Masahiro Abe, JSM President Professor, Department of Hematology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Tokushima University Graduate School

It is a great honor for me to be appointed to JSM President in May, 2020. JMSG, which was the predecessor of JSM, was founded in 1976. For about 45 years since then, JSM has greatly contributed to progress in basic science and clinical practice for multiple myeloma and its related diseases in Japan. I will pay my respects to the hitherto contribution of JSM and do my best to push JSM forward and strengthen its international collaborations.

Recent advances in our understandings of the molecular biology of myeloma and the clinical application of various types of new agents have enabled us to further tailor the appropriate treatment according to clinical backgrounds as well as biological characteristics of myeloma cells and their surrounding microenvironment in each individual patient. In addition, immunotherapies have drawn considerable attention as totally new approaches to myeloma treatment. Therefore, the treatment of myeloma will be evolving rapidly to improve the outcome of MM patients. To catch up these advances and standardize the myeloma treatment in Japan, JSM published "Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Myeloma" in 2004 and has revised it every Olympic year, and started "Myeloma Seminar" in 2019 as an annual education seminar for young physicians.

JSM thinks much of clinical practice-oriented activities, which were the tradition fostered by JMSG. With this tradition, I would like to encourage and support JSM members to further expand their academic and clinical activities. JSM urgently plans to create nationwide networks of basic and clinical researches and raise young leaders to step JSM forward. JSM should more closely collaborate with other academic societies and further develop as an internationally open society.

I look forward to working with JSM members to further improve care for patients with myeloma and its related diseases.

Sincerely,