Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) recently acknowledged the commitment of the Edward P. Evans Foundation to inaugurate The Edward P. Evans Center for Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) at MSK. With the grant of $5 million matched by institutional funds, MSK will establish the Edward P. Evans Endowed Chair for MDS, Edward P. Evans Seminar in MDS, Edward P. Evans Fellowship Program, and the Edward P. Evans Center for Mechanism-Based Therapeutics for MDS—a collaborative research project under the leadership of Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, who will also serve as Center Director and the first incumbent of the Edward P. Evans Endowed Chair for MDS.
The Edward P. Evans Center for MDS will encourage, promote, and guide research into the causes, therapies, and cures for MDS. The Center will promote collaborations among faculty, students, and others to advance the field of MDS research through sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices.
Luis Alberto Diaz, Jr, MD, Appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board
MSK’s Head of the Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Luis Alberto Diaz, Jr, MD, was appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board by President Biden. The Board plays an important role in guiding the Director of the National Cancer Institute in setting the course for the national cancer research program. The Board will complement the Administration’s efforts to build on the spirit and learnings of the Cancer Moonshot, which President Biden led in the Obama-Biden Administration.
Dana Pe’er, PhD, Named Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
Computational Biologist and Lab Head at Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI), Dana Pe’er, PhD, is among 33 biomedical researchers named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator. The HHMI is a nonprofit medical research organization and one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the United States. Its scientists are committed to progressing basic biomedical research and science education and have made important discoveries that advance the fundamental understanding of biology.
Justin Perry, PhD, Receives NIH Director’s New Innovator Award
Cell Biologist and immunologist of SKI, Justin Perry, PhD, is among 64 recipients of the 2021 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s New Innovator Award. This award is a part of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, which supports innovative research from early-stage investigators whose creativity and research have the potential to produce a major impact on important problems relevant to the mission of NIH. Topics are related to behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences, as well as basic, translational, or clinical research.
Direna Alonso-Curbelo, PhD, Receives Young Scientist Award
SKI Postdoctoral researcher Direna Alonso-Curbelo, PhD, has been named a winner of the 2021 Blavatnik Regional Awards for Young Scientists in the Life Sciences category. The awards recognize researchers in three scientific categories—Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemistry—and honor outstanding postdoctoral scientists from academic research institutions across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
