Nicholas Chiorazzi, MD, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, discusses the major disconnect between the clinical and the investigative situation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and how the interactions between the CLL cells and the microenvironment can be modeled. This interview took place at the 18th International Workshop on CLL (iwCLL) Biennial Meeting, held in Edinburgh, UK.