ISTH Congress Chronicle: Do you remember your first ISTH Congress?
​August 2024
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By: Guy Young, M.D.
ISTH 2025 Congress Chair
Welcome to the second edition of the ISTH Congress Chronicle, a bi-monthly newsletter leading up to the ISTH 2025 Congress in Washington, D.C.
In the forthcoming editions, members of the Annual Congress Planning Committee (ACPC) will share how they each experienced their first ISTH Congress. Check out the June edition of the Congress Chronicle to learn more about the ACPC and how we plan the Congress.
First, I promise to share more information on the host city of Washington, D.C. in future editions, including detailed logistical advice and must-see attractions.
As for major tourist activities, Washington, D.C. has so much to offer, from the Smithsonian Museums (all free of cost) to amazing monuments, architectural gems, plus a great food and music scene. For those seeking adventure in the area, there are beautiful beaches just 90 minutes to the east and south, as well as mountain and river adventures 90 minutes to the west. I promise to share much more detail on all things Washington, D.C. as we get closer to the Congress.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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For now, I am happy to share these stories from three of our ACPC members as they each remember their first ISTH Congress.
Geoffrey Barnes, M.D. (U.S.)
Educational Committee Member of the ACPC
My first ISTH meeting was in Amsterdam in 2013. I remember being overwhelmed by the volume of science and the number of clinicians and researchers who were all interested in the same topics as I was. While the meeting felt large and impressive, it also felt very accessible to an early career attendee.
I recall seeing “big name” scientists in the hallways eagerly discussing various topics with conference attendees. Even more impressive to me was how these brilliant individuals valued nurturing and growing their professional networks through frequent interactions during the Congress and at the Networking Event.
Whenever early career attendees ask for my advice about attending their first ISTH meeting, I recommend that they take advantage of as many opportunities to interact with thought leaders. This includes approaching them to ask questions after presentations, during the poster sessions and at the Networking Event.
I also recommend that they take advantage of the master classes and other small-group sessions that they can sign up for in advance. These sessions are a great way to meet other clinicians and scientists who share their interests. Lastly, I always encourage first-time attendees to spend some time outside the meeting visiting important cultural sites in the host city.
Riitta Lassila, M.D., Ph.D. (Finland)
2025 Clinical Chair of the ACPC
My first meeting was in 1991 in Amsterdam. I always remember the great party where a limbo rope was placed in front of tall Alan Nurden, a well-known platelet biologist who succeeded going under the low rope—the guy who was the opposite to any limbos in his science.
The first ISTH meeting was the beginning of an exciting journey for me that continues to this day. It was fascinating to listen to the presentations live by the top experts after having read their publications, and to then revisit their lectures via the State-of-the-Art book when back at home. Nowadays, we have many versatile tools for learning. I have always tried to find solutions to the clinical questions by asking “why?” and mostly the answers are available in the basic science sections. I hope that clinicians and basic scientists will continue to interact more than ever to learn from each other—the ISTH offers such opportunities for us.
Alisa Wolberg, Ph.D. (U.S.)
2025 Basic Chair of the ACPC
My first ISTH meeting was in 1993 in New York. It was my first meeting and first poster presentation ever. I remember arriving in New York, acquiring materials and sitting in my room reading the program book. Back then, there was no web or way of learning about sessions in advance, so the “meeting strategy” took place on-site.
I began reading presentation titles and earmarking pages that sounded interesting. Within a few hours, I had marked almost every page. I couldn’t believe there were so many people working on such cool ideas!
There were also no cell phones or emails, only a limited “message board” for contacting attendees. Thus, I met many people simply because I was standing near them and struck up a conversation. I stayed in contact with these people for years after that meeting, some even to this day. I have been hooked on hemostasis and thrombosis research ever since and look forward to the 2025 meeting!
ISTH pop quiz:
1. Alan Nurden, who was mentioned above by Riitta Lassila, made seminal discoveries in which hematological disorder?
A. Quebec Platelet Disorder
B. Bernard-Soulier Syndrome
C. Glanzmann Thrombasthenia
D. Gray Platelet Syndrome
2. Geoffrey Barnes mentioned the Amsterdam meeting in 2013. Do you remember the famous 1980’s Dutch rock band that performed at the Congress Party?
A. Scorpions
B. Golden Earring
C. Falco
D. Shocking Blue
3. The Smithsonian Institute (really a series of national museums) will be adding two new museums in the coming years, although they will not be open by ISTH 2025.) Which ones are they?
A. National Museum of Presidential History and Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum
B. National Museum of Television History and Smithsonian Institute of Native American History
C. National Museum of the American Latino and National Museum of Presidential History
D. National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum
Answer key:
1. C - Glanzmann Thrombasthenia
2. B - Golden Earring
3. D - National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum