Xiaotian Zhang
Ly Vu, PhD
Ranjeet Kumar Sinha, PhD
Katelyn Melgar
Amanda Mener
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recently announced that the following trainees received the highest-scoring abstracts in the categories of undergraduate student, medical student, graduate student, resident physician, and postdoctoral fellow for the 58th ASH Annual Meeting, December 3-6, in San Diego.
“I am delighted to recognize these talented early-career researchers for their outstanding contributions to the study of hematology,” said 2016 ASH President Charles S. Abrams, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania. “These individuals are shining examples of the promise of the next generation of scientists, and I am pleased that ASH provides the opportunity for rising stars to gain recognition by presenting their work in front of thousands of their distinguished colleagues from all over the world.”
2016 Outstanding Abstract Achievement Award Recipients
- Undergraduate Student: Ryunosuke Saiki, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. “NGS-Based Copy Number Analysis in 1,185 Patients With Myeloid Neoplasms.” Publication 955.
- Medical Student: Matthew Hartwell, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York. “An Early Biomarker Algorithm Predicts Lethal Graft-vs-Host Disease and Survival After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.” Publication 509.
- Graduate Student: Xiaotian Zhang, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston. “High Order Chromatin Structure Regulates Gene Expression in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Erythroid Differentiation.” Publication 1033.
- Resident Physician: Maximilian Witzel, MD, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany. “SWI/SNF Protein SMARCD2 Orchestrates Transcriptional Networks Controlling Hematopoiesis and Neutrophil Granulocytes in Humans, Mice, and Zebrafish.” Publication 2.
- Postdoctoral Fellow: Ly Vu, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York. “RNA-Binding Protein Syncrip Regulates the Leukemia Stem Cell Program.” Publication 739.
Giuseppe Bigi Memorial Award
The ASH Giuseppe Bigi Memorial Award was established in 2015 to recognize an Italian trainee (undergraduate student, medical student, graduate student, resident physician, or post-doctoral fellow) based at an Italian institution who has the highest-scoring abstract submitted in the field of hematopoiesis and stem cells. This annual award is made possible by a generous grant from the Giuseppe Bigi Association, named for the late Giuseppe Bigi, MD, a well-known Italian scientist. The 2016 recipient is:
- Patrizia Sciancalepore, MD, University of Turin, Italy. “ATP-Binding-Cassette A1 Regulates Extracellular Isopentenyl Pyrophosphate Release and Vγ9Vδ2 T-Cell Activation by Dendritic Cells.” Publication 3709.
Mary Rodes Gibson Memorial Award in Hemostasis and Thrombosis
The Mary Rodes Gibson Memorial Award in Hemostasis and Thrombosis was established to recognize the trainee (undergraduate student, medical student, graduate student, resident physician, or postdoctoral fellow) who is the first author and presenter of the highest-scoring abstract submitted to the ASH Annual Meeting in the field of hemostasis and thrombosis. This annual award honoring excellence in hemostasis and thrombosis is made possible by the Mary Rodes Gibson Hemostasis-Thrombosis Foundation to continue the legacy of Mary Rodes Gibson, who suffered from severe, type 3 von Willebrand disease.
This award will be presented during the invited speaker session of the Special Symposium on the Basic Science of Hemostasis and Thrombosis on Monday, December 5, from 4:30–6:00 PM, in Ballroom 20BC in the San Diego Convention Center. The 2016 recipient is:
- Ranjeet Kumar Sinha, PhD, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla. “Novel R41Q- and R46Q-PAR1-Modified Mice Enable Proof-of-Concept Studies for in Vivo Protective Mechanisms of Action for Activated Protein C in Sepsis and Stroke.” Publication 13.
Minority Graduate Student Abstract Achievement Award
Each year, ASH offers merit-based Minority Graduate Student Abstract Achievement Awards to select graduate students to acknowledge their accomplishments and to recruit and retain minority graduate students in the field of hematology through exposure to the ASH Annual Meeting.
2016 Minority Graduate Student Abstract Achievement Award Recipients
- Morayo Adebiyi, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “Sphingosine-1-Phosphate (S1P) Signaling through S1P Receptor 1 (S1PR1) in Macrophage Contributes to Pain in Sickle Cell Disease.” Publication 2476.
- Stephanie N. Christie, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York. “Inhibiting SOX11-DNA Interaction in Mantle Cell Lymphoma.” Publication 1840.
- Briana Fitch, University of California San Francisco. “Mechanism of IL-10 Protective Effect in Development of Childhood B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.” Publication 4075.
- Kamira K. Maharaj, University of South Florida, Tampa. Combinatorial Effect of HDAC6i and Ibrutinib Therapy in CLL Murine Model. Publication 2035. Modulation of T-Cell Compartment in a Preclinical CLL Murine Model By a Selective PI3K Delta Inhibitor, TGR-1202. Publication 3236.
- Katelyn Melgar, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. “Molecular Analysis and in Vivo Efficacy Studies on a Novel Chemical-Series of FLT3 Inhibitors in Human FLT3-ITD AML.” Publication 36.
- Amanda Mener, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta. “C3 Modulates RBC Antigen to Negatively Regulate Antibody Response.” Publication 22. ■
