ASCO, Conquer Cancer Congratulate 2019 Grant and Award Recipients

Conquer Cancer^®, the ASCO Foundation, presented more than $7 million in grants and awards to exceptional oncology researchers at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting. ASCO and Conquer Cancer congratulate the recipients and offer their profound thanks to those who generously supported these awards. Visit CONQUER.org to learn more about each award and make a donation to support cancer research.

Advanced Clinical Research Award (ACRA) in Breast Cancer

The ACRA is a 3-year, $450,000 award that funds original breast cancer research in an area that is currently not funded.

• Heather L. McArthur, MD, MPH, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

2019 ACRA in Breast Cancer recipient Dr. McArthur. Credit: © ASCO/Kristen Norman 2019.

Career Development Award (CDA)

The CDA is a 3-year, $200,000 grant that funds clinical investigators who have received their initial faculty appointment and are working to establish an independent, patient-focused, clinical cancer research program.

• Tarah J. Ballinger, MD, Indiana University (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Breast Cancer Research Foundation^® CDA)
• Yasir Y. Elamin, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Deborah A. Forst, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital
• Katie A. Greenzang, MD, EdM, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Glenn J. Hanna, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Matthew Ingham, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Sarcoma Foundation of America CDA)
• Katarzyna J. Jerzak, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Sunnybrook Research Institute (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Breast Cancer Research Foundation^® CDA)
• Emily E. Johnston, MD, MS, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Women Who Conquer Cancer CDA)
• Chrisann Kyi, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Vincent K. Lam, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Stephanie Lheureux, MD, PhD, University Health Network
• Pavlos Msaouel, MD, PhD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Aparna Raj Parikh, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital
• Eirini Pectasides, MD, PhD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Enrique Soto Pérez de Celis, MD, MSc, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran
• Sarah E. Taylor, MD, University of Pittsburgh

2019 CDA recipients. Credit: © ASCO/Zach Boyden-Holmes 2019.

International Development and Education Award (IDEA)

This award supports early-career oncologists in low- and middle-income countries to further their knowledge and careers and establish strong long-term relationships with leading ASCO members who serve as scientific mentors.

• Aleesha K. Adatia, MBBS, MD, Aga Khan Hospital Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
• Maria Alice Franzoi, MD, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil
• Kavitha Jain, MBBS, MS, King George’s Medical University, India
• Deepa M. Joseph, MBBS, MD, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Rishikesh, India
• Yitbarek Mengistu Kibret, MD, Black Lion Hospital, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
• Joarly Kerwick Lormil, MD, University Hospital of Mirebalais, Haiti
• Precious T. Makondi, MBBS, Mzuzu Central Hospital, Malawi
• Deebya Raj Mishra, MBBS, MD, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal
• Peter Leonard Muhoka, MD, Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania
• Hung Van Nguyen, MD, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam
• Kehinde S. Okunade, MBBS, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria
• Tlotlo Bathethi Ralefala, MBBS, MD, Princess Marina Hospital, Botswana
• Yuly Andrea Remolina Bonilla, MD, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico
• Rossana Ruiz, MD, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas, Peru
• Alexey A. Rumyantsev, MD, N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Russian Federation
• Marcella Marinelli Salvadori, MD, Clinica AMO–Assistencia Multidisciplinar em Oncologia, Brazil
• Mukesh Shanthilal, MBBS, MD, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, India
• Kamal Raj Soti, MBBS, MD, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, Nepal
• Frederic Ivan Leong Ting, MD, Philippine General Hospital, Philippines
• Samia Yasmeen, MBBS, FCPS, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, ­Pakistan

IDEA in Palliative Care (IDEA-PC)

This award supports early-career oncologists in low- and middle-income countries with medical education in palliative care, career development, and strong relationships with leading ASCO members in the field of palliative care who serve as scientific mentors.

