The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected eight scientists as Lasker Clinical Research Scholars as part of a joint initiative with the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation to foster the next generation of clinical scientists. Three of these investigators are involved in oncology reasearch.
This program provides early-stage researchers with the opportunity to carry out independent clinical and translational research for 5 to 7 years at the NIH. The researchers also have the possibility of additional years of financial support, at the NIH or an NIH-funded research institution, upon project review. The new researchers will join 15 other Lasker Scholars who have been hired since 2012.
Lasker Scholars have access to the NIH Clinical Center, the largest hospital in the world devoted to clinical research. The Lasker Foundation will provide additional developmental support to the scholars while they are working at the NIH by funding travel to scientific meetings and providing the opportunity to participate in selected foundation activities, including the Lasker Award ceremonies.
Oncology Research Scholars
The following scientists have been selected for their work in oncology research:
- Christopher Kanakry, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, seeks to develop safer and more effective transplantation treatments for patients with malignant and nonmalignant hematologic disorders at the Institute’s Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch of the Center for Cancer Research.
- Jack Shern, MD, of the Pediatric Oncology Branch of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute, focuses on research using genomic and molecular approaches to understand the causes of childhood malignancies, with the goal of defining and developing precision therapies that target the underlying genetic mutations that cause tumorigenesis.
- Jing Wu, MD, PhD, of the Neuro-Oncology Branch of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute, is studying gliomas and aims to develop new tools for the early detection and treatment of these brain tumors. ■
