LIGHT THE NIGHT 2026 | ALL FOR ONE. ALL FOR A CURE. ❤️🏮 Some nights remind us why we chose this calling. Others remind us why we can never stop fighting. Tonight was both. I had the profound privilege of joining Blood Cancer United (formerly the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) for its extraordinary Light The Night celebration in New York City—an evening of hope, remembrance, resilience, and unwavering solidarity in the fight against blood cancer. Walking shoulder to shoulder with cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and advocates, each carrying a lantern illuminating the darkness, was an experience I will never forget. For me, this mission is deeply personal. Long before I became a physician, I was a caregiver to someone I loved who was battling cancer. I remember the fear, the uncertainty, the sleepless nights, and the desperate search for answers. I remember what it felt like to stand on the other side of medicine, hoping that someone, somewhere, could offer guidance, compassion, and a fighting chance. And I will never forget the organizations and individuals who stood beside us when we needed them most. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, now Blood Cancer United, was among those who helped us navigate some of our darkest moments, connecting us with resources, support, and access to exceptional care. For that, I will remain forever grateful. Today, as a physician in hematology and oncology, I carry those experiences into every patient encounter, every research project, and every effort to advance cancer care. I believe that leadership in medicine is not simply about advancing science. It is about remembering whom that science is meant to serve. We must practice what we preach. We must stand alongside the patients and families whose lives we hope to transform. And we must ensure that advances in cancer research translate into meaningful, equitable access to lifesaving care. Tonight, as hundreds of lanterns illuminated the New York skyline, I was reminded that while cancer may touch each family differently, our fight is collective. Every lantern represented a story. Every story represented a life. And every life reminded us why our work matters. To Blood Cancer United, its extraordinary leadership, volunteers, advocates, researchers, and supporters: thank you for turning compassion into action and bringing light to families navigating their darkest hours. Until every patient has hope. Until every family has access. Until every cure reaches those who need it. We walk together. We fight together. And we will continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible. ALL FOR ONE. ALL FOR A CURE. ❤️ #LightTheNight #BloodCancerUnited #BloodCancerAwareness #Leukemia #Lymphoma #MultipleMyeloma #CancerResearch #HematologyOncology #PatientAdvocacy #CancerSurvivorship #HealthEquity #TogetherWeCan

It has taken me some time to find the words to fully process this moment—and perhaps even longer to appreciate its magnitude. For more than a decade, since my earliest days of medical school, I have attended the Lymphoma, Leukemia & Myeloma Congress, sitting in the audience, learning from the giants of our field, and wondering whether one day I might contribute something meaningful to the science they helped pioneer. This week, I had the extraordinary honor of standing on that very stage and accepting the Best Abstract in Leukemia Award on behalf of our MedNews Week research team. To share that moment with Dr. Morton Coleman and Dr. Gail Roboz was profoundly humbling. Dr. Coleman has been a role model since I first met him—a visionary, pioneer, and extraordinary human being whose contributions have helped shape modern lymphoma care. Dr. Roboz embodies the very best of academic medicine: scientific brilliance, relentless innovation, genuine warmth, and an unwavering commitment to the next generation. Both remind us that true greatness is measured not only by the discoveries we make, but by the people we inspire and the opportunities we create for others. For me, this moment was deeply personal. I am a child of Chernobyl. A child who was once not expected to survive. A child whose journey began with the uncertainty of whether there would even be a tomorrow. To go from receiving palliative care as a child to standing alongside individuals I have admired for so much of my life is something I will never take for granted. Life has an extraordinary way of bringing us full circle. Yet, I do not see this recognition as an arrival. I see it as a responsibility—to keep asking difficult questions, to challenge conventional thinking, to advance science, and above all, to help open doors for those who will follow. This recognition belongs to an extraordinary team. To Diksha & Noam, thank you for leading this study with dedication, perseverance, and conviction. To every member of our MedNews Week research family, thank you for the countless hours, sacrifices, and belief in what we are building together. You are not simply the future of medicine—you are already helping shape it. My deepest gratitude to Dr. Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla, whose mentorship, generosity, and unwavering belief in our team continue to create opportunities that many young investigators could only dream of. Thank you for investing in us and reminding us what meaningful mentorship looks like. To Drs. Yazan Migdady, Chandler Park, and Muhammad Salman Faisal, thank you for your invaluable scientific insight and guidance. To our collaborators and partners, including the GELL team, thank you for helping make this work possible. And to the leadership and organizers of the Lymphoma, Leukemia & Myeloma Congress, thank you for creating a platform where emerging investigators can stand alongside the pioneers of our field, share their discoveries, and feel that their voices matter. I am especially mindful of the remarkable scientists and leaders who have received this recognition before us, and the extraordinary contributions they have gone on to make. It is both an honor and a reminder of how much work remains ahead. Awards may recognize a moment. Mentorship shapes a lifetime. And our greatest legacy will always be the people we lift along the way. I came to this Congress years ago hoping to learn from the people who were changing medicine. I leave this year more determined than ever to help build a future in which others have the same opportunity. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. ❤️ #llm2026 #llm26 #AI