• Henriette Burger, MBBS, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
• Arunangshu Ghoshal, MBBS, MD, Tata Memorial Hospital, India
• Mohammad Kabir, MBBS, MPH, Hospice Bangladesh Limited, Bangladesh
• Innocent Chidiebere Ugwu, MBBS, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, Nigeria
• Ana Zilic, MD, MSc, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia

2019 IDEA recipients. Credit: © ASCO/Zach Boyden-Holmes 2019.

Long-Term International Fellowship (LIFe)

The LIFe award is a 1-year fellowship to enrich the education and training of young oncologists in low- and middle-income countries with an ASCO mentor in the United States, Canada, or the European Union.

• Kyrillus S. Shohdy, MBBCh, Cairo University, Egypt

Medical Student Rotation (MSR) for Underrepresented Populations

The MSR supports 4-week clinical or clinical research oncology rotations for U.S. medical students from populations that are underrepresented in medicine who are interested in oncology careers.

• Kaquanta Barlow, Morehouse School of Medicine
• Dulce Barrios, SUNY Upstate Medical University
• Jeffrey Edwards, Stanford University
• Ista Egbeto, Tufts University School of Medicine
• Taimy Falcon-Rodriguez, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
• Margaret Pichardo, Howard University
• Pompeyo R. Quesada, Texas Tech University
• Rosyli Reveron-Thornton, Stanford University
• Karen Rico, University of Arizona
• Zachary White II, University of South Alabama

 Resident Travel Award (RTA) for Underrepresented Populations

The RTA provides financial support for residents from populations underrepresented in medicine to attend the ASCO Annual Meeting.

• Jacquelyne Gaddy, MD, University at Buffalo
• Alexander C. Jordan, MD, New York University School of Medicine
• Jonathan Macias, MD, North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center
• Amblessed Onuma, MD, The Ohio State University
• Anghela Z. Paredes, MD, MS, The Ohio State University
• Dario Villamar, MD, New York-Presbyterian Hospital

Left: 2019 IDEA recipients. Credit: © ASCO/Zach Boyden-Holmes 2019. Right: 2019 RTA recipients. Credit: © ASCO/ Zach Boyden-Holmes 2019.

Global Oncology Young Investigator Award (GO YIA)

The GO YIA is a 1-year grant that supports early-career researchers in projects that explore strategies to lessen the global burden of cancer.

• Asya Agulnik, MD, MPH, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc.
• Elysia Alvarez, MD, MPH, University of California, Davis
• Pedro Isaacsson Velho, MD, Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo
• Sebastian Mondaca, MD, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
• Sheena Mukkada, MD, MPH, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc.
• David J. Pinato, MD, MRes, MRCP, PhD, Imperial College London 

Young Investigator Award (YIA)

The YIA is a 1-year, $50,000 grant that helps early-career researchers establish the direction of their research during the transition from fellowship to a faculty appointment.

