POEM 2025 Scientific Meeting: Key Sessions, Workshops, and Why You Should Attend

POEM’s Fourth Scientific Meeting, themed “Harnessing Regional Strengths to Improve Equity, Access, and Quality Care,” is set to convene from May 1–3, 2025, at the InterContinental Hotel in Amman, Jordan. This pivotal event will gather pediatric oncologists, researchers, nurses, pharmacists, and healthcare advocates from across the East and Mediterranean regions to collaboratively advance childhood cancer care.​

What Are the Main Scientific Sessions at POEM 2025?

Pre-Conference Workshops – April 30, 2025

• AI for Pediatric Oncology and Its Application in Neuroradiology
  An open-registration workshop featuring experts from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, focusing on the integration of artificial intelligence in pediatric oncology diagnostics and neuroradiology. 
• Retinoblastoma Workshop (Closed, by invitation)
• Nursing Workshop (Closed, by invitation)

Day 1 – Thursday, May 1, 2025

• Session 1: Registry/Data Analysis, Quality Improvements, and Metrics
• Session 2: Innovations in Pediatric Transplantation and CAR-T: Strategies for Implementation and Growth
• Session 3: From Research to Reality: Clinical Trials, Implementation Science, and Pediatric Leukemia Care
• Session 4: Oral and Poster Presentations​

Day 2 – Friday, May 2, 2025

• Session 1: Advocacy, Equity, and Access in Pediatric Oncology Care
• Session 2: Utilization of Regional Resources for Improvement
• Session 3: Stories That Heal: Harnessing Qualitative Research to Advance Childhood Cancer Care
• Session 4: Transforming Care in Blood Disorders: Gene Therapy, Lifelong Impact of Childhood Cancer, and Advancing Treatment Strategies
• Session 5: Poster Presentations (Non-CME)​

Day 3 – Saturday, May 3, 2025

• Session 1: CNS Tumors Redefined: Advances in Diagnosis, Novel Therapies, and Regional Access
• Session 2: Global Comfort Promise – Improvement Science in Action (ISIA) Program
• Session 3: Pediatric Lymphoma: Innovations and Equity
• Session 4: Optimizing Antibiotic Use: Stewardship and MDR Bacteremia Management in Pediatric Oncology
• Session 5: Global Child Health​

Post-Conference Workshop – May 3, 2025

• Multidisciplinary Management of Extremity & Trunk Sarcomas: Local Control Workshop
  An open-registration workshop focusing on comprehensive approaches to sarcoma management. ​

Registration Details

• Deadline: April 24, 2025
• Eligibility: Physicians, scientists, nurses, pharmacists, foundations, and healthcare professionals involved in childhood cancer care and research.
• Registration Fee Exemption: Available for international attendees who:
  • Become POEM members (free registration).
  • Provide evidence of travel and accommodation bookings. Note: Not applicable for local attendees.​

For registration and detailed program information, visit the POEM Group’s official website.

Top Must-Attend Sessions at POEM 2025

1. Opening Plenary: POEM in 2025 – Challenges and Achievements

• Speaker: Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan (President, POEM Group)
• Date: May 1 | Time: 9:35–9:55 AM
• Why: Sets the tone for the conference, addressing the evolution, milestones, and vision of POEM in the context of global pediatric oncology. Offers regional insight and strategic direction.

2. Session 1: Harnessing Data for Progress

• Key Talks:
  • Harnessing Data for Pediatric Oncology – Dr. Nickhill Bhakta
  • Advanced Data Analytics – Dr. Meenakshi Devidas
  • PrOFILE Implementation & Benchmarking
• Why: Data is the foundation of progress in pediatric oncology. This session emphasizes actionable use of registries, benchmarking, and real-world evidence to shape better outcomes.

3. Session 2: Innovations in Pediatric Transplantation and CAR-T

• Speakers: Dr. Leslie Lehmann, Dr. Brandon Triplett, Dr. Gaurav Narula
• Why: CAR-T and transplantation are the future of curative therapy in high-risk cancers. This session presents implementation strategies tailored to low-resource settings, including India and MENA.

4. Session 3: From Research to Reality – Clinical Trials and Implementation Science

• Speakers: Dr. Asim Belgaumi, Dr. Caitlyn Duffy, Dr. Victor Santana
• Why: Focuses on transforming research into practice in resource-limited environments. Must-attend for anyone interested in clinical trials, health systems, or leukemia care in the global south.

5. Session 1 (Day 2): Advocacy, Equity, and Access in Pediatric Oncology

• Panelists Include: WHO, St. Jude, Aladina Foundation, KHCF
• Why: A powerhouse session tackling health disparities, access to treatment, and advocacy. Critical for shaping equitable pediatric oncology programs in underserved regions.

6. Session 3: Stories That Heal – Qualitative Research in Pediatric Oncology

• Speakers: Dr. Dylan Graetz, Dr. Gemma Bryan, Dr. Richard Harding
• Why: An innovative session focused on the human side of care. Showcases how stories, context, and qualitative methods can reshape policy and care delivery, especially in vulnerable populations.

7. Session 4: Transforming Care in Blood Disorders

• Speakers: Dr. Rabbi Hanna, Dr. Parul Rai, Dr. Greg Armstrong
• Why: Covers gene therapy, sickle cell disease, and survivorship—three rapidly evolving fields with major implications for long-term pediatric oncology outcomes.

8. Session 1 (Day 3): CNS Tumors Redefined

• Speakers: Dr. David Ellison, Dr. Ibrahim Qaddoumi
• Why: CNS tumors are among the most complex in pediatric oncology. This session offers new classification systems and therapeutic pathways relevant to both clinicians and researchers.

9. Session 2: Global Comfort Promise – ISIA Program

• Speakers: Dr. Michael McNeil, Dr. Sadaf Altaf
• Why: A model in palliative care improvement and implementation. Highlights effective regional interventions for symptom relief and quality of life in children with cancer.

10. Closing Panel: Global Child Health & Call to Action

• Why: Brings together regional scholars to collaborate on systems-level improvements in child health. The closing remarks by Dr. Rawad Rihani offer a strategic roadmap for future partnerships.

Why Attend?

• Collaborative Learning: Engage with regional and international experts to share knowledge and best practices in pediatric oncology.
• Innovative Workshops: Participate in hands-on sessions exploring AI applications and multidisciplinary care approaches.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers and leaders to foster collaborations aimed at improving equity and access in childhood cancer care.​

Stay informed with live updates and expert analyses during the conference by following OncoDaily.​

Written by Md Foorquan Hashmi, MD, Sr. Editor, OncoDaily: India Bureau