2022 marks 64 years of presenting the best science in hematology to the world. That’s a lot of time to get things right, change with the times, and innovate for the sake of attendees and the global profession overall. Compared to the three short years that the ASH annual meeting has been held with a virtual component, 64 years is literally a lifetime. It also puts into perspective the strides of the previous few years since going virtual. Like last year, 2022 sees the continued evolution of a customized virtual experience, making the in-person and virtual meetings as unified as possible, while enabling in-person participants to safely ease back to “normal” (or at least the “new normal” as they are calling it) and helping virtual attendees feel a part of the action in New Orleans.
One way ASH ensures a cohesive experience for all attendees is by making the virtual platform available to all who register. Beginning with Preview Days on Wednesday, December 7 (read on for more), all annual meeting registrants can access the meeting platform at annualmeeting.hematology.org, using the ASH username and password used to register.
Once you’re logged in, you’ll have access to sessions, networking tools, and numerous ways to stay connected. So, whether you are attending virtually only, or joining your friends and colleagues in New Orleans and then bingeing a few sessions during the trip home, here are 10 features, tips, and events to help you get the most out of the 64th ASH Annual Meeting.
1. Take Advantage of the Virtual Platform From Wherever You May Be
Wednesday, December 7 – Tuesday, December 13*
Once again, everyone who registers can exercise the option of taking part virtually or in-person. All speakers will be presenting their talks in person in New Orleans, from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Unless otherwise noted, all events and sessions will take place in person and be broadcast simultaneously on the meeting’s virtual platform. Don’t miss your chance to ask questions of the presenters in real time, from anywhere!
It is strongly encouraged that in-person attendees explore the virtual platform to get the most out of this year’s annual meeting experience. Give your feet a break and make the act of physically rushing from session to session a thing of the past. With nearly all sessions broadcast simultaneously on the virtual platform, you’re just a laptop and pair of headphones away from taking in that Q&A from ASH Park @ the Plaza or wherever you happen to be most comfortable. ASH has secured extensive outdoor seating spaces (with wi-fi!) around the convention center for attendees who might want to catch a session virtually but also a few minutes of fresh air. Make the most of your time in New Orleans by learning in person alongside colleagues and friends, in a relaxed environment.
There are hundreds of sessions and events at this year’s meeting that you won’t want to miss, including:
- Special-Interest Sessions
- Education Program and Scientific Program Presentations
- Spotlight Sessions
- The ASH Health Equity Studio
- Oral Abstract Sessions
- Poster Presentations
- Award Lectures
- Select Friday Satellite Symposia
- Scientific Workshops
- Exhibits and Industry including the Exhibit Hall
- Corporate Presentations (Product Theaters, Industry Theaters, and Company Showcases)
- Poster Walks
*Everyone who registers gets complimentary access to the meeting’s virtual platform through January 1, 2023, with the option to extend access to the virtual platform for an additional fee. See the “Registration” section on hematology.org/meetings/annual-meeting for more info.
2. Log in During Preview Days
Wednesday, December 7 – Friday, December 9
Preview Days give attendees the chance to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with the meeting’s virtual platform and its features and navigation tools. Don’t miss the Friday-Only Programming on December 9, including the Friday Satellite Symposia, ASH-a-Palooza, and Scientific Workshops (see tip #4). Even if you attended last year, Preview Days are a great way to refresh your knowledge, learn about some of the new and enhanced elements, and to build your schedule.
3. Stop by ASH Central
ASH Central is a hub of the meeting to connect and collaborate with your fellow hematologists. ASH Central is located in Hall F of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Here are a some of the features and activities available throughout the meeting: stop by the ASH Store, donate to the ASH Foundation, visit the Health Equity Studio, do some shopping at the fASHion boutique for hematologists with style, catch a few sessions at the ASH Live: Remote Session Viewing, visit the ASH Research Collaborative Kiosk, reserve a Collaboration Room, contribute to the ASH Whiteboard Wall, get a professional headshot taken at Headshot Alley, take a just-for-fun photo at the Photo Zone, enjoy a Power Nap @ ASH inside a personal nap pod, visit the Trainee Lounge (attendees with blue badge holders only), and find some balance at the Wellness Studio.
