Conference Coverage

Guest: Deborah Clegg, PhD For decades, potassium restriction has been a cornerstone of dietary management in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but is it always necessary? Here to answer that exact question is Dr. Deborah Clegg. Since many patients may already be consuming potassium at restricted levels, she emphasizes the importance of individualized dietary assessment before imposing further limitations. Dr. Clegg is the Vice President for Research and a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso.

Guest: Jeanette Andrade, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND Food and nutrition insecurity in chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be difficult to detect, even when patients appear clinically stable. To help highlight this challenge, Dr. Jeanette Andrade presents a case from her research illustrating how social and financial stressors affected a dialysis patient's dietary intake and food access. Dr. Andrade is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Master's in Dietetic Internship Program at the University of Florida, and this patient case was part of her presentation at the 2026 National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting.

Guest: Jeanette Andrade, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND Food and nutrition insecurity are increasingly recognized as critical factors affecting outcomes for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). That's why Dr. Jeanette Andrade joins us to share practical screening strategies and emerging solutions, like dialysis center food pantries and digital health tools. Dr. Andrade is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Master's in Dietetic Internship Program at the University of Florida, and she spoke about this topic at the 2026 National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting.

Presenter: Louis Bessette MD, FRCP(C), MSc From early arthritis treatment pathways to emerging digital health tools, the 2026 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East conference spotlights the clinical and scientific advances shaping the future of rheumatology care. Joining us to outline those key themes and sessions is Dr. Louis Bessette, Professor of Medicine at Université Laval and the Director of the Centre for Osteoporosis and Rheumatology of Québec.

Guest: Avery H. LaChance, MD, MPH, FAAD Acute and subacute cutaneous lupus each have recognizable skin presentations that can help guide diagnosis, especially when distinguishing them from similar conditions. Join Dr. Avery H. LaChance as she breaks down their key diagnostic features, common mimics, and important considerations for clinical evaluation. Dr. LaChance is Director of the Connective Tissue Disease Clinic, Director of the Advanced Psoriasis Therapeutics Clinic, Director of Health Policy and Advocacy, and Program Director of the Dermatology-Rheumatology Fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She's also an Associate Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, and she spoke on this topic at the 2026 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East.

Guest: Avery H. LaChance, MD, MPH, FAAD Cutaneous dermatomyositis has a distinct pattern of skin findings that, once recognized, can make diagnosis much more straightforward. Tune in to hear Dr. Avery H. LaChance walk through the key visual clues and exam tips that help bring this condition into focus. Dr. LaChance is Director of the Connective Tissue Disease Clinic, Director of the Advanced Psoriasis Therapeutics Clinic, Director of Health Policy and Advocacy, and Program Director of the Dermatology-Rheumatology Fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She's also an Associate Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, and she spoke on this topic at the 2026 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East.

Guest: Abdallah Geara, MD IgA nephropathy is often asymptomatic and frequently identified through incidental lab findings, making timely recognition challenging. Hear Dr. Abdallah Geara discuss key diagnostic strategies that may help optimize long-term care for this disease. Dr. Geara is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and the Clinical Director of the Glomerular Disease Program at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and he spoke at the 2026 National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting.

Guest: Abdallah Geara, MD Early diagnosis is critical in IgA nephropathy, as most patients present with established kidney damage by the time they are identified. Tune in to hear Dr. Abdallah Geara highlight the importance of timely recognition and how emerging therapies are transforming treatment and improving patient outcomes when implemented early.

Guest: Deborah Clegg, PhD Not all potassium is created equal, especially in the context of chronic kidney disease (CKD). That's why Dr. Deborah Clegg joins us to explore the key differences between potassium from whole foods and additives, emphasizing how bioavailability impacts serum potassium levels and hyperkalemia risk. She also examines how kidney function, comorbidities, medications, and metabolic factors all influence potassium tolerance. Not only is Dr. Clegg the Vice President for Research and a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, but she also spoke about this topic at the 2026 National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting.

