Biree Andemariam, M.D. is Professor of Medicine and the American Red Cross Endowed Chair in Transfusion Medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. In addition to being an internationally recognized clinician, educator, and advocate, she is a physician scientist in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Founding Director of the New England Sickle Cell Institute (NESCI), and Director of the Connecticut Bleeding Disorders Center. Dr. Andemariam has been lead principal investigator of 5 global SCD clinical trials and has extensive experience in clinical trial design, endpoint development, recruitment, and implementation. She also expertise in working with executive leadership, regulatory, and investor teams. During the COVID-19 global crisis, she mobilized and chaired an international committee of experts in the development and worldwide dissemination of guidelines on managing patients with SCD during the pandemic. Dr. Andemariam is the past Chief Medical Officer of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. During her tenure at the SCDAA, she was awarded the Chairman’s Award three times (2019, 2020, 2022) for her outstanding and dedicated board service centered around national programmatic development, disease education/awareness, and legislative advocacy. She is a member of the 2023 Lancet Commission, a global group of experts selected to develop and publish a set of recommendations to achieve greater political commitment, investment, and partnerships to improve the lives of patients with sickle cell disease globally by 2040.

Dr. Abdullah Al Zayed is a consultant hematologist and is the former head of the inherited blood disorders center at Qatif Central Hospital, He is the founder and first program director of hematology fellowship at Qatif Health Network. He championed the sickle cell disease pathway in the eastern health cluster for adult patients. He was trained in Ireland and gained the MRCPI & Hematology fellowship by RCPI. He is the hematology service leader & the manager of the hematology program in the E1 cluster of the Ministry of Health- Hematology Development program project.

Professor Salam Alkindi is Professor and Senior Consultant in Hematology at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, and Director of the Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Center. Trained in Ireland and at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, USA, he has published over 140 peer-reviewed articles. His research focuses on sickle cell disease, chronic leukemia, and myeloproliferative disorders. He is Founder and Chairman of the Oman Hereditary Blood Disorders Association.