Focus on a Rare Disease: Idiopathic Multicentric Castleman Disease
Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare and often misdiagnosed cytokine-driven disorder with significant clinical complexity and heterogeneity. In this expert-led webinar, Dr. Robert Ohgami will be joined by Dr. David Fajgenbaum and Dr. Ahmet Dogan to provide an overview of the latest understanding of iMCD, including diagnostic challenges, pathobiology, and treatment approaches. The presentation will include a panel discussion highlighting real-world clinical experience, diagnostic pearls, and the evolving landscape of research.
Presenter
![]() | Robert S. Ohgami, MD, PhD, FCAP Professor |
Dr. Robert Ohgami is an internationally recognized leader in hematopathology and an active translational researcher. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, received his medical and doctorate degrees from the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Program in Health Sciences and Technology, and worked with Dr. Mark Fleming at the Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Ohgami completed his residency and fellowship at Stanford University in anatomic pathology and hematopathology. He has been a researcher and clinical faculty member at Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and served in several leadership positions, including director of the Molecular Pathology Core, associate program director in Anatomic Pathology, and division chief of Hematopathology. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, books, and chapters, which have been cited more than 4,000 times. He is an associate editor for Frontiers in Oncology and serves on the editorial board of multiple journals, including the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. In 2016, he was recognized with the Berard-Dorfman Founders Award for his work in hematopathology. As a professor of pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Dr. Ohgami is a firm advocate for the importance of being an effective mentor and supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion. He has received several mentorship and teaching awards over the years. Dr. Ohgami’s research interests include B- and T-cell lymphomas and rare diseases such as Castleman disease and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasms.
Dr. Ohgami is the vice president of the ARUP Institute for Research and Innovation in Diagnostic and Precision Medicine™. The R&I Institute serves as a focal point for innovation and cutting-edge research. The institute seeks to improve the lives of patients by advancing groundbreaking diagnostic and prognostic technologies and innovative tests through industry and academic partnerships.
Panelist
![]() | Ahmet Dogan, MD, PhD Chief, Hematopathology Service, Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine |
Panelist
![]() | David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc Associate Professor |
Objectives
After this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Recognize the clinical and pathologic features of idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease and differentiate it from mimickers
- Understand the current diagnostic criteria and classification system for Castleman disease, including the role of pathology and laboratory testing
- Discuss current therapeutic approaches for iMCD and ongoing translational research
Sponsored by:
University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, and ARUP Laboratories