4. Kick Things Off Right and Attend a Scientific Workshop
Friday, December 9, 2:00-5:00 p.m. Central time (CT)
These workshops are interactive discussions of the latest scientific developments in a particular field of hematology and are not part of the official ASH annual meeting program. They are sponsored by ASH but are organized by and for members of the hematology community. Each workshop will be an in-person event in New Orleans and broadcast simultaneously for virtual attendees. Because of their interactive format, it is recommended that you catch these sessions live!
2022 Scientific Workshop Topics:
- Advancing Decentralized Clinical Trials in Hematology
- Bedside to Bench: Dissecting Emergent CAR T-cell Toxicities beyond CRS and ICANS
- Gene Editing in Hematology: Here to Stay
- Germline Predisposition to Hematopoietic Malignancies and Bone Marrow Failure
- Hematology and Aging
- Interplay between Coagulation and Malignancy
- Leveraging Digital Technology to Modernize and Enhance Observational Studies
- Myeloid Development
- Thrombotic Microangiopathies
- Translational Molecular Diagnostics: Genomic Reclassification of Blood Cancer
5. See What the 2022 Exhibitors and Industry Have to Offer
In-person exhibits: Saturday, December 10, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, December 12, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Monday, December 13, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. CT
Virtual exhibits: Saturday, December 10 – Wednesday, March 1
This year, in-person and virtual participants will find a range of opportunities to learn from and network with industry. If you’re attending in New Orleans, the exhibits are located in Hall G-J of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center; on the virtual platform, click on “Exhibits and Industry” to access the presentations and content listed below. Check the individual listings for times and details on which presentations are available in-person or on the virtual platform.
Virtual Exhibit Hall. Features more than 275 exhibitors representing pharmaceutical companies, medical suppliers, clinical diagnostic and research-based companies, publishers, and not-for-profit organizations, plus the latest technology and research and a wide range of products and services.
Select Friday Satellite Symposia (in-person and virtual). Industry-supported, CME-accredited symposia that are offered on Friday, December 9. Visit hematology.org/meetings/annual-meeting/friday-satellite-symposia for the complete session listing.
ASH Pipeline and Clinical Trials Directories. Provides health care professionals access to current information on the status of hematologic pharmaceuticals in development to encourage and stimulate meaningful dialogue with industry. The Pipeline Directory is a searchable resource containing current information on the status of hematologic pharmaceuticals in development. The Clinical Trials Directory is also fully searchable by hematologic disease pathway, phase, location, company name, or keyword. This year-round resource can be found here.
Corporate Presentations These events will be offered Saturday, December 10, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30-1:45 p.m.; Sunday, December 11, 8:00-9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and 4:00-4:15 p.m.; and Monday, December 12, 8:00-9:00 a.m., 10:15-10:30 a.m., and 12:15-1:15 p.m. (all times Central time).
- Product Theaters. These are non-CME exhibitor presentations that feature new research findings relating to the development of approved pharmaceutical products, new uses, combinations, or therapies.
- Industry Theaters. These are non-CME, company-developed presentations on investigational products in pipeline or clinical trial phases, medical devices, medical technology, and patient treatment resources.
- Company Showcases. These 15-minute promotional presentations provide an overview of services, clinical trials, or mission-based initiatives for a company, not-for-profit organization, or clinical research organization.
6. Build Your Schedule in Advance on the Platform or Mobile App
The annual meeting mobile app allows you to get a head start on building your schedule. Search for "ASH 2022" on either iOS or Android to download the app. Take some time in the weeks leading up to the meeting to browse and add sessions to your calendar; these favorited sessions will automatically appear under a “My Favorites” filter linked from your profile on the virtual meeting platform when you first log on. (Note that sessions added to your schedule directly from the platform will not similarly transfer back to the app.) Treat these segments on your calendar as “protected” times, free from distractions and dedicated to learning and connecting.
The virtual meeting platform has some helpful tools to help you precisely locate the presentations you want to experience. Detailed filters are great for helping to narrow down available sessions, based on your areas of interest. On the session’s page, you can apply more filters to locate specific topics or pathways, or use the search bar to further narrow your results or search for a specific topic. This year two dedicated filters are available to highlight sessions on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility; and Maternal Health.
You can view by date, and once a session has happened it will become available for viewing on demand. Use Preview Days to get comfortable with quickly finding the content you want to see most.