Presenter: Louis Bessette MD, FRCP(C), MSc What can nearly two decades of real-world data teach us about optimizing care in early inflammatory arthritis? Find out with Dr. Louis Bessette as he reviews key findings from the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH), a national, multicenter study of nearly 4,000 patients enrolled within weeks of symptom onset. Not only is Dr. Bessette a Professor of Medicine at Université Laval and the Director of the Centre for Osteoporosis and Rheumatology of Québec, but he also spoke about this topic at the 2026 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East conference.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Susanna Gallani, PhD AI is enabling a more thoughtful, value-driven approach to healthcare—one that prioritizes patient outcomes over the volume of services delivered. At the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting, Dr. Matt Birnholz sat down with this year's keynote speaker, Dr. Susanna Gallani, to explore how rich data can be transformed into actionable insights that ultimately improve patients' lives. Tune in to hear how leaders are balancing innovation with ethical responsibility while empowering clinicians to reconnect with the human side of medicine. Dr. Gallani is the Tai Family Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Abigail Sporer, PhD, MBA At the intersection of expertise, strategy, and collaboration, medical affairs professionals are translating vaccine science into meaningful and actionable insights for healthcare providers. In this candid conversation from the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting, Dr. Matt Birnholz and Dr. Abigail Sporer, Director of US Medical Affairs at CSL Seqirus, discuss the evolving realities of vaccine education, from addressing misinformation to strengthening engagement. Learn more about how medical affairs plays a role in supporting clinicians and improving communication in a complex public health landscape.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Renu Juneja, PhD What do pharmaceutical leaders actually need from their agency partners? Find out as Dr. Matt Birnholz sits down with Dr. Renu Juneja to explore how insight-led collaboration can unlock stronger relationships, faster timelines, and more impactful medical education. In this conversation at the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting, they share perspectives on how challenging assumptions, leveraging artificial intelligence, and developing scalable strategies can help deliver meaningful value. Dr. Juneja is the President of ADPAL LLC, a boutique company advising consulting firms and agency partners.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Brandon Young, PhD Today's medical science liaisons (MSLs) are navigating a rapidly shifting healthcare landscape. Step inside the evolving world of medical affairs as Dr. Matt Birnholz sits down with Dr. Brandon Young, senior MSL at CSL Seqirus, to uncover how communication, collaboration, and emerging technologies are shaping the future of the field. Gain insights on these shifts in this discussion from the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Michael DeLuca, PharmD, MBA, MSRA From launch excellence to global operational support, medical affairs teams are evolving to enhance scientific exchange and drive meaningful outcomes for patients. Learn more with Dr. Matt Birnholz and Dr. Michael DeLuca, Executive Vice President of Global Medical Affairs and Medical Information at EVERSANA, who explored key trends shaping the field at the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting. Hear about how artificial intelligence and other innovations are transforming data generation, insight development, and engagement strategies.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Karen Roy, MSc For medical affairs teams, demonstrating the value and impact of educational initiatives in a meaningful and measurable way is essential. At the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting, Dr. Matt Birnholz spoke with Ms. Karen Roy, CEO and Co-Founder of Infograph-ed, about how CME-informed strategies can elevate planning, content design, and outcomes measurement. Learn more about new approaches that can help create more targeted, insight-driven education.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Tony Page Early, integrated insights can dramatically improve pharmaceutical launch outcomes and reduce the risk of missed expectations. Discover best practices for aligning market needs with clinical strategy and leveraging AI for smarter insight planning with Dr. Matt Birnholz and Mr. Tony Page, who shared their perspectives at the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting. Mr. Page is the Senior Vice President of Insight at Within3, a platform dedicated to launch insights.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Justin O'Rourke, PhD, MBA Trust is foundational to effective scientific communication—but what factors actually drive it? Find out as Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with Dr. Justin O'Rourke, a recent business psychology PhD graduate from The Chicago School, about his research on physician perceptions of medical science liaisons (MSLs) and their implications for delivering scientific information. Tune in for practical insights from this conversation at the 2026 Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) Annual Meeting.

Guest: Mark Freedman, HBSc, MSc, MD, CSPQ, FAAN, FRCPC The role of cell-based therapies in multiple sclerosis (MS) is evolving, with immune system replacement via autologous stem cells, investigational mesenchymal repair strategies, and CAR T-cell approaches changing the treatment landscape. Hear from Dr. Mark Freedman as he dives into current and emerging mechanisms of action, which he also discussed at the 2026 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting. Dr. Freedman is a Professor of Medicine in Neurology at the University of Ottawa and a Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

Guest: Jeffrey Hsu, MD, PhD The field of sports cardiology has experienced remarkable growth, with new guidelines, expanding programs, and increasing recognition of cardiovascular risk in athletes. Hear from Dr. Jeffrey Hsu as he shares current and emerging approaches to risk assessment, prevention, and management of cardiac conditions in this population. Dr. Hsu is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and he spoke about this topic at the 2026 American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions.

Guest: Riley Bove, MD, MMSc Multiple sclerosis (MS) is often diagnosed during peak reproductive years, making proactive, informed care essential across the lifespan. Hear from Dr. Riley Bove as she discusses the importance of early, ongoing conversations about fertility, pregnancy, and menopause in this population. Dr. Bove is an Associate Professor at UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, and she discussed this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting.

