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Faculty & Speakers
Leading haematologists, researchers, nurses, social workers and patient advocates from across the Americas and beyond, sharing the latest advances in thalassaemia, sickle cell disease and rare anaemias.
Hanny Al-Samkari
Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School (USA)
"Classical Haematologist and Clinical Investigator, The Peggy S. Blitz Endowed Chair in Haematology/Oncology; Co-Director, Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia Centre, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School."
- Artificial Intelligence, Telemedicine & Digital Health in the Service of Haemoglobin Disorders
- Debunking Thalassaemia Myths
- Evolving Therapeutic Strategies for Rare Anaemias
- Evolving Therapeutic Strategies for Rare Anaemias
Ali Amid
BC Children’s Hospital; University of British Columbia (Canada)
"Director, Provincial Paediatric Haemoglobinopathy Program, BC Children’s Hospital; University of British Columbia, Vancouver."
- Enhancing Care for α-Thalassaemia: Recognizing Challenges and Realizing Opportunities
- Comprehensive Approach to α-Thalassaemia
Hennis Anselm
PAHO/WHO, Washington, DC (USA)
"Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, PAHO/WHO, Washington, DC."
- Bridging Gaps and Addressing Challenges in the Care of Haemoglobin Disorders: Past – Present – Future
- Bridging Gaps and Addressing Challenges in the Care of Haemoglobin Disorders: Past – Present – Future
NinaMaria Badalamenti
News Producer, Chicago (USA)
"News Producer, Chicago, Illinois."
Sherif Badawy
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (USA)
"Director, Comprehensive Adult and Paediatric Thalassaemia Program, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago; Associate Professor of Paediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine."
Andre Luiz Rodrigues Bastos
HEMOPE (Brazil)
"Member, HEMOPE, Brazil."
Maya Bloomberg
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Centre (USA)
"Classical Haematology Nurse Practitioner, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Jackson Memorial Hospital."
- The Role of Nursing in the Care for Haemoglobin Disorders
- Exercise & Movement: What’s Safe & What’s Beneficial
Lucio Miguel Bongiorno
Argentinian Thalassaemia Association (Argentina)
"Member, Argentinian Thalassaemia Association (ATA)."
Jason Brathwaite
Society for Inherited Severe Blood Disorders (Trinidad & Tobago)
"Member, Society for Inherited Severe Blood Disorders, Trinidad & Tobago."
Craig Butler
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (USA)
"National Executive Director, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation."
Bessie Calabria
Thalassemia Foundation of Canada (Canada)
"President, Thalassemia Foundation of Canada; Board Member, Thalassaemia International Federation."
- Building Confidence & Overcoming Challenges in Daily Life
Lily Cannon
Thalassaemia International Federation (Cyprus)
"Deputy Director, Thalassaemia International Federation."
- Addressing Challenges in Accessibility, Availability, and Affordability of New Advances across the Region
Maria Domenica Cappellini
University of Milan (Italy)
"Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Milan; Chief, Rare Diseases Centre, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico Hospital, Milan."
- Systemic Complications in Thalassaemia: Endocrine Disorders, Liver Disease, Fertility Challenges
- The Role of National Registries in Improving Patient Care and Disease Management
- Considerations for Non-Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassaemia
Aaron N. Cheng
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (USA)
"Hematology Fellow, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania."
Maria Florencia Cillo
Argentinian Thalassaemia Association (Argentina)
"Member, Argentinian Thalassaemia Association (ATA)."
Thomas Coates
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; USC Keck School of Medicine (USA)
"Professor of Paediatrics and Pathology, Section Head, Haematology, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine; Children’s Hospital Los Angeles."
- Blood Transfusion Management: Ensuring Safety, Efficacy, and Long-Term Patient Well-Being
Ralph Colasanti
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (USA)
"National President, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation."
Isabely Di Roberto
Brazilian Thalassaemia Association – ABRASTA (Brazil)
"Member, Brazilian Thalassaemia Association (ABRASTA)."
Kathleen Durst
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (USA)
"Social Worker, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation, New York."
- The Contribution of the Social Worker in the Care of Haemoglobin Disorders
- Coping with Anxiety & Stress: Strategies for Mental Resilience
Panos Englezos
Thalassaemia International Federation (Cyprus)
"President, Thalassaemia International Federation."
- Opening Ceremony and Welcome Addresses
- Opening Ceremony and Welcome Addresses
Dimitrios Farmakis
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; TIF (Greece)
"Professor, Consultant Cardiologist, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; Medical Advisor, Thalassaemia International Federation."
- The Value of Regional Networks – TIF’s Perspective
- The Value of Regional Networks – TIF’s Perspective
- The Contribution of Haemoglobin Disorders to the Regional Disease Burden – TIF’s Perspective
- The Contribution of Haemoglobin Disorders to the Regional Disease Burden – TIF’s Perspective
Robert Ficarra
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (USA)
"Board Member, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation; Former Board Member, Thalassaemia International Federation."
Addassa Follett
UK Sickle Cell Society (United Kingdom)
"Member, UK Sickle Cell Society."
Ellen B. Fung
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (USA)
"Adjunct Professor, Division of Hematology, Department of Pediatrics, UCSF; Director, Bone Density Clinic; Co-Director, Summer Student Research Program, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland."
Rachael F. Grace
Boston Children’s Hospital; Harvard Medical School (USA)
"Attending Physician, Paediatric Haematology, Boston Children’s Hospital; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts."
