DRIVE Meeting 2027 Agenda
The Biology of DRIVE
Connecting ancestral biology, representative clinical research, patient outcomes, and practical strategies for improving DRIVE scores.
Friday, March 12th, 2027
Meeting Chair: Ruemu E. Birhiray
| Time | Session Title |
|---|---|
| 6:30 AM - 7:00 AM | Continental Breakfast |
| 7:00 AM - 7:10 AM | The Biology of DRIVE: Connecting Discovery, Representation, and Better Care Ruemu E. Birhiray, MD |
Session 1: The Ancestral Biology of Cancer
| Time | Event/Topic |
|---|---|
| 7:10 AM - 7:25 AM | Beyond the Average Patient: Ancestral Genomic Variation and Its Implications for Hematologic Cancer Care Andrew Hantel, MD, MPH |
| 7:25 AM - 7:40 AM | The Signals of Senescence: SASP, Ancestry, and the Cancer Microenvironment Sanket Shah, PhD |
| 7:40 AM - 7:55 AM | Duffy-Null, Different Decisions: Interpreting Blood Counts and Outcomes in Multiple Myeloma Paul Richardson, MD |
| 7:55 AM - 8:10 AM | Ancestry at the Bedside: Connecting Breast Cancer Biology to Treatment Decisions Bryan Schneider, MD |
| 8:10 AM - 8:25 AM | From Biological Variation to Clinical Action: Questions and Panel Discussion |
| 8:25 AM - 8:35 AM | Coffee Break |
Session 2: Strategies for Improving DRIVE Scores
| Time | Event/Topic |
|---|---|
| 8:35 AM - 8:50 AM | Whose Evidence Gets Heard? Ancestry Representation in Publications and Scientific Presentations Catherine Lai, MD, MPH |
| 8:50 AM - 9:05 AM | Artificial Intelligence at the Intersection: Using Ancestry and AI to Build More Representative Clinical Trials Eimear Kenny, PhD² |
| 9:05 AM - 9:20 AM | Tomorrow's Investigators, Today's Opportunity: Bringing Clinical Trial Education into Medical School Maya Birhiray |
| 9:20 AM - 9:35 AM | Raising the Score, Strengthening the Evidence: Questions and Panel Discussion |
| 9:35 AM - 9:45 AM | Coffee Break |
Session 3: What Happens When DRIVE Fails
| Time | Event/Topic |
|---|---|
| 9:45 AM - 10:00 AM | When DRIVE Fails: Duty of Care, Patient Harm, and Legal Accountability Medha Makhlouf, JD³ |
| 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM | The Cost of Being Unrepresented: What Patients Lose When Evidence Leaves Them Out Joan Reede, MD or Merlin Chowkwanyun, PhD, MPH |
| 10:15 AM - 10:30 AM | Who Delivers the Care Matters: Representation, Cultural Alignment, and Trust in the Healthcare Team Lisa Cooper, MD, MPH¹ |
| 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM | When Evidence and Care Fall Short: Questions and Panel Discussion |
| 10:45 AM - 10:55 AM | Coffee Break |
¹ Suggested speaker: Lisa Cooper, MD, MPH. Alternatives: Monica Peek, MD, MPH, MSc; Yolanda R. Lawson, MD; Uché Blackstock, MD; Linda Villarosa; or Harriet A. Washington.
Session 4: Tommorow’s Steps
| Time | Event/Topic |
|---|---|
| 10:55 AM - 11:25 AM | Keynote Conversation: The Next Chapter in DRIVE — From Commitment to Measurable Change Robert Winn, MD |
| 11:25 AM - 11:40 AM | Evidence That Serves Every Patient: A Public Policy Approach to Cancer Treatment Decisions Speaker TBD⁴ |
| 11:40 AM - 11:55 AM | Less Red Tape, More Representation: Building a Global Coalition for Better Clinical Trials Edward S. Kim, MD, MBA |
| 11:55 AM - 12:10 PM | Setting the Standard: National Organizations, Data Reporting, and Abstract Selection Belinda Avalos, MD |
| 12:10 PM - 12:25 PM | Opening the Trial Door: Practical Strategies to Improve Access and Population Representation Carmen Guerra, MD, MSCE |
| 12:25 PM - 12:40 PM | Measuring What Matters: Biostatistical Advances and the Next DRIVE Calculator Todd Burus, PhD, MAS |
| 12:40 PM - 12:55 PM | Tomorrow's Steps, Today's Commitments: Questions and Closing Panel Discussion |
| 12:55 PM - 1:00 PM | Closing Remarks Ruemu E. Birhiray, MD |
| 1:00 PM | Luncheon |
² Alternative speakers for Artificial Intelligence at the Intersection: James Zou, PhD; or Chunhua Weng, PhD. ³ Alternative speakers for When DRIVE Fails: Michelle Mello, JD, PhD; Dayna Bowen Matthew, JD, PhD; or I. Glenn Cohen, JD. ⁴ Suggested speakers for Evidence That Serves Every Patient: Renuka Iyer, MD (Chief Medical Officer, NCCN); Mark McClellan, MD, PhD; Otis Brawley, MD; or Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, PhD. Program planning notes: Carmen Guerra’s session title is proposed; no topic was supplied. Speaker alternatives and TBD assignments remain to be finalized.