Welcome

Join us for TMS MastCellCon, happening in Indianapolis, IN, on July 13-15, 2024. This will be an amazing two days of educational sessions, inspiring discussions, and most exciting of all, time spent together as a community.  

This will be a hybrid event with presentations available both in person and virtually. The event is designed for patients, caregivers, and any other stakeholder with an interest in mast cell diseases. This includes researchers, physicians, and our fellow patient advocacy organizations.

This year we are thrilled to be able to make the recorded content from the conference available on the event app.

If you are joining us in Indianapolis, TMS has secured a discounted room rate for our conference attendees of $209/night.  You must use our dedicated link to secure these room rates:  TMS Conference Hotel Reservation link.

Whyshould I attend? top reasons

Why should you attend our TMS MastCellCon?



Networking and Peer Support:
Whether you are joining us in person (our first time together in person since 2019) or virtually, there will be lots of opportunities to share support and fellowship with one another. We will have in person and virtual support group meetings and round table discussions. Our Conference website and App will allow you to schedule networking meetings with conference attendees over video or in person.



Topics:
Our agenda is still getting some final adjustments; however, it is shaping up to be an incredibly informative conference. Presentations from the world's leading experts in mast cell diseases and related conditions will cover topics such as:

  • Anaphylaxis;
  • cutaneous mastocytosis;
  • hereditary alpha tryptasemia;
  • mast cell activation syndrome;
  • systemic mastocytosis (both non-advanced, and advanced);
  • managing daily life;
  • medication and treatment options;
  • navigating insurance;
  • nutrition;
  • student and workplace accommodations;
  • and more!
why attend

Fun and Freebies
We have some fun activities planned both in the app and in person. Sunday night we will have our Gala and Silent Auction. The app includes a leader board and scavenger hunt. We are also working on a few surprise activities.
Additionally, we are working with vendors of products that are important to our community to attempt to stuff your registration bags with samples, coupons, and other goodies!

Speakers

Anne L. Maitland, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine - Allergy & Clinical Immunology; Director, Allergy & Immunology

Anne L. Maitland, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine - Allergy & Clinical Immunology; Director, Allergy & Immunology
Read Bio

Ariella Cohen Coleman

Healthcare Attorney, Founder of The Wellness Esquire

Ariella Cohen Coleman

Healthcare Attorney, Founder of The Wellness Esquire
Read Bio

Bonnie Nasar, RDN

Registered Dietician & Owner, Nasar Nutrition

Bonnie Nasar, RDN

Registered Dietician & Owner, Nasar Nutrition
Read Bio

Mariana Castells, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine, Director of Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitization Center, Director of Mastocytosis Center

Mariana Castells, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine, Director of Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitization Center, Director of Mastocytosis Center
Read Bio

Janice Chiappone, PhD

Janice Chiappone, PhD

Read Bio

Dr. Marcus Shaker

Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine

Dr. Marcus Shaker

Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine
Read Bio

Dr. Sarah Glover

Thorpe Ray MD Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Dr. Sarah Glover

Thorpe Ray MD Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Read Bio

Judith Emmel

Board Chair of TMS

Judith Emmel

Board Chair of TMS
Read Bio

Jennifer Nicoloro-SantaBarbara, PhD

Investigator, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Jennifer Nicoloro-SantaBarbara, PhD

Investigator, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Read Bio

Jonathan Lyons, MD

Professor of Medicine, in Residence

Jonathan Lyons, MD

Professor of Medicine, in Residence
Read Bio

Lora Marden

Vice President, Patient Advocacy, Engagement & Innovation

Lora Marden

Vice President, Patient Advocacy, Engagement & Innovation
Read Bio

Marla Barkoff, MD

Endocrinologist & Founder, Integrative Endocrinology

Marla Barkoff, MD

Endocrinologist & Founder, Integrative Endocrinology
Read Bio

Matthew J. Hamilton M.D.

Lead Gastroenterologist, Chief of Gastroenterology, Assistant Professor of Medicine

Matthew J. Hamilton M.D.

Lead Gastroenterologist, Chief of Gastroenterology, Assistant Professor of Medicine
Read Bio

Pankit Vachhani, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine

Pankit Vachhani, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine
Read Bio

Patricia Lugar, MD MS

Associate Professor of Medicine

Patricia Lugar, MD MS

Associate Professor of Medicine
Read Bio

Sarah Cohen Solomon, MD, FAAP

ABP Board Certified in General Pediatrics

Sarah Cohen Solomon, MD, FAAP

ABP Board Certified in General Pediatrics
Read Bio

Fatima Scipione

Vice President of Global Patient Affairs

Fatima Scipione

Vice President of Global Patient Affairs
Read Bio

Shonna Snyder, Ph.D.

Research Scientist

Shonna Snyder, Ph.D.

Research Scientist
Read Bio

Thomas B Casale, MD

Professor of Medicine

Thomas B Casale, MD

Professor of Medicine
Read Bio

Tina Johnson, BSN, RN, OCN

Senior Clinical Nurse Educator, Oncology & Acute Care

Tina Johnson, BSN, RN, OCN

Senior Clinical Nurse Educator, Oncology & Acute Care
Read Bio

Agenda

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Welcome Addresses and Opening Keynote: Mast cells heterogeneity and function and associated diseases

speaker headshot

Mariana Castells, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine, Director of Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitization Center, Director of Mastocytosis Center

speaker headshot

Judith Emmel
Board Chair of TMS

3:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Back to Basics Mast Cells/ Mediators

speaker headshot

Shonna Snyder, Ph.D
Research Scientist

4:30 PM - 5:15 PM

MCAS: Recognizing mast cell activation symptoms and their management

speaker headshot

Mariana Castells, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine, Director of Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitization Center, Director of Mastocytosis Center

3:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Managing Anxiety and Mindfulness

speaker headshot

Jennifer Nicoloro-SantaBarbara, PhD
Investigator, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

speaker headshot

Jan Marie Smith
TMS Support Group Leader and Relaxation Coach

speaker headshot

Janice Chiappone
PhD

4:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Laboratory testing for the evaluation of systemic mastocytosis

speaker headshot

Dr. Tracy George
Chief Scientific Officer and President, Innovation Business Unit

3:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Midwestern Mingle

4:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Community Networking

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Breakfast Buffet with Optional Support Group Sessions

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM

GI Symptoms, Treatments, New Research

speaker headshot

Dr. Matthew Hamilton
Lead Gastroenterologist, Chief of Gastroenterology, Assistant Professor of Medicine

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

Working with your HCPs to get the best care

speaker headshot

Ariella Cohen Coleman
Healthcare Attorney, Founder of The Wellness Esquire

speaker headshot

Dr. Marla Barkoff
Endocrinologist & Founder, Integrative Endocrinology

speaker headshot

Dr. Patricia Lugar
Associate Professor of Medicine

12:15 PM - 2:00 PM

Community Networking Lunch

2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

Newest Research & Clinical Trial Updates

speaker headshot

Dr. Thomas Casale
Professor of Medicine

speaker headshot

Dr. Pankit Vachhani
Associate Professor of Medicine

3:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Mastocytosis – a patient centered Q&A discussion

speaker headshot

Pankit Vachhani, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Purple Tie Gala

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM

Navigating Accommodations from Elementary School through College

speaker headshot

Dr. Sarah Cohen Solomon
ABP Board Certified Pediatrician

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

Mast Cell Nutrition w/ guided workshop

speaker headshot

Bonnie Nasar, RDN
Registered Dietician & Owner, Nasar Nutrition

speaker headshot

Lindsay Frazier, RN

12:15 PM - 2:00 PM

Community Networking Lunch

2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

Updates in Anaphylaxis Treatment and research

speaker headshot

Dr. Marcus Shaker
Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine

3:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Hereditary alpha-tryptasemia: what a decade of study has taught us

speaker headshot

Dr. Sarah Glover
Thorpe Ray MD Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

speaker headshot

Dr. Jonathan Lyons
Professor of Medicine, in Residence

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Purple Tie Gala and Silent Auction

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Breakfast Buffet & The Mast Cell Disease Society Updates

speaker headshot

Judith Emmel
Board Chair of TMS

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM

The Link between Mast Cell Diseases and Connective Tissue Disorders

speaker headshot

Dr. Anne Maitland
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine - Allergy & Clinical Immunology; Director, Allergy & Immunology

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

Your Voice Matters: The need for Research Advisory Panels to guide Mast Cell Research

speaker headshot

Dr. Shonna Snyder
Research Scientist

speaker headshot

Jessica Fraser

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM

Navigating Health Insurance to get the care you need.

speaker headshot

Ariella Cohen Coleman
Healthcare Attorney, Founder of The Wellness Esquire

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

Partners in Breakthroughs: Advancing Patient Care through Collaboration

speaker headshot

Tina Johnson
Senior Clinical Nurse Educator, Oncology & Acute Care

speaker headshot

Lora Marden
Vice President, Patient Advocacy, Engagement & Innovation

speaker headshot

Fatima Scipione
Vice President of Global Patient Affairs

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM

Share your Patient Journey at the MyPath Story Booth coordinated by the University of Pittsburgh

11:00 AM to 11:45 AM

Share your Patient Journey at the MyPath Story Booth coordinated by the University of Pittsburgh

Oursponsors

We are so grateful to our Partners in Hope sponsors who support the work of TMS year-round and to our Conference exhibitors who are helping us to make this year’s conference the best on yet.

Titanium Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Copper Sponsor

Exhibitors and In-Kind Donors

FAQFrequently Asked questions inquire


We have negotiated with the hotel to provide the following safety accommodations for our group:

Cleaning:
  • Extra Towels at check-in, based on hotel availability.
  • No smelly cleaning products used, instead vinegar and water or Hydrogen Peroxide.
    Linens washed with an extra rinse, and without the use of dryer pads/sheets to remove detergents prior to arrival.
  • No carpet cleaning two weeks prior to the event
  • No air fresheners in rooms, meeting rooms, OR hallways, or lobby
  • All automatic scent machines for the lobby and public areas must be disconnected 24 hours before our arrival.
  • No open smelly soaps.

Meals:
  • A list of ingredients will be provided in the menu items once finalized.
  • Items labeled with Top 9 allergens.
In person registration includes the following meals/ snacks:

  • On Saturday, an afternoon snack will be provided, but attendees will be on their own for dinner on Saturday night.
  • On Sunday, breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack, and dinner will be provided.
  • On Monday, a breakfast buffet and a sack lunch will be provided.
Ingredient lists for the meals being served at MastCellCon can be found at https://tmsforacure.org/mastcellcon-menu/. Printed copies of these ingredients will also be available in the dining space and hotel staff will be available should you have any questions.
The temperature in Indianapolis in July is usually in the mid-80s with high humidity. The dress is summer casual for the conference. You may want to bring a cardigan or sweater because the meeting rooms can get a little chilly sometimes. We suggest cocktail party attire, the more purple the better for the Sunday Night Purple Tie Gala and Auction.
We're planning a busy weekend, but we have left Saturday evening open for attendees to explore the area. We are working on pulling together a list of activities that may be of interest.
Conference attendees will continue to have access to the event content and features on the app until December 31, 2024
Please feel free to contact us with any questions. info@tmsforacure.org