Guest: Aaron Miller, MD Early real-world experience with the 2024 McDonald criteria suggests a meaningful increase in multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnoses, driven largely by recognition of optic nerve involvement and reclassification of radiologically isolated syndrome. Hear from Dr. Aaron Miller as he reviews emerging evidence, explains how these updates are reshaping diagnostic pathways, and addresses practical challenges in implementation. Dr. Miller is the Medical Director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis and a Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. He also spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting.

Guest: Aaron Miller, MD Hear from Dr. Aaron Miller as he shares important updates in multiple sclerosis (MS) at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting. Dr. Miller is the Medical Director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis and a Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

Guest: Elizabeth Wilson, MD At the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, experts are sharing the latest developments in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Elizabeth Wilson is here to share insights on how new adult MS research, neuro-ophthalmology collaboration, and emerging clinical data are shaping the future of care. Dr. Wilson is the Director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Presenter: Mustafa Ozcam, PhD Emerging research is redefining the role of the gut microbiome in food allergy and immune tolerance. Here to share some of the most groundbreaking findings is Dr. Mustafa Ozcam. He discusses how gut microbes metabolize allergenic proteins, shape immune development, and serve as potential biomarkers to predict oral immunotherapy success in food allergy patients. Dr. Ozcam is an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and he spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Annual Meeting.

Presenter: Marcus Shaker, MD, MSc, FAAP, FACAAI, FAAAAI Financial and space limitations are two of the most pressing issues facing allergists and immunologists in academic practice. Fortunately, negotiation principles, like BATNA and ZOPA, and disruptive innovation tactics can help address these common issues. To learn more, we recently spoke with Dr. Marcus Shaker. Not only is he a Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine in New Hampshire, but he also spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Annual Meeting.

Presenter: Sally E. Wenzel, MD, ATSF Given that severe asthma management is entering a new era of biologically driven precision, Dr. Sally Wenzel joins us to discuss the complexity within Type 2 inflammation and the limitations of relying on a single biomarker assessment. She also differentiates childhood-onset allergic asthma from adult-onset disease, underscoring how age of onset—along with underlying biology—can inform therapeutic strategy. Dr. Wenzel serves as the Director of the Asthma Institute at UPMC, and she spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Annual Meeting.

Presenter: Scott Sicherer, MD Based on a randomized study, children with higher baseline thresholds of peanut reactivity achieved markedly higher rates of sustained unresponsiveness after oral immunotherapy compared with untreated peers. Learn more about this study and its clinical implications with Dr. Scott H. Sicherer. Not only is he a Professor of Pediatrics and the Director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, but he also spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Annual Meeting.

Guest: Jennifer Yang, MD Emerging evidence shows that children with multiple sclerosis exhibit accelerated biological aging. Learn more about the potential implications with Dr. Jennifer Yang, who spoke about this topic at the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. She's an Assistant Professor of Neurosciences at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and the Division of Pediatric Neurology at Rady Children's Hospital.

Guest: Adil Harroud, MD Guest: Dylan Hamitouche Host: Ryan Quigley Multimodal aging signatures are reshaping our understanding of progression and prognosis in multiple sclerosis (MS). Host Ryan Quigley sits down with Dr. Adil Harroud and Mr. Dylan Hamitouche to learn more about implications for the future of risk stratification and personalized treatment in MS, a topic they presented on at the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. Dr. Harroud is a neurologist and the co-leader of the Neuroimmunology Diseases Research Group at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University. Mr. Hamitouche is a medical student at McGill University.

