Post ISTH 2026 Updates will feature expert commentary and discussion led by Taha Bat, MD, Yu-min Shen, MD, and Ibrahim Ibrahim, MD. This program will highlight key clinical and scientific advances presented at the 34th Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), focusing on the latest research and therapeutic developments in thrombosis, hemostasis, and vascular biology. The session will provide in-depth analysis of late-breaking abstracts, landmark trial updates, and new treatment strategies, with faculty drawing on their expertise to contextualize these findings for clinical practice. Attendees will gain an understanding of evolving standards of care, cutting-edge discoveries, and areas of active investigation presented at ISTH 2026. Through expert discussion and case-based insights, Post ISTH 2026 Updates will serve as a concise, high-yield review for clinicians, trainees, and researchers who want to integrate the most important developments from ISTH into their practice and scholarship.

Sairah Ahmed, MD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Lymphoma Myeloma within the Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She also serves as Director of the CAR T Cell Therapy Program at MD Anderson and is a recognized leader in the management of aggressive B cell lymphomas. Dr. Ahmed is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology. She completed her hematology oncology fellowship at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and advanced fellowship training in stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy at MD Anderson. Her clinical and research interests focus on large B cell lymphomas, cellular therapy, transplant strategies, and improving outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. She has contributed extensively to clinical research exploring novel therapies, transplantation approaches, and emerging treatment paradigms in lymphoma. Throughout her career, Dr. Ahmed has received national recognition for both clinical excellence and medical education, including honors from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, as well as multiple teaching awards. This session will provide a clinical overview of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, highlighting key considerations in diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment selection. The discussion will explore evolving therapeutic strategies and practical management principles across different stages of disease, with emphasis on individualized patient care and contemporary approaches in DLBCL.

Shaji Kumar, MD is a Professor of Medicine and Consultant in the Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he also serves as Research Chair of the Division of Hematology. He holds the Mark and Judy Mullins Professorship in Hematologic Malignancies and leads the Cancer Risk Assessment, Early Detection and Interception Research Program at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. Shaji Kumar, MD earned his medical degree from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, where he also completed his internship and internal medicine residency training. He subsequently completed a senior residency in Medical Oncology at the Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital at All-India Institute of Medical Sciences before pursuing clinical residency training in Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. He further trained as a Research Associate and Mayo Foundation Scholar in Multiple Myeloma at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Cancer Center. Shaji Kumar, MD's research focuses on the development of novel therapeutic strategies for multiple myeloma and related plasma cell disorders, including smoldering multiple myeloma. His work spans laboratory-based drug evaluation, early-phase clinical trials, and translational investigations into the bone marrow microenvironment and its role in myeloma progression. A central focus of his research is identifying patients with smoldering myeloma who are at highest risk of progression to active disease and defining the optimal timing and intensity of early intervention in this population. He conducts NIH-funded research on novel therapeutic targets and cereblon pathway biology in myeloma, receives funding from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation to study the relationship between molecular profiles and treatment outcomes, and leads National Cancer Institute-funded investigations into the prevalence and biomarkers for progression of monoclonal gammopathies. In addition to his research, Shaji Kumar, MD is a widely recognized leader in the field of hematologic malignancies. He serves as Associate Editor of the American Journal of Hematology and holds editorial advisory board positions with The Lancet Haematology, Leukemia, Clinical Oncology News, and Advances in Therapy, among others. In 2024, he received the Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Myeloma Foundation, one of the most distinguished honors in the myeloma field, and was recognized with both the Decentralized Clinical Trial Award and the Interventional-Treatment Clinical Trial Award from the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center.