HemForum 2026: Expanding Our International Reach and Scientific Agenda

The 6th International Forum of Hematologists of Kazakhstan — HemForum 2026 — will take place in Astana on August 29–30, 2026.

This year, both the international reach of the Forum and its scientific program will expand significantly. We are expecting guests from eight countries. International colleagues will join HemForum as speakers, session moderators, and experts participating in clinical discussions.

We are particularly pleased to welcome, for the first time, experts from countries beyond our region. Among our invited international guests are Professor Magne Børset from Norway, Oleg Krijanovski from the United States, and Professor Bofeng Liu from China, Professor at Beijing Institute of Technology and Director of a research center in immunotherapy, gene therapy, and cell therapy.

HemForum will also continue its strong tradition of collaboration with colleagues from neighboring countries. Invited experts include Vadim Baykov, Artem Gusak, and other colleagues from Russia; Inna Berger, Eldora Iskakova, and other specialists from Uzbekistan; and Anatoly Uss and Ekaterina Metelskaya from Belarus.

The Forum is expanding not only geographically, but also in the scope of its scientific agenda.

Alongside the traditional topics of diagnosis and treatment of hematological diseases, special attention this year will be given to the biology of resistant multiple myeloma, mechanisms of treatment resistance, and potential strategies to overcome it.

Modern high-technology approaches will be another major focus of the program, including hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, cellular therapies including CAR-T, and treatment with bispecific antibodies.

The scientific sessions will cover acute and chronic leukemias, lymphomas, multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders, myeloproliferative neoplasms, as well as rare diseases and challenging diagnostic cases.

As always, one of the most practice-oriented parts of HemForum will be the discussion of real clinical cases. Hematologists will be joined by hematopathologists and molecular genetics specialists from Kazakhstan and other countries. This multidisciplinary format will allow complex cases to be examined from different perspectives — from morphology, immunophenotyping, and molecular genetics to clinical decision-making.

The multidisciplinary component of HemForum will also be considerably strengthened. A dedicated session will focus on supportive care for patients with hematological diseases, with the participation of intensive care specialists and nursing professionals. Discussions will address practical aspects of managing patients during intensive treatment, prevention and management of complications, and effective collaboration between different members of the healthcare team.

Another important topic — one that is still rarely given sufficient attention at medical conferences — will be the prevention of professional and emotional burnout among healthcare professionals. As part of the parallel program, a dedicated session will focus on professional well-being and resilience.

The session will also include an unusual format for a scientific meeting — a dance masterclass. Modern medicine is not only about new drugs, diagnostic technologies, transplantation, and cellular therapies; it is also about the people who work with seriously ill patients every day and the importance of maintaining their own well-being and resilience.

HemForum 2026 will conclude with a working meeting of the Kazakhstan Society of Hematologists. Members of the professional community will discuss the activities of working groups, ongoing projects, clinical guidelines, and priorities for future collaboration.

HemForum 2026 is two days of modern hematology — from disease biology and complex diagnostics to transplantation and cellular therapy, from clinical cases to supporting both patients and healthcare teams. Above all, it is a platform for professional exchange and collaboration among specialists from different countries and across different areas of medicine.