Guest: Raphael Schneider, MD, PhD, FRCPC, CIP Multiplex proteomic biomarker panels are redefining how we understand and monitor multiple sclerosis (MS) by capturing interconnected pathways in a single sample. Hear from Dr. Raphael Schneider as he explores how these tools could inform prognosis, risk stratification, and clinical trial design, which he spoke about at the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. Dr. Schneider is a neurologist and researcher at the BARLO MS Centre at St. Michael's Hospital as well as an Assistant Professor and the Elizabeth S. Barford Early Career Professor in Multiple Sclerosis in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Presenter: Ryan Quigley Can real-time transepidermal water loss (TEWL) monitoring reduce the risk of anaphylaxis during oral food challenges in young children with peanut allergy? A pilot trial suggests it may. TEWL-guided stopping significantly lowered anaphylaxis rates and reaction severity without delaying treatment. This benefit was linked to earlier discontinuation of allergen exposure based on physiologic changes, rather than faster intervention. While larger studies are needed, these findings support TEWL monitoring as a promising tool to enhance safety and decision-making during food challenges. Learn more in this episode of AudioAbstracts.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP Guest: Christopher T. Chen, MD What if a simple blood draw could reveal whether a patient is responding to treatment before surgery? That question is at the heart of a study presented at the 2025 ESMO Congress, which investigated neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade in mismatch-repair-proficient (MMR-p) colon cancer. In addition to confirming that combination immunotherapy prior to surgery is a safe and feasible approach, the study also found that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels correlated with both tumor burden and early treatment response. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to unpack these insights is Dr. Christopher Chen, Assistant Professor in the Division of Oncology in the Department of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Guest: Marc Avram, MD Lengthy hair transplant procedures place significant physical demands on patients, physicians, and staff, making ergonomics a critical part of success. Dr. Marc Avram outlines practical, real-world strategies to improve positioning, workflow, and the procedural environment to enhance comfort, efficiency, and long-term musculoskeletal health. Dr. Avram is a dermatologist, hair loss and transplant specialist, and Clinical Professor of Dermatology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Guest: Marc Avram, MD Understanding the differences between follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) is essential for selecting the most appropriate approach for each patient. Dr. Marc Avram shares how harvesting methods, scarring patterns, and other patient-specific considerations can help inform technique choice. Dr. Avram is a dermatologist, hair loss and transplant specialist, and Clinical Professor of Dermatology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Host: Hallie Blevins, PhD For patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), cognitive impairment can quietly erode independence and quality of life. In this AudioAbstract, Dr. Hallie Blevins discusses a head-to-head comparison of cognitive training, aerobic exercise, and a combined approach and explores how we can better support cognition in these patients.

Guest: John H. Strickler, MD The treatment landscape for HER2-positive gastroesophageal cancer is rapidly evolving, with zanidatamab emerging as a new option following years of limited progress beyond trastuzumab. Dr. John Strickler joins us to share insights on how recent FDA approvals and novel agents are transforming outcomes in this complex disease setting. Dr. Strickler is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Medical Oncology at Duke University School of Medicine and Co-Leader for the Precision Cancer Medicine and Investigational Therapeutics Program at the Duke Cancer Institute.

Guest: William Hall, MD From tumor detection to biomarker development, artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the landscape of gastrointestinal oncology. In this expert-led program, Dr. William Hall explains how AI is being applied to data to identify tumor features and treatment susceptibilities faster and more precisely than traditional methods. Dr. Hall is a Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and he spoke about this topic at the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.

Guest: Daniela Molena, MD For patients with locally advanced gastroesophageal cancer, surgery remains a critical component of curative treatment—even in the era of chemoradiation and advanced imaging. Dr. Daniela Molena explores the challenges of assessing complete clinical response and the risks of non-operative management. Dr. Molena is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and a Thoracic Surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and she discussed this topic at the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.

Host: Pavani Chalasani, MD, MPH Guest: Timothy Yap, MBBS, PhD, FRCP Early findings from the PETRA study suggest that combining saruparib with camizestrant may offer added clinical benefit in ER+/HER2– advanced breast cancer, particularly in patients with BRCA or PALB2 mutations. Tune in to hear from Dr. Pavani Chalasani and Dr. Timothy Yap as they discuss this encouraging new data on tolerability and antitumor activity. Dr. Yap is the Ransom Horne, Jr. Endowed Professor for Cancer Research, Vice President and Head of Clinical Development in the Therapeutic Discovery Division, and a professor in the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He recently presented this research at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Guest: Seth Wander, MD, PhD Over the past decade, CDK4/6 inhibitors have transformed the treatment landscape for HR+ breast cancer, but resistance remains a key clinical challenge. Hear from Dr. Seth Wander as he explores the latest translational insights into resistance mechanisms, including genomic alterations affecting cell cycle and signal transduction pathways, and discusses evolving therapeutic strategies. Dr. Wander is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Precision Medicine at the Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies at Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. He also spoke about this topic at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Host: Ryan Quigley Guest: Kathrin M. Bernt, MD Guest: Rushabh Mehta, BS Guest: Fatemeh Alikarami New data presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition reveals how chemotherapy and immunotherapy may drive the emergence of CD-19–negative, myeloid-like subclones in pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Mr. Ryan Quigley sits down with Dr. Kathrin Bernt, Dr. Fatemah Alikarami, and Mr. Rushabh Mehta to discuss how their findings could impact minimal residual disease detection, therapy resistance, and future risk stratification strategies. Dr. Bernt is a pediatric oncologist and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Alikarami is a Research Associate Scientist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Mr. Mehta is a PhD candidate in cell and molecular biology at the University of Pennsylvania.