• Jalal Ahmed, MD, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Genentech BioOncology™ YIA)
• Omar Alhalabi, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Bristol-Myers Squibb YIA)
• Rajat Bansal, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Hayden Family Foundation YIA)
• Allison Barz Leahy, MD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Anna Braglia Endowed YIA in Cancer Supportive Care, supported by Helsinn)
• Gregory P. Botta, MD, PhD, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
• Leonid Cherkassky, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Bristol-Myers Squibb YIA)
• Kelly S. Chien, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Women Who Conquer Cancer YIA)
• Andrew Chow, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Genentech BioOncology™ YIA)
• Victor A. Chow, MD, University of Washington (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Gilead Sciences, Inc. YIA)
• Lauren E. Colbert, MD, MSCR, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Texas Society of Clinical Oncology Women Who Conquer Cancer YIA)
• Pippa F. Cosper, MD, PhD, University of Wisconsin (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Women Leaders in Oncology Women Who Conquer Cancer YIA)
• Matthew C. Dallos, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Choose Chicago YIA)
• Deborah Blythe Doroshow, MD, PhD, Yale University (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Journal of Clinical Oncology YIA)
• Adam J. Gadzinski, MD, MS, University of Washington (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Swim Across America YIA)
• Sara Gandolfi, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Bristol-Myers Squibb YIA)
• Angela Green, MD, MSc, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Tomasello Family Women Who Conquer Cancer YIA)
• Katie L. Greenwood, MD, FAAP, Baylor College of Medicine (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Hayden Family Foundation YIA)
• Jessica E. Hawley, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Bristol-Myers Squibb Endowed Women Who Conquer Cancer YIA)
• Joseph B. Hiatt, MD, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Genentech BioOncology™ YIA)
• Won Jin Ho, MD, Johns Hopkins University (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/The John and Elizabeth Leonard Family Foundation YIA)
• Antony Hsieh, MD, University of Pennsylvania (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Ewa Maria Kukrika YIA)
• Dennis J. Hsu, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/AstraZeneca YIA)
• Li-Wen Huang, MD, University of California, San Francisco (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Endowed YIA in Geriatric Oncology in honor of Dr. Arti Hurria)
• William L. Hwang, MD, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Sherwin Family YIA)
• Maya Ilowite, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Lilly YIA)
• Shekeab Jauhari, MD, Duke University Medical Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Genentech BioOncology™ YIA)
• Daniel H. Johnson, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Endowed YIA in memory of Sally Gordon)
• Michael D. Kinnaman, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/QuadW YIA in Sarcoma in memory of Willie Tichenor)
• Isaac A. Klein, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Fred J. Ansfield, MD, Endowed YIA)
• David J. Konieczkowski, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Åke Bertil Eriksson Endowed YIA)
• Ritesh R. Kotecha, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Kidney Cancer Association YIA)
• Bahar Laderian, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Merck & Co., Inc. YIA)
• Christina Y. Lee, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Frist Family Endowed YIA in honor of Howard A. Burris III, MD)
• Vid Leko, MD, National Institutes of Health (Funded by the National Cancer Institute)
• Paul Lin, MD, PhD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Texas Society of Clinical Oncology YIA)
• Ying Liu, MD, MPH, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Endowed YIA in memory of Sally Gordon)
• Yi-Tsung “John” Lu, MD, University of Southern California (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Nebraska Oncology Society YIA)
• Luis E. Malpica Castillo, MD, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Judith Salmon Kaur, MD, YIA)
• David L. Mayhew, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Loxo Oncology, Inc. YIA)
• Christine M. McMahon, MD, University of Pennsylvania (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/AbbVie, Inc. YIA)
• Amir Mehrvarz Sarshekeh, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. YIA)
• Aimee Marie Merino, MD, PhD, University of Minnesota (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Endowed Women Who Conquer Cancer YIA)
• Judith Michels, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Jane C. Wright, MD, Endowed YIA
• Lekha Mikkilineni, MD, National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI; Funded by the National Cancer Institute)
• Benjamin A. Nacev, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Sarcoma Foundation of America YIA)
• Kevin T. Nead, MD, MPhil, University of Pennsylvania (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Genentech BioOncology™ YIA)
• Scot A. Niglio, MD, MS, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Marc Oliva Bernal, MD, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Merck & Co., Inc. YIA)
• Arsen Osipov, MD, Johns Hopkins University (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Ruth Rales YIA)
• Alexander A. Parent, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Norman Rales YIA)
• Ravi B. Parikh, MD, MPP, University of Pennsylvania (Harry F. Bisel, MD, Endowed YIA)
• Soo Jin Park, MD, University of California San Diego (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Puma Biotechnology, Inc. Women Who Conquer Cancer YIA)
• Cheryl Andrea Cohler Peretz, MD, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Association of Northern California Oncologists YIA)
• Neil Pfister, MD, PhD, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer YIA)
• Vikram J. Premkumar, MD, MS, NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/AstraZeneca YIA)
• Camille E. Puronen, MD, MPH, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/AstraZeneca YIA)
• Alexander Grenander Raufi, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Bristol-Myers Squibb YIA)
• Arvind Ravi, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Sarah Cannon Research Institute YIA)
• Joshua E. Reuss, MD, Johns Hopkins University (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/AstraZeneca YIA)
• Joanna M. Rhodes, MD, University of Pennsylvania (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/AstraZeneca YIA)
• Evan J. Rosenbaum, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Wilky Family YIA)
• Maria M. Rubinstein, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Gateway for Cancer Research YIA)
• Adam J. Schoenfeld, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO-AACR Young Investigator Translational Cancer Research Award)
• Jennifer Y. Sheng, MD, Johns Hopkins University (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Endowed YIA in memory of Evelyn H. Lauder)
• Siddharth Sheth, DO, MPH, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/The Hearst Foundation YIA)
• Bryan A. Sisk, MD, Washington University in Saint Louis (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Strike 3 Foundation YIA)
• Angela Steineck, MD, Seattle Children’s Hospital dba Seattle Children’s Research Institute (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Strike 3 Foundation YIA)
• Vatché Tchekmedyian, MD, Med, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Greg Parekh YIA)
• Lucas K. Vitzthum, MD, MAS, University of California San Diego (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Endowed YIA in honor of Grant R. and Victoria A. Merryman)
• Hao Xie, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Minnesota (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Boehringer Ingelheim Endowed YIA in Gastrointestinal Cancer)
• Siddhartha Yadav, MD, Mayo Clinic, Minnesota
• Chen Zhao, MD, National Institutes of Health (Funded by the National Cancer Institute)
• Tao Zou, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Endowed YIA in memory of John R. Durant, MD)

