Conference Coverage

Guest: Elizabeth S. Gromisch, PhD Cognitive changes are a common but complex aspect of multiple sclerosis care, making practical and accessible screening strategies essential. In this program, Dr. Elizabeth Gromisch explores both traditional and digital cognitive screening tools for MS and shares real-world insights on selecting and implementing assessments across a range of clinical settings. Dr. Gromisch is a research neuropsychologist at the Joyce D. and Andrew J. Mandell Center for Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care and Neuroscience Research at Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital, Trinity Health of New England. She also discussed this topic at the 2026 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Annual Meeting.

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: 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.

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.

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: 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: 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.

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.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

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.

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.