Arches National Park

https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm

Bonneville Salt Flats

https://www.blm.gov/visit/bonneville-salt-flats

Bryce Canyon National Park

https://www.brycecanyoncountry.com/

Canyonlands National Park

https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm

Capitol Reef National Park

https://www.nps.gov/care/index.htm

Eccles Theatre

https://www.saltlakecountyarts.org/venues/eccles-theater/

Great Salt Lake

https://www.visitsaltlake.com/things-to-do/attractions/the-great-salt-lake/

Hale Center Theatre

https://hct.org/Online/default.asp

Hogle Zoo

https://www.hoglezoo.org/

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

https://livingplanetaquarium.org/

Mormon Heritage

https://www.mhatours.com/

Natural History Museum of Utah

https://nhmu.utah.edu/

Red Butte Garden

https://redbuttegarden.org/

Temple Square

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/feature/templesquare?lang=eng

Tracy Aviary

https://tracyaviary.org/

The Utah Museum of Fine Arts

https://umfa.utah.edu/

Utah Museum of Contemporary Art

https://utahmoca.org/

Zion National Park

https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Topics and Speakers for This Year’s Conference Coming Soon!

Check the PDSA website as more information becomes available, including a full program of presentations and speakers.

Hotel Information

All meeting activities will be held at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City. From the Hyatt Regency: Discover one of the fastest-growing and most exciting urban hubs in the country. Plan your stay to indulge in natural beauty, from hiking and biking trails just a short drive away from our hotel. Boasting spacious guest rooms and suites with views of the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains, our new hotel, in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, offers an outdoor pool, charming fire pits and exceptional dining options, including our Spanish restaurant, Mar | Muntanya, which features a cozy rooftop terrace.

Room Reservation Information

If you plan to stay at the Hyatt Regency, Salt Lake City, please reserve your room as soon as possible to receive our special conference rate of $199 a night (king or double/double), plus tax. This rate is for 2 adults or a family of 4 with children under age 18. This special PDSA rate is also available for conference attendees three days before and three days after the conference. This special rate applies to reservations that are made by July 7, 2026, as long as rooms at the hotel are available. We encourage you to make your hotel reservation early to ensure room availability.

Hotel reservations cannot be made until you have completed your conference registration. Upon completion, you will be sent instructions for making your room reservations.

Patient/Caregiver Registration

Financial Scholarships

Partial scholarships to attend the ITP Conference are available. Please send a completed conference registration form, along with a letter describing your diagnosis, financial need, and the benefit you hope to derive from attending the conference to Brenda Foster at bfoster@pdsa.org, or by mail to PDSA, 8751 Brecksville Road, Suite 150, Cleveland, OH 44141. Deadline to apply for a scholarship is July 1, 2026. Applicants must be PDSA members.

More Scholarship Info

Cancellation Policy

If you need to cancel your registration for the Conference, you must submit your request to cancel in writing prior to July 7, 2026. All fees less a $50 administrative charge will be refunded if a written request is received before the June 14th deadline. After July 7, 2026, no refunds will be issued.

Saturday Evening Fun Event

Questions?

If you have any questions or require assistance while completing the registration form, please contact Jody Shy at the PDSA office at (440) 746-9003 or via email at jshy@pdsa.org. You can also visit our FAQ page for answers to commonly asked questions.

If you are not a patient or caregiver of a patient, please use this link to register:

Medical Professionals & Industry Registration

Photography and Video Disclaimer:

Photographers and video technicians will be present throughout the event space. We encourage you, if you desire, to wear purple clothing, which represents platelets and is PSDA’s signature color.

By virtue of your registration confirmation to the event, you irrevocably consent to and authorize the use of your image on video or in photographs by the Platelet Disorder Support Association. This includes any reproduction of the image(s) in any media whatsoever, in connection with PDSA’s promotion of programs, materials, and services.

Applying for a partial scholarship

If you are interested in applying for a partial conference scholarship which is applied toward conference registration for two and your hotel room for three nights (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday), please follow these instructions:

1. Fill out the conference registration form (do NOT send payment)
2. Check the box in the form that says "I would like to apply for a partial conference scholarship to be applied toward conference registration for two (2) and hotel accommodations for three (3) nights"
3. Include a letter that includes information describing your diagnosis, your specific financial need, and the benefit you hope to derive from attending the conference.
4. Email your application and letter to Brenda Foster at bfoster@pdsa.org or mail to PDSA, Attn: Brenda foster, 8751 Brecksville Road, Suite 150, Cleveland, OH 44141.