2019 YIA recipients. Credit: © ASCO/Zach Boyden-Holmes 2019.

2019 Grant and Award Supporters

ACRA in Breast Cancer: Breast Cancer Research Foundation^® • CDA: AbbVie, Inc.; Astellas; AstraZeneca; Breast Cancer Research Foundation^®; Genentech BioOncology™; Lilly; Sarcoma Foundation of America; Tesaro, a GSK Company; Generous Supporters of the Women Who Conquer Cancer • IDEA: AbbVie, Inc.; Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society; Roche • IDEA-PC: Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation’s Mission Endowment • LIFe: Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation’s Mission Endowment • MSR: BB&T Charitable Fund; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Eisai Inc.; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline Oncology; Takeda Oncology • RTA: Amgen; BB&T Charitable Fund; Bristol-Myers Squibb • YIA: Anonymous, AbbVie, Inc.; American Association for Cancer Research; ASCO; ASCO Clinical Practice Committee & State Affiliate Council; Association of Northern California Oncologists; AstraZeneca; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Breast Cancer Research Foundation^®; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Howard A. Burris, III, MD; Carson Leslie Foundation; Celgene Corporation; Choose Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Trisha Elcan; Florida Society of Clinical Oncology; Dr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Frist, Jr; Gateway for Cancer Research; Genentech BioOncology™; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer; The Hayden Family Foundation; Hearst Foundations; Helsinn; Friends and Family of Dr. Arti Hurria; Incyte Corporation; the Journal of Clinical Oncology; Kidney Cancer Association; Alan and Judith Kaur; The John and Elizabeth Leonard Family Foundation; Lilly; Loxo Oncology Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company; ME STRONG; Merck & Co., Inc.; Victoria H. Montgomery; Nebraska Oncology Society; Greg Parekh/New Rhein Healthcare, LLC; Colleagues, Friends, and Family of Drs. Debra and Hanoch Patt and Dr. Gladys Rodriguez; Puma Biotechnology, Inc.; The Norman & Ruth Rales Foundation; Thomas G. Roberts, Jr, MD, FASCO, and Susan M. DaSilva, PhD; Sarah Cannon Research Institute; Sarcoma Foundation of America; Aaron and Barbro Sasson; Stephen A. Sherwin, MD; The Sontag Foundation; Strike 3 Foundation; Swim Across America; Texas Society of Clinical Oncology; Tomasello Family; Wilky Family; Generous Supporters of the Women Who Conquer Cancer; Women Leaders in Oncology; The WWWW Foundation Inc. (QuadW) and The Sarcoma Fund of the QuadW Foundation of Communities Foundation of Texas • Global Oncology YIA: ASCO; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Bristol-Myers Squibb. ■

Originally published in ASCO Connection. “ASCO, Conquer Cancer Congratulate 2019 Grant and Award Recipients.” ASCO Connection, July 2019. © American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.