Dr. Di Paola is a Tenured Professor of Pediatrics and Division Chief of Pediatric Hematology Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Associate Director of the Washington University School of Medicine Medical Scientist Training Program. His previous Faculty appointments were at the University of Iowa and the University of Colorado. Dr. Di Paola’s research focuses on the genetics and biology of bleeding and thrombotic disorders. His laboratory has made significant discoveries in von Willebrand disease, platelet disorders and cancer predisposition. These discoveries have set the stage for potential new therapies. Dr. Di Paola has published more than 150 original scientific articles, reviews and book chapters and is Associate Editor of Blood.

Professor Perkins is the head of the Molecular Pathology and the MPN Clinical lead at Alfred Health. He heads to Blood Cancer Genomics group at the ACBD/Monash University. His team works on genomics of JAK-STAT signaling in erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis, and novel therapeutic development for MPNs.

Professor Claire Harrison graduated from Oxford Univeristy Medical School and became a consultant at the Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital in 2001, where she is now a deputy medical director. The focus of her clinical work is myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), for which she has a national and international reputation. Key areas of interest are clinical trials and associated translational research. In addition to the PT-1 trial, MAJIC, COMFORT-II, JAKARTA-2 and PERSIST-1 where she is currently the global chief or co-chief investigator, she has a leadership role in over 20 clinical trials. This work has led to the approval of new therapies such a ruxolitinib, fedratinib and pacritinib. Translational research has been supported with a grant income of over £10M in the past 5 years. JAK2 exon 12 mutations, genetic suseptibility and the impact of the order of mutations in MPN. In the past 10 years she has published widely (>250 academic articles).