Specialized Working Group on Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)

Overview

The Scientific Working Group (SWG) on Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) brings together clinicians, scientists, and collaborators from across Europe and beyond to advance research, education, and clinical care in MDS. As a growing and increasingly international network, the SWG provides a collaborative platform for the exchange of expertise, the development of joint initiatives, and the identification of priorities in diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment. Recent expansion of the group, including broader international representation and the engagement of early career members, has further strengthened its scope and ambition.

The SWG’s activities are organised around four core areas: education, clinical activities, collaboration and research, and knowledge dissemination. This structure reflects the group’s commitment to generating meaningful impact across the MDS field, from scientific discovery to clinical implementation and stakeholder engagement.

Focus

The SWG focuses on promoting excellence in MDS through collaborative and practice relevant initiatives. A major priority is education in diagnostics, with particular emphasis on morphology, flow cytometry, integrated diagnostics, and emerging approaches such as artificial intelligence and digital pathology. Through workshops, masterclasses, and tutorials, the group aims to support learning across career stages and to strengthen diagnostic expertise in diverse clinical settings.

The SWG also supports collaborative clinical studies and real world data initiatives, with a particular focus on harmonised clinical datasets and shared standards that can be adopted across centres. In parallel, the group promotes translational research by fostering collaboration between clinicians and scientists, encouraging joint workshops, and advancing work on biobanking and data standardisation. Key areas of interest include immune profiling, TP53 related biology, and the integration of clinical and molecular data.

Knowledge dissemination is another central priority. The SWG is strengthening its online presence and developing webinars, infographics, and other educational resources for the wider haematology community. It is also committed to broader stakeholder engagement, including patients, nurses, general practitioners, and national societies, through accessible and patient friendly materials. Particular attention is being given to centres with limited resources, with the aim of supporting equitable access to education, guidance, and research participation.

Mission

The mission of the SWG on MDS is to accelerate progress in MDS by fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, advancing education, supporting innovative clinical and translational research, and improving dissemination of knowledge across the field. A flagship initiative within this mission is the International Integrative Innovative Immunology for MDS consortium, i4MDS, which aims to advance immune monitoring, biomarker discovery, and clinically relevant immune stratification in MDS through international collaboration.

Join us

If you work in our field and share our mission to advance our understanding of MDS, you’d be welcome to join our SWG. However, before you apply, we recommend you read our application guidance.

Ready? Apply now on the EHA Portal.

If you have any questions, please email our SWGs team.