The deadline for scholarship applications is July 1, 2026.

Registration Form

Please note: Travel costs are NOT included in the partial scholarship. Due to the limited number of scholarships available, they will be awarded on a first come, first served basis and preference will be given to first-time attendees.

You MUST be a paid PDSA member to be eligible for a conference scholarship.

Become a Member

Photography and Video Disclaimer:

Photographers and video technicians will be present throughout the event space. We encourage you, if you desire, to wear purple clothing, which represents platelets and is PSDA’s signature color.

By virtue of your registration confirmation to the event, you irrevocably consent to and authorize the use of your image on video or in photographs by the Platelet Disorder Support Association. This includes any reproduction of the image(s) in any media whatsoever, in connection with PDSA’s promotion of programs, materials, and services.

Photography and Video Disclaimer:

Photographers and video technicians will be present throughout the event space. We encourage you, if you desire, to wear purple clothing, which represents platelets and is PSDA’s signature color.

By virtue of your registration confirmation to the event, you irrevocably consent to and authorize the use of your image on video or in photographs by the Platelet Disorder Support Association. This includes any reproduction of the image(s) in any media whatsoever, in connection with PDSA’s promotion of programs, materials, and services.

James Bussel, MD

Dr. James Bussel is Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Obstetrics at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. His training was initiated at Yale, continued at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, then he completed a Pediatric Residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and a Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the combined Cornell/Memorial Sloan Kettering program. The great majority of Dr. Bussel’s publications are centered around diagnosis and especially management of patients with ITP, including children with ITP, adults with ITP, pregnant women with ITP, HIV infected patients with thrombocytopenia, and fetuses affected by autoimmune and alloimmune thrombocytopenia. He has worked with IVIg, IV anti-D, rituximab, and most recently the thrombopoietic agents. Dr. Bussel also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Annemarie Fogerty, MD

Dr. Annemarie Fogerty is a Hematology Specialist in Boston, MA with over 18 years of experience. She graduated from New York University School of Medicine in 2003, then went on to internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. She completed her fellowship training at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She currently serves as the Clinical Director for Hematology and Director of Reproductive Hematology at both Massachusetts General Hospital and Newton Wellesley Hospital. Her particular areas of clinical expertise and research focus on thrombocytopenia and thrombosis in the pregnant patient. Dr. Fogerty also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Terry Gernsheimer, MD

Dr. Terry Gernsheimer is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Medical Director of the Platelet Antibody Laboratory at the Puget Sound Blood Center, and Director of Transfusion Services at the University of Washington Medical Center and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Dr. Gernsheimer’s major research interests include the diagnosis, treatment and pathophysiology of autoimmune platelet disorders as well as several aspects of transfusion medicine and medical education. Dr. Gernsheimer also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Rachael Grace, MD, MMSc

Dr. Rachael Grace is a Pediatric Hematologist at the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. She is the Medical Director of the Hematology Clinical Research Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and is recipient of the Blanche P. Alter Investigatorship in Hematology. Dr. Grace received her MD from Brown University and received her Masters in Medical Science from Harvard Medical School. She completed her pediatrics residency at Boston Children’s Hospital and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. She is the director of the pediatric ITP Consortium of North America (ICON), a collaboration of more than 50 sites in North America focused on improving ITP care for children. She is a leading investigator for multiple observational and interventional research studies for children with ITP and is involved in national ITP guideline initiatives. Dr. Grace’s clinical and research interests are focused on improving outcomes of children with immune cytopenias and rare congenital hemolytic anemias. Dr. Grace also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Craig Kessler, MD

Dr. Craig Kessler, Professor of Medicine and Pathology, is the Director of the Hemophilia and Thrombosis Comprehensive Treatment Center and Director of the Division of Coagulation in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC. His research interests include development and analysis of treatment strategies for bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, and ITP. Dr. Kessler has also designed and participated in numerous clinical trials to study the pathophysiology and treatment of thrombophilic states, such as venous thromboembolism and cancer. He has written over 250 papers and chapters and is co-editor of a popular authoritative textbook on consultative hemostasis. Dr. Kessler also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

David J. Kuter, MD, DPhil

Dr. David Kuter is Chief of Hematology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. He earned a research doctorate (DPhil) at Magdalen College of Oxford University and a medical degree at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Kuter is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. In addition, Dr. Kuter sits on numerous national and international ITP committees and is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Medical Oncology. He has dedicated years of effort to researching coagulopathies, anticoagulation, and platelet disorders. In recent years, Dr. Kuter has conducted groundbreaking research into the development of effective thrombopoietic agents. Dr. Kuter also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Michele P. Lambert, MD, MSTR