Grateful to have been invited as a Distinguished Keynote Speaker at the 9th International Conference on Clinical & Translational Oncology (ICTO 2026) in Tokyo, Japan. It was a privilege to contribute to this international forum and share our research on “Real-World Clinician Adoption and Disease-Specific Safety Failures of Large Language Models in Oncology Clinical Decision Support.” As AI continues to reshape the landscape of medicine, it is increasingly important that we critically evaluate not only its potential to improve clinical decision-making, but also its limitations, safety, and implications for patient care. I am sincerely grateful to the conference organizers and Magnus Group for this wonderful opportunity to share our work with the global oncology community. A special thank you to Dr. Bonilla for his invaluable mentorship, unwavering support, and continued encouragement. Your guidance has been instrumental in advancing our research and inspiring us to push the boundaries of innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence and oncology. Scientific progress is never achieved in isolation. It is built through mentorship, collaboration, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of our patients. Grateful for the opportunity to contribute, learn, and continue advancing the future of cancer care. #ICTO2026 #Oncology #ArtificialIntelligence #CancerResearch #ClinicalResearch #MedicalInnovation #Mentorship #GlobalOncology @DrArturoAI

What good is a breakthrough in cancer care if the patients who need it most never have the opportunity to benefit from it? This was one of the central questions I had the opportunity to explore at the Multi-Institutional Prostate Cancer Symposium in New York City. It was a wonderful evening of meaningful conversations, new connections, and shared perspectives on the future of oncology. During my presentation, Closing the Prostate Cancer Equity Gap, I shared our journey with MedNews Week—an initiative that began with a simple belief: access to medical knowledge should never be determined by geography, financial resources, or circumstance. What started as an idea has grown into a global educational community reaching clinicians, researchers, trainees, and patient advocates across more than 150 countries. We also explored how emerging technologies, particularly AI-enabled clinical trial matching, may help address another persistent challenge in oncology: connecting patients with potentially life-changing clinical trials. But perhaps my favorite part of the evening wasn't the presentation itself. It was the conversations that followed—the exchange of ideas, different perspectives, and the reminder that some of the most meaningful progress begins when people come together around a shared purpose. It was a pleasure sharing the program with Dr. Aaron Holmes, who delivered an insightful discussion on radionuclide therapy in prostate cancer. A heartfelt thank you to the Cancer Support Community Greater NY & CT for the invitation and for bringing together such a wonderful group of individuals committed to improving cancer care. Because ultimately, the true measure of medical progress isn't simply what we discover. It's who we are able to reach. #ProstateCancer #Oncology #MedNewsWeek #GlobalHealth #HealthEquity #CancerResearch #ClinicalTrials #MedicalEducation