast, Dr. Aaron Gerds (Cleveland Clinic) has a conversation with Dr. Laurie Sehn (University of British Columbia/BC Cancer Agency) about exciting events that will be taking place at this year's ASH annual meeting, which will take place December 3 to 6 in San Diego, California. The meeting will feature an array of education and scientific sessions, and oral and poster presentations detailing the latest clinical advances. There is also an expanded Education Program and a growing selection of special-interest sessions and networking events. Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with the top minds in the field of malignant and nonmalignant hematology, as well as a global community of more than 20,000 hematology professionals from every subspecialty. The podcast also features important information provided by Dr. Michael Linenberger (University of Washington, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Fred Hutch) about obtaining CME credit for participating in the annual meeting. For more information about the 58th ASH Annual Meeting, visit www.hematology.org/annual-meeting.

Music: “Jellyfish in Space” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In his Diffusion article from the November/December issue of The Hematologist, Dr. Michael DeBaun (Vanderbilt University) discusses the need for further research in efforts to update and implement universal procedures to prevent unnecessary death and acute illness for college and high school athletes with SCD. He covered the article by Dr. Lianne Kurina (Stanford University) and colleagues titled “Sickle cell trait, rhabdomyolysis, and mortality among U.S. Army soldiers.” Dr. Kurina provides her insight on the issue based on her research program, which focuses on the physical and mental health of active-duty U.S. Army soldiers. You can find Dr. DeBaun’s Diffusion article online at www.hematology.org/Thehematologist/Diffusion/6722.aspx.

Music: “Jellyfish in Space” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 crativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this special podcast, Dr. Gary Gilliland from Fred Hutch and Drs. Ross Levine and Omar Abdel-Wahab from Memorial Sloan Kettering, talk about the significance of the ASH Scholar Award in their careers. This podcast, which follows the theme of “Three Generations of Scholar Award Recipients,” celebrates 30 years of the ASH Scholar Awards designed to support hematologists who have chosen a career in research by providing partial salary or other support during the critical period required for completion of training and achievement of status as an independent investigator. Dr. Gilliland was a Scholar Award recipient in 1991, Dr. Levine received his award in 2006, and Dr. Abdel-Wahab won twice – in 2011 as a fellow and in 2014 as basic/translational junior faculty. Learn more about ASH Scholar Awards by visiting www.hematology.org/awards.

Music: “Jellyfish in Space” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In our ninth podcast for The Hematologist, Dr. Tracy George (University of New Mexico School of Medicine) and Dr. Rama Gullapalli (University of New Mexico School of Medicine) have a conversation with Dr. Jason Gotlib (Stanford University School of Medicine) about lessons for clinicians and pathologists, learned from the Theranos controversy. The podcast covers the Op-Ed written by Drs. George and Gullapalli for the September/October 2016 issue of The Hematologist. Read the full article online at www.hematology.org/Thehematologist/Op-Ed/6540.aspx.

Music: “Jellyfish in Space” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this special podcast, Dr. Ken Anderson and Dr. Martin Tallman, program co-chairs for the Meeting on Hematologic Malignancies, talk about the exciting events that will be taking place at this year’s meeting, which will take place September 16 to 17 at the Fairmont Chicago in Millennium Park, Chicago, Illinois. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear world-class experts in hematologic malignancies discuss the latest developments in clinical care, and learn about their own treatment approaches based on available data. The content will be structured as “How I Treat” sessions on core malignancies, including leukemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloma, and myeloproliferative neoplasms. Among the dynamic areas the two Chairs discuss in this podcast, targeted and immune therapies are some of the most highly anticipated this year in Chicago. Also taking center-stage are several new areas of interest including immune therapies in leukemias, unique toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome and in curative disease types, and numerous others. As Drs. Anderson and Tallman spotlight, all of these discussions will take place in the context of actual clinical cases. For more information about the meeting, visit www.hematology.org/malignancies, and to register go to www.hematology.org/malignancies/registration.aspx.

Music: “Jellyfish in Space” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/