- Access to Treatment: Knowledge and Education for Rare Anaemias
- Access to Treatment: Knowledge and Education for Rare Anaemias
Maria Hadjidemetriou
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (USA)
"Board Member, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation; Board Member, Thalassaemia International Federation, New York."
- How to Talk About Your Condition with Family & Friends
- Travel Safety: Tips for Patients on the Go
David A. Jacobsohn
Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC (USA)
"Professor of Paediatrics, Chief, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Children’s National Hospital; George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC."
- Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT): Current Experience with a Proven Curative Approach for Haemoglobin Disorders
Kevin H.M. Kuo
University of Toronto (Canada)
"Associate Professor, Division of Haematology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto; Associate Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto."
- Session 2. Building Connections: Patient Panel Discussion
- Current and Emerging Drug Therapies for Haemoglobin Disorders
- Advances in Treatment
- Ageing: Coping with Thalassaemia over 40
Janet Kwiatkowski
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (USA)
"Professor of Paediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Director, Thalassaemia Centre, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia."
- The Role of Reference Centres and Regional Networking in Enhancing Patient Care
- Curative Therapies for Haemoglobin Disorders
- Meet the Experts: Q&A on Living with Thalassaemia and Optimizing Care Pathways
- Concluding Remarks
Ashutosh Lal
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (USA)
"Professor of Clinical Paediatrics, UCSF School of Medicine; Comprehensive Thalassaemia Centre & Iron Disorders Program, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Oakland."
- Challenges in Managing Thalassaemia and other Haemoglobin Disorders in Multi-cultural Setting
Carl Lander
PKDIA (United Kingdom)
"International Liaison, Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency International Alliance (PKDIA)."
- Hearing from the Community – Best Practices
- Hearing from the Community – Best Practices
Sandra Loggetto
Sabará Children’s Hospital; São Paulo Blood Bank (Brazil)
"Paediatric Haematologist, Sabará Children’s Hospital; São Paulo Blood Bank, GSH Group."
Shenelle Maharaj
Society for Inherited Severe Blood Disorders (Trinidad & Tobago)
"Member, Society for Inherited Severe Blood Disorders, Trinidad & Tobago."
Kinga Malinowski
McMaster University; University of Toronto (Canada)
"Maternal-Fetal Medicine Physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, McMaster University Medical Centre & Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto; Professor, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University."
- Family Planning: Fertility in Thalassaemia
Rob Mannino
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (USA)
"Member, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation."
- Patient Voices – Personal Journeys Across the Americas: My Truth, My Story
- Patient Voices – Personal Journeys Across the Americas: My Truth, My Story
Stephanie Matthies
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (USA)
"Nurse, APRN, PNP-PC, Department of Haematology, Oncology & Stem Cell Transplant, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago."
Narla Mohandas
New York Blood Center Enterprises (USA)
"Distinguished Scientist, Head, Laboratory of Red Cell Physiology, New York Blood Centre Enterprises; Vice President, American Society of Haematology, New York."
- Diagnostic Challenges in Rare Anaemia
- Diagnostic Challenges in Rare Anaemia
Khaled M. Musallam
Burjeel Holdings (United Arab Emirates)
"Group Chief Research Officer, Burjeel Holdings; Director, Thalassaemia & Sickle Cell Center; Founding Director, Centre for Research on Rare Blood Disorders (CR-RBD), Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi; Adjunct Professor, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi & Weill Cornell Medicine, New York."
- Satellite Symposium – Advancing Thalassemia Management: Insights into Clinical Data and Disease Burden
- Navigating the Transition from Paediatric to Adult Care
- Navigating the Transition from Paediatric to Adult Care
Rafaela Limão Palharini
Brazilian Thalassaemia Association – ABRASTA (Brazil)
"Member, Brazilian Thalassaemia Association (ABRASTA)."
Scott A. Peslak
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (USA)
"Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Haematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Director, Penn Comprehensive Adult Thalassaemia Program."
Aliya Rinaldi
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (USA)
"Member, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation."
- Patient Testimonial: How Advances in Treatment Changed My Life
Stefano Rivella
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (USA)
"Professor of Paediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Leader, RNA Gene Therapeutics Group, Penn Institute for RNA Innovation; Scientific Director, CuRED, Philadelphia."
- Gene-Based Therapies for Haemoglobin Disorders: Progress and Future Prospects
Radhika Sawh
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (USA)
"Board Member, Cooley’s Anemia Foundation."
Tamara Schryver
PKDIA (USA)
"Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency International Alliance."
- Nutrition & Diet: Eating Right to Stay Strong
Dina Steagall
Brazilian Thalassaemia Association – ABRASTA (Brazil)
"Vice President, Brazilian Thalassaemia Association (ABRASTA)."
Paul Telfer
Barts Health NHS Trust (United Kingdom)
"Honorary Consultant Haematologist and Paediatric Haematologist, Barts Health NHS Trust; Clinical Director, East London and Essex Clinical Haemoglobinopathy Network – Sickle Cell Disease & Thalassaemia."
- Iron Overload and Monitoring – Strategies for Effective Chelation and Long-Term Patient Care
- National Prevention Programme and Neonatal Screening – the Keys to the More Effective Control of Haemoglobin Disorders
- Management of Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassaemia: Key Messages
Elizabeth Traxler
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (USA)
"Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Haematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine."
John Wood
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (USA)
"Professor of Pediatrics, Radiology, and Bioengineering, University of Southern California; Director of Cardiovascular Program, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles."
- Cardiac Health