ITP Conference 2023 was a wonderful celebration – honoring the ITP community’s continued strength and resilience and recognizing PDSA’s 25th Anniversary. Nearly 300 patients, caregivers, clinicians, and industry partners gathered together in Chicago, IL, for three days of invaluable programming, sessions, and community-building activities.

If you weren’t able to attend the ITP Conference – or if you simply want to revisit some of the information-packed sessions – we are pleased to share that a virtual component of this premier patient event will be available on-demand starting in September for ITP Awareness Month.

PDSA Members ITP Conference 2023 attendees will have special access to select recorded content from the conference September through December 2023, including sessions on:

• ITP Through the Ages: The evolution of ITP research and patient care
• How do I know I have ITP and what does that mean?
• The impact of ITP on quality of life
• The Mind Body Connection: Medical Trauma, Rare Disease, and Strategies for Resilience
• Treatment strategies and emerging therapies for ITP
• Plus, Inquire & Inspire sessions focused on Canadian Patients & Caregivers, ITP in Seniors, and Women Only: bleeding disorders during adolescence, pregnancy, and menopause

Conference Photo Gallery

View photos from ITP Conference 2023. We look forward to seeing you at the next ITP Conference in San Antonio, Texas in July 2024.

View Conference Photos

Pump It Up For Platelets! Hike & Seek

The weekend started off on the right foot with a special Pump It Up For Platelets! Hike & Seek city walk in downtown Chicago before ITP Conference 2023 began. We explored the city together in this fun adventure. With a list of landmarks to seek and find, participants had the opportunity to meet other conference attendees and enjoy the morning outdoors.

This event was complimentary. The first 60 registrants received an exclusive Pump It Up For Platelets! t-shirt.

Saturday Night Family Fun Event - Architectural Riverboat Cruise

July 22, 2023 - 8-10:30pm
After a fulfilling day of conference programming, conference attendees and their families joined us on a special 2 ½ hour architectural cruise on Chicago’s First Lady riverboat. We wound our way down the Chicago River to take in the city’s legendary architecture and history, narrated by a professionally trained architectural guide; got a taste of iconic Chicago deep-dish pizza; and reveled in the beauty of an exciting fireworks celebration above it all. This special boat cruise was complimentary for conference attendees and their families.

Navy Pier
600 Grand Avenue, at N. Lake Shore Drive
https://navypier.org/

Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower
233 S. Wacker Drive, The Loop
https://www.willistower.com/

Magnificent Mile
Michigan Avenue
https://www.themagnificentmile.com/

Chicago Riverwalk
E. Upper Wacker Drive
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/chicagoriverwalk/home.html

Millennium Park – The Bean
201 E. Randolph Street, The Loop
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park.html

Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Avenue
https://www.artic.edu/

Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, South Loop
https://www.fieldmuseum.org/

360 Chicago Observation Deck (formerly John Hancock Observatory)
875 N. Michigan Avenue
https://360chicago.com/

Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, South Loop
https://www.adlerplanetarium.org/

Soldier Field
1410 S. Museum Campus Drive
https://www.soldierfield.com/

Wrigley Field
1060 W. Addison Street
https://www.mlb.com/cubs/ballpark

Lincoln Park & Zoo
2200 N. Cannon Drive
https://www.lpzoo.org/

Shedd Aquarium
1200 Lake Shore Drive, South Loop
https://www.sheddaquarium.org/

Water Tower Place
835 N. Michigan Avenue
https://www.shopwatertower.com/

Museum of Science and Industry
5700 S. Lake Shore Drive
https://www.msichicago.org/

Chicago Lakefront Trail
540 N. Lake Shore Drive
https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/lakefront-trail

Chicago Children’s Museum
700 E. Grand Avenue
https://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/

American Writers Museum
180 N. Michigan Avenue
https://americanwritersmuseum.org/

Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark Street
https://home.chicagohistory.org/

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago
601 N. Martingale Drive, Schaumburg
https://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/chicago/

Wrigleyville
Border of Halsted St. and Ashland Avenue
https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/wrigleyville/

Jackson Park
6401 S. Stony Island Avenue
https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/jackson-park

Grant Park
337 E. Randolph Street
https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/grant-ulysses-park

Prairie Avenue Historic District
2200 S. Prairie Avenue, S. Michigan Avenue
https://chicagodetours.com/prairie-avenue/

Driehaus Museum
40 E. Erie Street
https://driehausmuseum.org/

Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe
https://www.chicagobotanic.org/

Lincoln Park Conservatory
2391 N. Stockton Drive
https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/lincoln-park-conservatory

Chicago PIZZA!
https://delishably.com/dining-out/most-iconic-chicago-pizzerias

FRIDAY, JULY 21

SATURDAY, JULY 22

SUNDAY, JULY 23

*Agenda and speakers subject to change
**A separate track for teens and young adults will run Friday and Saturday
***Kids Kamp will run during all conference sessions

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.

Stacey J. Feuer, PsyD, MLD

Dr. Stacey Feuer is the Director of Health Psychology for a large medical group in the Chicago area, and a licensed Clinical Health Psychologist. She additionally holds a master’s degree in Leadership Development in Healthcare and the Biotechnology Industry. Stacey has a passion for working with individuals living with chronic medical illness as psychologist, healthcare consultant, and speaker. Through her work, she helps patients live healthier, more resilient lives while coping with a wide range of medical conditions. She specializes in individuals living with the special challenges of rare, ultra-rare, and/or genetic diseases. Dr. Feuer believes that health is more than just the sum of our physical ailments. She aims to help patients develop and increase an overall sense of well-being in their daily lives even while living with chronic medical issues.

Stacey was diagnosed with Gaucher Disease Type 1 in 1997, and has been a speaker and advocate in the Gaucher and rare disease community for more than twenty-five years. She enjoys educating and connecting with patients, families, medical providers, and industry leaders about the experiences of those living with a rare, genetic disorder.

Terry Gernsheimer, MD

Dr. Terry Gernsheimer is 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 for the University of Washington Medical Center and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Dr. Gernsheimer's research focuses on the pathophysiology and treatment of immune platelet disorders and pathologic immune responses associated with transfusion. She has clinical research interest in transfusion management of the hematopoietic stem cell transplant patient and surgical bleeding in patients undergoing solid organ transplant and cardiovascular procedures. She has made significant contributions toward understanding the pathophysiology and management of auto-immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Dr. Gernsheimer 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.

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 and Chief of Hematology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. 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, MTR

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 were 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 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 (USC) Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA. He serves as Medical Director of the Special Hemostasis Laboratory at the USC NorrisComprehensiveCancerCenter 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 AngelesCounty - University of Southern California Medical Center. Dr. Liebman completed a research fellowship at TuftsUniversity - New EnglandMedicalCenter, Boston, MA, and held faculty positions at TuftsUniversity and BostonUniversity, 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 than 100 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 America (ICON), a group of pediatric hematologists dedicated to improving the understanding, treatment, and quality of life (QOL) of pediatric ITP patients.

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 and was a Senior Staff Scientist and Head of the Toronto Platelet Immunobiology Group at the Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Sciences. He was also a Professor in the Departments of Pharmacology, Medicine and Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto and an Adjunct Scientist with Canadian Blood Services. He joined Lund University in 2016 as a Professor of Transfusion Medicine of St. Michael’s Hospital. Dr. Semple has published over 120 papers on platelet immunology. 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 autoimmune 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, and founded The Bleeding and Clotting Disorders Institute in 2010. Dr. Tarantino serves on the PDSA Board of Medical Advisors.