Dr. Lambert is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Medical Director of the Special Coagulation Laboratory at CHOP. She graduated from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School (now Rutgers) and completed her pediatric residency at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children followed by a year as Chief Resident. She then moved the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she completed her fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology. She received her Masters in Translational Medicine in 2001. Her research efforts have focused on understanding the control of platelet production by megakaryocytes (the cells that make platelets) and the ways in which genetics influence platelet function and number in various clinical scenarios including ITP and inherited platelet disorders. Dr. Lambert also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Howard A. Liebman, MD

Dr. Howard Liebman is Professor of Medicine and Pathology at the University of Southern California’s (USC) Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA. He serves as Medical Director of the Special Hemostasis Laboratory at USC’s Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and is Director of the fellowship program in hematology. Dr Liebman received his medical degree from USC and completed his postgraduate training including a residency in internal medicine and fellowships in medical oncology and hematology at Los Angeles County – University of Southern California Medical Center. Dr Liebman completed a research fellowship at Tufts University – New England Medical Center, Boston, MA and held faculty positions at Tufts University and Boston University, before returning to USC. Dr Liebman’s research interests include clinical management and characterization of haemostatic and thrombotic disorders, management of autoimmune blood disorders and clinical therapy of HIV and AIDS. He has authored or co-authored 85 peer-reviewed publications and 26 reviews and chapters. Dr. Liebman also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Diane J. Nugent, MD

Dr. Diane Nugent is a Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. She currently serves as Chair, Hematology, CHOC Children’s Hospital of North Orange County, Orange, CA; Medical Director, Hematology and Blood and Donor Services CHOC Children’s; and Division Chief, Hematology, CHOC Children’s Specialists. Dr. Nugent is a nationally-recognized expert in pediatric hematology who specializes in blood disorders, bone marrow failure, bleeding and clotting disorders, anemias, and immune deficiencies. She is involved in clinical trials for rare blood disorders and is a principal investigator for regional hemophilia programs. Dr. Nugent has coauthored more than100 journal articles and book chapters. She chairs review subcommittees at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLB) at NIH in hematology. Dr. Nugent also participates in the Pediatric ITP Consortium of North American (ICON), a group of pediatric hematologists dedicated to improving the understanding, treatment and quality of life (QOL) of pediatric ITP patients. Dr. Nugent also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Sandhya Panch, MD

As Associate Professor of Hematology at the University of Washington (UW), School of Medicine, and as Director of Transfusion at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center (FHCC), Dr. Panch is committed to the pursuit of clinical and translational studies in immunohematology. As a mentee of Dr. Terry Gernsheimer, she cares for a large panel of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), autoimmune hemolytic anemias (AIHA) and red cell/platelet transfusion refractory patients in the Pacific Northwest. She leads several industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated trials incorporating correlatives and biomarker-driven approaches to managing immune cytopenias at the UW/FHCC. She also serves on medical advisory boards for the Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (WAIHA) warriors, and Cold Agglutinin Disease (CAD) foundation.

John W. Semple, PhD

Dr. John Semple received his PhD in Immunology from Queen’s University in 1986 and trained as a Post Doctoral Fellow in the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research of the C.H. Best Institute, University of Toronto from 1986-1990. He joined St. Michael’s Hospital in 1990 as Director of Transfusion Medicine Research of the Toronto Platelet Immunobiology Group. He joined Lund University in 2016 as a Professor of Transfusion Medicine of St. Michael’s Hospital. His research activities include several areas including anti-platelet T cell responses in patients with acute and chronic ITP, the analysis of how platelet antigens are recognized by the immune system, and how platelets may act as immune-like cells that are responsible for initiating and perpetuating their own auto immune demise. Dr. Semple also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.

Michael Tarantino, MD

Dr. Michael Tarantino is a Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria and Medical Director of the Bleeding & Clotting Disorders Institute. He received a doctoral degree in medicine from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1987. He completed an internship and residency at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center and a Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. Dr. Tarantino first became interested in ITP during his residency in 1988. Since that time, he has designed and/or participated in numerous clinical investigations related to ITP and other platelet disorders. He has authored numerous publications relevant to the diagnosis and management of ITP, especially as it occurs in children. He is also active in hemophilia and other bleeding disorders research. Dr. Tarantino also serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.