ASH 2017: Learning, networking and recruiting at the annual hematology meeting

ASH is also a good opportunity to learn more about improving care of delivery to patients, as well as basic and translational hematology research. I was able to attend a few research talks where they discussed new approaches in the laboratory. I'm eager to get back and use that new knowledge to help us refine some of our current experiments.

One of our staff scientists, Christophe Lechauve, PhD, presented basic research on beta thalassemia during the oral asbstract session on thalassemia and globin gene regulation (Abstract 285). A newly identified enzyme, Ulk1, was found to help red blood cells eliminate excess alpha globin. This is one of the protein chains that make up hemoglobin. Excess alpha globin kills red blood cells and can cause conditions like anemia and beta thalassemia. Ulk1 can be increased by administering an FDA-approved drug. This research could possibly open up new strategies to treat beta thalassemia.

I also gave an educational talk on genome editing strategies to treat beta-hemoglobulinopathies, as well as took time to network with colleagues and interview potential faculty members for our department. Overall, it's a very large conference and there really is something for anyone interested in the field of hematology.