Meet the 2023 Career Development Award, Postdoctoral Fellowship, and Follicular Lymphoma Priority Research Grantees

In April, the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) announced its 2023 grant class — 27 research grants awarded to scientists based at many of the world’s leading cancer research institutions — totaling more than $5.4 million in innovative lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) research.

LRF maintains a strong commitment to supporting early career investigators, ensuring they can build a successful career in the field of lymphoma research. This commitment is illustrated by the 16 grants awarded to early career investigators this year. They include four dynamic Clinical Investigator Career Development Awards (CDA), which support physician investigators at the level of advanced fellow or junior faculty member who will contribute to the development of new lymphoma therapies and diagnostic tools. Also included are seven Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants, designed to support investigators at the level of advanced fellow or postdoctoral researcher in laboratory or clinic-based research with results and conclusions that must be relevant to the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of lymphoma.

Also this year, LRF funded five Follicular Lymphoma Priority Research grants as part of the Jaime Peykoff Follicular Lymphoma Initiative. Established in 2020 through the generosity of the Peykoff Family and Niagara Cares, the $10 million Initiative is poised to transform the follicular lymphoma (FL) treatment landscape for tens of thousands of patients by harnessing the Foundation’s unique resources, convening the world’s experts in FL research and patient care, and driving direct investment in clinical research.

Clinical Career Development Award (CDA)

Roni Shouval, MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Research Study: Harnessing multimodal data integration for precision oncology in lymphoma treated with CAR-T cells 
Lymphoma Focus: B-cell lymphomas
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Xiaolong (Alan) Zhou, MD
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Research Study: Combining topical imiquimod with local radiotherapy for treatment of mycosis fungoides 
Lymphoma Focus: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
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Elise Chong, MD
University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
Health Equity Initiative
Research Study: Improving CAR T cell outcomes with bispecific antibodies 
Lymphoma Focus: B-cell lymphomas
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Patrizia Mondello, MD, PhD
Mayo Clinic, Rochester
Research Study: Identifying the role of IRF4 in shaping the Tumor Microenvironment of Follicular Lymphoma 
Lymphoma Focus: B-cell lymphomas, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, follicular lymphoma
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Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant

Tayla Heavican-Foral, PhD
Dr. Oliver Press Memorial Fellow
Health Equity Initiative
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Research Study: Synergizing Pro-Apoptotic Inhibitors and CAR T Cells to Target T-cell Lymphoma 
Lymphoma Focus: T-cell lymphoma
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Sanket Shah, PhD
Dr. Bruce D. Cheson Fellow
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Research Study: Precision Epigenetic Therapy for B-cell lymphomas 
Lymphoma Focus: B-cell lymphomas
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Anouchka Laurent, PhD
Columbia University in the City of New York
Research Study: Role of ID2 in mature T-cell lymphomas 
Lymphoma Focus: Aggressive T-cell lymphoma
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Yifei Liao, PhD
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Research Study: Epigenetic Control of EBV Latency Oncogenes by Germinal Center Cytokine Driven JAK/STAT 
Lymphoma Focus: B-cell lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphoma
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Christopher Sauter, MD
University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
Research Study: Understanding and Augmenting the Apoptotic Potential of CAR-T in Lymphoma 
Lymphoma Focus: B-cell lymphomas, T-cell lymphomas
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Ajlan Al Zaki, MD, PhD
The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Research Study: Imaging Activated Macrophages and Neutrophils in CAR T-Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Using [18F]4FN 
Lymphoma Focus: B-cell lymphomas, non-Hodgkin lymphoma
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Edward Dominguez, PhD
Health Equity Initiative
Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope
Research Study: Mechanisms of Resistance to CDK9 Inhibition 
Lymphoma Focus: Aggressive B-cell lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphoma
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Jaime Peykoff Follicular Lymphoma Priority Research Grant

Joshua Brody, MD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Research Study: Understanding and Preventing FL Antigen Escape After Immunotherapy 
Lymphoma Focus: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, follicular lymphoma
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Matthew Maurer, D.M.Sc
Mayo Clinic, Rochester
Research Study: Defining clinical risk and treatment preferences for patients living with follicular lymphoma 
Lymphoma Focus: Indolent lymphoma, follicular lymphoma
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Wendy Béguelin, PhD
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Research Study: Epigenetic basis and therapeutic interdiction of FL progression 
Lymphoma Focus: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B-cell lymphomas, follicular lymphoma
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Arash Alizadeh, MD, PhD
Stanford University
Research Study: Spatiotemporal Determinants of FL Response & Resistance to Cellular Therapy 
Lymphoma Focus: B-cell lymphomas, follicular lymphoma
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Robert Kridel, MD, MPH, PhD
University Health Network, Toronto
Research Study: Defining the Taxonomy and Ecosystem Across Follicular Lymphoma Phenotypes 
Lymphoma Focus: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B-cell lymphomas, follicular lymphoma
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