Once you find your favorite sessions, the virtual meeting platform also features a few tools to help you stay organized and on track. When you identify a session of interest, you can select “Export to Calendar” to add the session to your personal Outlook, iCal, or Google Calendar. You can also select “Add to My Schedule” to add a session to a self-contained virtual meeting schedule with all your sessions of interest. Find this tool by navigating to the “Schedule” area of your virtual meeting account profile. Once a session has happened it will become available for viewing on demand. Use Preview Days to get comfortable with quickly finding the content you want to see most.
7. Catch Up and Binge Watch!
Saturday, December 10 – Friday, December 16 (and beyond!)
December 13 does not need to mark the end of your annual meeting experience. Catch the on-demand recordings of all the sessions and presentations you missed (or that earned a re-watch) earlier in the meeting. Depending on which registration option you choose, you can view and re-view on-demand content up until March 1, 2023 (see Tip #1 for more info).
8. Take Part in the ASH Foundation Run/Walk
In-person: Sunday, December 11, 7:00 – 9:00 a.m., Convention Center Blvd. and Julia St.
Virtual: Friday, November 26 – Friday, December 11
This year is all about choices, and you can take part in the 2022 ASH Foundation Run/Walk in New Orleans, or wherever you are. Virtual participants can run or walk a 3K or 5K route anytime between December 4 and December 18, 2022. Get started by visiting hematology.org/foundation/run-walk and clicking the “Register Now” link to sign up and learn more about the virtual option.
Proceeds from all individual and group registration fees, as well as additional individual donations, will benefit the ASH Minority Recruitment Initiative Fund and Career Development and Training Fund.
9. Take Advantage of Networking Opportunities
Wednesday, December 8 – Tuesday, December 14
Face time with colleagues is one of the most anticipated aspects of the annual meeting. ASH has carved out dedicated times and events to help you re-connect with colleagues and make new connections.
At the convention center:
- Collaboration Rooms: Organize your own meeting with colleagues in a more private space to better facilitate networking and collaboration. Reserve a small conference room for 10-20 people. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more, find room details, and request a collaboration room online.
- Hematology Meetups: Designated seating for small meetings in common areas.
- Small meetings with scientific and clinical experts: Purchase a ticket for “How I Treat” and “Meet the Scientist” sessions when you register.
- Evening Poster Hall Receptions (i.e., “beer and pretzels” in Hall D) and Presentations.
- Networking events and receptions: These are being held for various communities within ASH, including practice, quality, hemostasis and thrombosis, women in hematology, trainee, LGBTQIA+, and the disability community. View the Schedule-at-a-Glance for additional similar networking opportunities.
But you don’t need to be in New Orleans to enjoy those enriching connections. In addition to social media (see this year’s social media guide), the virtual meeting platform enables participants to schedule and host video chat meetings with each other and contribute to the ASH Community Collage. Connect with participants via the “Networking” page to find your friends and colleagues, and from there you can instant message with them or set up one-on-one virtual video chats, or organize larger group discussions for up to 50 people.
Returning this year, Watch with Friends and Colleagues is a feature unique to the ASH annual meeting platform. Why watch alone when you can invite your mentees, collaborators, or friends to watch together and share your thoughts in real time?
10. Participate in ASH Poster Walks
Wednesday, December 14, – Thursday, December 15
After the core meeting dates, you’ll want to return to the platform for poster walks highlighting sets of up to six posters on a specified topic, curated by ASH. Poster authors and key opinion leaders will engage in a panel discussion on the significance of the research presented, followed by a Q&A. Poster presentations this year will be shared via a brief PowerPoint presentation, along with accompanying audio, and it is advised that you view the video presentations prior to the scheduled walk time. This year’s topics include:
- Beyond Hematology: Clinical and Mechanistic Links between Clonal Hematopoiesis and Non-Hematological Disorders
- What's Hot in Sickle Cell Disease Research 2022
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy
- The Spectrum of Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research
- ASH Poster Walk on Platelets from Bench to Bedside
For more on each Poster Walk, visit hematology.org/meetings/annual-meeting/programs/ash-poster-walk.
Help Is Here When You Need It!
If you are having difficulty accessing the virtual meeting platform, please contact the ASH Customer Relations Department by emailing [email protected] or calling 866-828-1231 (U.S. toll free) or 001-202-776-0544 (for international callers), Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
Additionally, there are several FAQs that may have the answers to your questions. There will also be two technology desks available on site to help you troubleshoot.
If you have successfully accessed the platform but are having difficulty with one of its features, please use either the online Chatbot, Help, or Contact Us link features within the platform for technical assistance.
