Terry Bishop, PhD
William Merritt, PhD
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recognized representative Tom Cole (R–OK); the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Hematology and Training Program Director Terry Bishop, PhD; and National Cancer Institute (NCI) Program Director William Merritt, PhD, for their outstanding leadership in support of biomedical research and hematology. All three awardees were honored at the 2019 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition in Orlando.
Rep. Cole received the 2019 ASH Public Service Award, which recognizes leadership by an elected public official on issues of importance to hematology research and/or practice. Throughout his service as Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies between 2015 and 2018, and currently as ranking member of the subcommittee, Rep. Cole has been a strong proponent of increasing funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Under his leadership overseeing NIH, Congress enacted NIH funding increases totaling more than $9 billion in the past 4 years. Additionally, Rep. Cole has repeatedly denounced proposed cuts to NIH funding as “short-sighted” and has pledged to provide sustained funding for NIH.
Drs. Bishop and Merritt both received the 2019 ASH Outstanding Service Award, an honor recognizing effective leadership behind the scenes in areas relevant to the mission of ASH, for their dedication to advocacy and mentorship in hematology research.
More About Dr. Bishop
Dr. Bishop joined NIDDK’s Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases as Hematology and Training Program Director in 2001, where her focus has been on supporting research on hematopoietic stem cells and their distinction into blood cells. Her work at NIDDK includes developmental hematopoiesis, erythropoiesis, globin gene regulation, heme biosynthesis, and cell differentiation. Dr. Bishop also oversees the Centers of Excellence in Molecular Hematology, Hematology Training and Career Development, the Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases loan repayment program, and the MERIT program. Furthermore, Dr. Bishop was responsible for the creation of the Stimulating Hematology Investigation New Endeavors program, which promotes innovative, high-quality nonmalignant hematology research relevant to the missions of the NIDDK, the National Institute of Aging, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Dr. Bishop has served in several volunteer roles within ASH, including participating as faculty for the ASH Clinical Research Training Institute and authoring articles for the Society’s newsletter, The Hematologist.
More About Dr. Merritt
Dr. Merritt joined NCI’s clinical grants and contracts branch/cancer therapy evaluation program as Program Director in 2006. His focus has been on managing a large portfolio of clinical grants in the areas of stem cell transplant and immunotherapeutic and drug therapies for hematologic malignancies. He has also been active in the management of the Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network, the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant, and the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network, which was co-funded with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
In addition, Dr. Merritt has served as a faculty member of the ASH Clinical Research Training Institute and participated as a speaker at the Career Development Lunches held at the ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition. ■
