Qualification on the highest level: further education and training at the MLL

From April 22nd to 24rd, 2024, the annual MLL Academy on state-of-the-art diagnostics in hematological malignancies took place at the MLL in Munich. The 14 international participants from medicine and science were treated to a mix of theoretical and practical content as well as joint discussion rounds on the diagnosis of leukemia and lymphomas.

The MLL Academy is traditionally held in spring. The aim is to inform participants about the latest developments and methods and to provide practical tips.

This year's program provided a comprehensive overview of MLL diagnostic methods: cytomorphology, immunophenotyping, cytogenetics and molecular genetics, as well as the interdisciplinary approach including genome sequencing and bioinformatics. The use of artificial intelligence and the optimizations that can be achieved as a result were a recurring theme throughout the event.

Another important aspect of this year's program was the current WHO classifications with in-depth information on hematologic neoplasms. The speakers paid special attention to diagnostic criteria, guidelines and recommendations.

The hands-on labs, where participants were able to test and apply microscopy techniques and data analysis, were particularly popular. This gave an even deeper insight into MLL laboratory techniques and a comprehensive understanding of diagnostic procedures. They were also able to contribute to the analysis of interactive case studies and make their own diagnoses. They were always supported by the relevant MLL experts.

During a laboratory tour, they had the opportunity to see the MLL's state-of-the-art equipment in action and gain first-hand insight into the technologies, functions and processes. The three-day event was rounded off by exciting discussions between the participants from Germany, Belgium, Israel, India and Singapore and the 16 people involved at the MLL.

We would like to thank all participants for the successful event, the great interest and commitment as well as the exciting exchange. We are already looking forward to next year's event!

The date for 2025 will be announced in our newsletter at the end of this year.

On June 19, the Hybrid Training Event on Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassaemia took place with 35 participants on-site and over 100 more online. The event was organized as a cooperation between LMU Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik III, and MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory. The participants were welcomed by MLL Managing Director and host Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Torsten Haferlach with a short introduction to the topic.

In recent years, new therapeutic options have emerged for both sickle cell disease and thalassemia, in addition to the established treatment options. During the event, Dr. Dr. med. Armin Piehler, MLL expert for diagnostics, and Dr. med. Laura Distelmaier, LMU expert for therapy, took turns leading the participants through the two disease groups.

The main focus of the event, however, was on the diagnosis and treatment of thalassemias, as current studies show that about half of all thalassemias remain undetected. It was recognized that beta thalassemia accounts for only about 50% of all cases and that alpha thalassemia, contrary to previous assumptions, is just as common. The reason for the current state of knowledge was that alpha thalassemias often remain undetected and can only be detected by molecular genetic methods.

The final discussion was chaired by LMU Clinic Director Prof. Dr. med. Dr. rer. nat. Michael von Bergwelt.

We thank all participants for the successful event!