Returning from a nearly back-to-normal ASH annual meeting and capping a long and tumultuous three years of COVID-related challenges, I could not help but reflect on how the world has changed during the past several years. While most of us will forever carry stories of our own personal losses as well as those of our patients, these years have also transformed medicine and hematology in ways that we would not have dreamt of prior to the momentous, early months of 2020. We are all familiar with the adages, “necessity is the mother of invention” and “adversity brings out the best in us,” and we saw these playing out in real time in the past three years. Just take our annual meeting as an example: We left Orlando in December 2019, celebrating another successful year and rejoicing in being able to connect with our friends, with little awareness of what lay ahead. As we recovered from the initial wave of COVID and were busy submitting our abstracts for the 2020 annual meeting in early August, many of us thought that the worst was behind us and looked forward to another busy annual meeting and the humdrum that goes with it. Soon, it was clear that this was not to be, but we quickly pivoted to a fully online annual meeting without breaking our stride and pulled off a very successful scientific gala as every annual meeting promises to be. The lessons learned at the 2020 meeting were fully put into use in Atlanta a year later, where despite all the limitations imposed by the ongoing pandemic, many of us were able to come together in person while providing a comparable scientific experience for those who could not make it to Atlanta. This year we came full circle, thrilled to be back for a fully in-person meeting in the beautiful and historic city of New Orleans. The energy and the enthusiasm were evident in the crowded presentation halls as well as at the social gatherings all over the city — every one of us excited to meet friends in person after three years of Zoom rooms, Teams, Webexes, BlueJeans, and other portals I had never even heard of, resolving to not take any of these simple joys for granted ever again. At the same time, however, the technology allowed several thousands of our fellow hematologists to partake in the scientific experience from far away. (Drs. Gangat and Szuber nicely sum up the highlights of this year’s meeting in another article.)
While recent history may have left indelible scars on our hematology community, we all have adapted in many ways to ensure that our patients receive the best care and that the wheels of scientific progress keep turning. This was clearly evident in the breadth and depth of scientific advances there were showcased at the annual meeting. In fact, some of the lessons of the COVID times are already being translated to the clinic for care and cure of many cancers. The mRNA technology that gave us effective vaccines in a short time, previously thought to be impossible, is increasingly being harnessed for developing cancer treatments. The events of the recent years have thrust into the open the inevitable friction at the intersection of science and society, whether it be vaccine hesitancy; reproductive rights; or diversity, equity, and inclusion. But we as a community have not shied away from these hard debates, and many a session was devoted to these timely discussions.
In this first issue of 2023, we continue with the tradition of highlighting some of the most impactful discoveries in the field through a series of well-crafted articles by our very talented group of Contributing Editors. As we read through these highlights, one is awed at the progress we have made in the past decade, whether it be T-cell redirection therapies for lymphoma and myeloma or curative treatments for sickle cell disease. Understanding the genetic underpinnings of hematologic malignancies is critical for developing new therapies and prevention, as highlighted by studies into the genetic complexity of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and our understanding of the evolution of genetic changes in myeloid neoplasms. The importance of carefully designed clinical trials to inform daily practice is highlighted by two important trials addressing the utility of anticoagulation in pregnancy. One may wonder what sunshine has to do with coagulation, but the Mini Review in this issue sheds a ray of (sun)light on it.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Laura Michaelis, from whom I take on the challenging responsibility of Editor-in-Chief of The Hematologist and a hard act to follow. I look forward to building on the successes of my colleagues who have made The Hematologist into the wonderful publication it is today, with a lot of help from the editorial board. I wish you all a wonderful year ahead, full of personal and professional success.
