ASH to present honorific awards to ‘visionary’ hematologists

Several hematologists will be honored during this year’s ASH Annual Meeting.

ASH’s honorific awards recognize clinicians and scientists who have made important contributions to the field.

“ASH is honored to recognize these outstanding hematologists, whose groundbreaking research, mentorship and dedication have profoundly advanced the field,” ASH President Mohandas Narla, DSc, distinguished scientist at New York Blood Center Enterprises, said in a society-issued press release. “These visionary leaders have left an indelible mark on hematology and made a lasting impact on the lives of those living with blood disorders.”

Éliane Gluckman, MD, PhD, of University of Paris will receive the Wallace H. Coulter Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hematology for her contributions to the field of cord blood transplantation.

Gluckman performed the world’s first human cord blood transplant. This established cord blood as an alternative stem cell source for people in need of hematopoietic cell transplantation, reducing the time between donor identification and transplant.

Gluckman’s work also has improved the understanding of aplastic anemia, sickle cell disease and other hematologic disorders.

Stuart Orkin, MD, of Harvard Stem Cell Institute and John Tisdale, MD, of NIH will receive the Ernest Beutler Lecture and Prize.

The award honors one person for enabling advances in basic science and another for using clinical science or translational research to carry basic science advances through to tangible improvements in patient care.

Orkin and Tisdale will be recognized for their work that advanced treatment of hemoglobin disorders.

Orkin has helped improve the understanding of the molecular mechanisms foundational to gene therapy for hemoglobin disorders. Tisdale has contributed to multiple advances in gene therapy, hematopoietic cell transplantation and clinical trials for these disorders.

James George, MD, of University of Oklahoma will receive the ASH Award for Leadership in Promoting Diversity.

George will be recognized for his leadership building a more diverse hematology workforce.

In 2005, during George’s term as ASH president, the society collaborated with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program (AMFDP) to create ASH-funded AMFDP positions in hematology. George also supported the ASH Minority Medical Student Award Program, which offers research support to medical students underrepresented in medicine to encourage them to pursue careers in hematology.

Ami Bhatt, MD, PhD, of Stanford Medicine will receive the William Dameshek Prize.

The award is presented to an early or mid-career hematologist who made a recent outstanding contribution to the hematology field.

Bhatt will be recognized for leading the development and application of genomic approaches to studying the microbiome. She has studied the impact of gut decontamination on transplant outcomes and has helped to lead research into the microbiome in the context of graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis strategies.

Sean J. Morrison, PhD, of Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern will receive the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize.

The award recognizes pioneering research achievements that represent a paradigm shift or significant discovery.

Morrison will be honored for his work in hematopoietic stem cell biology.

Douglas Cines, MD, of Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania and Katherine High, MD, of The Rockefeller University will receive the Henry M. Stratton Medal.

The award honors two senior investigators who made important contributions to basic and clinical/translational hematology research over several years.

Cines will receive the medal for basic science in recognition of his research discoveries that led to significant increases in the understanding and treatment of thrombocytopenic disorders.

High will receive the medal for translational/clinical science in recognition of her contributions to the development of a gene therapy for hemophilia B.

Stephen D. Nimer, MD, of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami and Charles A. Schiffer, MD, of Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University School of Medicine will receive the ASH Mentor Award.

Nimer will be recognized for the tailored and community-focused mentorship he has provided to more than 100 hematology trainees.

Schiffer has trained several successful clinical investigators who have made significant contributions to leukemia and cancer research.