The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is proud to announce it has awarded 16 grants totaling $1.375 million to early career and disease-specific scientists based at many of the world’s leading cancer research institutes. The 2020 LRF research portfolio includes grants in three categories: the LRF Clinical Investigator Career Development Award (CDA), the LRF Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant, and the Lymphoma Clinical Research Mentoring Program (LCRMP).
LRF’s grant selections are awarded with the guidance of the LRF Scientific Advisory Board, which is comprised of 45 world-renowned lymphoma experts dedicated to seeking out the most innovative and promising lymphoma research projects for investment.
“The Lymphoma Research Foundation has always recognized the critical importance of ensuring early career scientists with an interest in blood cancer are able to pursue and continue their investigation of hematological malignancies,” said Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, Medical Director, Quality Informatics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Chair of the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). “We are confident that the research programs that we are able to put forth today provide that opportunity to early career scientists and will yield meaningful results for lymphoma patients, caregivers and loved ones.”
“We are pleased to announce this important investment in early career lymphoma scientists,” said Meghan Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer at the Lymphoma Research Foundation. “During this time of great concern amid the COVID-19 pandemic and as funds for early career scientists continue to decrease, receiving a Lymphoma Research Foundation grant provides funding at a crucial stage in their career career, ensuring that the brightest minds in oncology remain committed to the study of lymphoma for the benefit of patients everywhere.”
2020 Clinical Investigator Career Development Award (CDA) Recipients
The LRF Clinical Investigator Career Development Award (CDA) is a three-year grant that supports innovative programs from clinical researchers within five years of the completion of their postdoctoral training. Supported by an institutional mentor, grantees must spend at least 35 percent of their time in independent clinical research.
Natalie Grover, MD of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ryan Lynch, MD of of the University of Washington
Paolo Strati, MD of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Drs. Lynch and Strati are alumni of the Lymphoma Clinical Research Mentoring Program (LCRMP). This is the sixth consecutive year alumni of the prestigious LCRMP received a CDA from the Foundation.
2020 Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant Recipients
The LRF Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant is a two-year grant that supports PhD fellows who have not completed more than five years of postdoctoral work, and MD fellows who have completed at least two years and no more than five years of their fellowship work. Grantees must spend at least 80 percent of their time in research; their award provides salary support, professional development, and research expenses.
Xu Cao, Ph.D of City of Hope and Beckman Research Institute
Frederico Gaiti, PhD of Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Yong Gu Lee, PhD of The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
Adam Lin, MD, PhD of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Alexia Martinez de Paz, PhD of Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Laurianne Scourzic, PhD of Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Dr. Gaiti is the 2020 Bruce D. Cheson, MD Postdoctoral Fellow; and Dr. Scourzic is the Oliver Press, MD, PhD Memorial Postdoctoral Fellow.
2020 Lymphoma Clinical Research Mentoring Program Scholars
The LRF LCRMP awards two-year grants along with mentoring and education to hematology and oncology fellows and junior faculty dedicated to clinical research in the field of non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma. Program participants, called LRF Scholars, attend and participate in a week-long intensive introductory workshop and follow-up programming intended to enhance their abilities to successfully design and administer clinical research studies and secure future grant funding. Participants also receive a professional development grant and are matched with experts in the field to foster future participation and collaboration within the Foundation through follow-up programming and activities. This year’s class of Scholars were selected by LRF’s Scientific Advisory Board for their promise in their study of lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
Pamela Allen, MD of Emory University – Winship Cancer Institute
Jamie Flerlage, MD of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc.
Boyu Hu, MD of the University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute
Christina Lee, MD of Weill Cornell Medical College
Raphael Steiner, MD of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Christopher Strouse, MD of The University of Iowa
Abi Vijenthira, MD of the University Health Network
Drs. Hu and Steiner are mentored by past 2014 and 2015 LCRMP Scholars Deborah Stephens, DO of the University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute and Jason Westin, MD of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
To learn more about LRF’s research grant program, visit lymphoma.org/research.
LRF’s Impact on Research
The Lymphoma Research Foundation is committed to funding the most promising lymphoma researchers who have the greatest potential to improve patient care and, ultimately, to improve patient outcomes. To ensure that the next generation of cancer researchers are dedicated to studying lymphoma, the Foundation’s renowned Scientific Advisory Board is committed to investing in early career scientists who have the greatest ability to impact the future of lymphoma research. Learn more >