Lymphoma Research Foundation Announces Inaugural Recipient of the Annual Kanti R. Rai, MD Clinical Scholar Award  

The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF), the nation’s largest non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to funding innovative lymphoma research and serving the lymphoma community, today named Christine Ryan, MD,  as the first recipient of the Kanti R. Rai Clinical Scholar Award for her work in the ongoing study of Richter’s Transformation (RT), which is a severe progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in a B-cell lymphoma. The Kanti R. Rai Scholar Award was first created in 2022 and was established in recognition of Dr. Rai’s global leadership in the field of lymphoma/CLL research and his commitment to LRF’s mission.  

Christine Ryan, MD is a senior hematology-oncology fellow at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, specializing in CLL and lymphoma, and aims to be a translational clinical investigator who advances new treatments in lymphoid malignancies. Her interest in lymphoma research began when she was a medical student at the Stanford University School of Medicine, where she had the opportunity to work alongside researchers studying the use of ibrutinib in patients with CLL who had relapsed after transplant.  

Currently, her research aims to identify novel therapies to help improve outcomes for patients with Richter’s transformation (RT), which represents a devastating progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL) into an aggressive B-cell lymphoma. 

“Seeing how a novel targeted therapy transformed outcomes for patients who otherwise had very limited treatment options was incredibly inspiring,” said Christine Ryan, MD. “My goal is for patients’ lives to not necessarily be defined by their cancer or the challenges of treatment,” “Having experienced firsthand the emotional rollercoaster of the cancer journey, I am motivated to be an oncologist who helps my patients through both their day-to-day struggles and the long-term journey of fighting lymphoma.” 

As she transitions to a faculty position at Dana-Farber this year, Dr. Ryan is excited to leverage her experience studying CLL and RT to help patients with other forms of lymphoma, including mantle cell lymphoma. Building on her experiences as an LRF Clinical Research Scholar, Dr. Ryan hopes to continue leading clinical trials and research that directly benefit patients.  

Dr. Rai has been a global leader in the field of lymphoma/CLL research for more than four decades. Elected to LRF’s prestigious Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) in 2007, she has helped to shape LRF’s research portfolio and mentor the next generation of CLL clinicians and scientists. The staging system that bears his name was born from his early and groundbreaking work in the field and publication of the Rai prognostic categorization of CLL in a landmark article still used today by physicians and clinical investigators around the world. His research led to the development of several innovative cancer therapies, transforming the way in which CLL is treated. 

“It’s an honor for the Lymphoma Research Foundation and to Kanti Rai, MD, to award Dr. Ryan this distinguished award’, said Meghan Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer of LRF. “As an organization, we are confident that  Dr. Ryan’s research will contribute toward our mission to eradicate all types of lymphoma.” 

The Rai Scholar Award is supported by private philanthropy as well as Pharmacyclics, an AbbVie Company, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, and Eli Lilly and Company.