Who We Fund

Mayo Clinic

Dr. Thomas Witzig received the B.S. degree in biology at Illinois State University and the M.D. degree at University of Illinois College of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Iowa followed by a clinical fellowship in hematology/oncology at Mayo Clinic.  He completed a year of laboratory research in multiple myeloma and lymphoma under the direction of Drs. Philip Greipp and Robert A. Kyle.  Dr. Witzig has been on the staff at Mayo Clinic since 1986. 

 Dr. Witzig’s clinical and research interests focus on blood cancers, especially non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma. His current focus is on agents that interfere with the DNA damage repair pathways and understanding the role of maladaptive inflammation in lymphoproliferative diseases. He has been a leader in the development of radioimmunotherapy, mTOR inhibitors, and immunomodulatory drugs such as lenalidomide.  His group was the first to report the effectiveness rituximab for the autoimmune diseases that are IgG4 mediated and involve organs such as the orbit and pancreas. His research has been funded by the National Cancer Institute and the Predolin Foundation, among other organizations.  During COVID-19 his lab discovered one of the mechanisms that the COVID-19 virus uses to cause severe disease. This is now being investigated in patients with Long COVID-19. Dr. Witzig has been honored with several awards during his career, including the Department of Medicine Outstanding Investigator, the Henry S. Plummer Distinguished Physician, and most recently the Barbara Woodward Lips Professor 1.

He has served as a teacher and mentor and has given numerous international, national and regional presentations, in addition to invited presentations.  Dr. Witzig has co-authored more than 500 articles, books, book chapters, letters, and more than 600 abstracts.

Program Name(s)

IMPACT

Project Title

REACH: Recruitment Expansion through community Access to Clinical trials in Hematologic malignancies

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Dr. Urvi Shah is an Assistant Attending in the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology and received a Master of Science degree in Clinical and Translational Cancer Research. Her research interests include modifiable risk factors (diet, metabolism, microbiome) in cancer. She completed the first pilot nutrition trial in plasma cell disorders to date (NUTRIVENTION) and has 3 other dietary trials enrolling. Dr. Shah has been supported by career development awards (National Cancer Institute [NCI] K12, International Myeloma Society and American Society of Hematology [ASH] Scholar) and research awards (ASH CRTI, ECOG ACRIN Young Investigator Translational Research, Henry Moses, Celgene Future Leaders in Hematology, NCI Early Investigator Advancement Program and Clinical Cancer Research Early Career). She has published papers in prominent journals and has been an invited speaker and chair.

Program Name(s)

Academic Clinical Trials Program (ACT)

Project Title

A Decentralized Randomized High-Fiber Dietary Trial to Improve Outcomes in Newly Diagnosed Myeloma

University of Perugia. Department of Medicine and Surgery

Dr. Enrico Tiacci is a physician scientist who established an independent translational and clinical research program in leukemias and lymphomas at the University and Hospital of Perugia, where he is Associate Professor of Hematology. His most relevant scientific contributions to pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of blood cancers span Hodgkin lymphoma, acute myeloid leukemia and, within the field of HCL, include the discovery of BRAF mutation as the genetic cause of this disease, its diagnostic exploitation and its therapeutic targeting in the clinic, which radically changed the understanding of HCL and considerably improved its treatment. For his achievements (mostly published in the highly influential New England Journal of Medicine), Dr. Tiacci received several prestigious national and international prizes as well as scientific grants from the most competitive international research agencies, including the European Research Council and Blood Cancer United.

Program Name(s)

Hairy Cell Leukemia Research Initiative

Project Title

BRAF inhibition as an alternative to chemotherapy in the treatment strategy of hairy cell leukemia

BRAF and BCL2 coinhibition with vemurafenib and venetoclax as a rational, short, all-oral targeted therapy for relapsed/refractory hairy cell leukemia

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Dr. Walter’s research focuses on AML. He is particularly interested in improving antibody-based therapies by optimizing existing therapeutics and through the development of novel antigen-directed therapies. As examples of the latter, his lab has helped with candidate drug identification and characterization of 5 agents that have subsequently advanced to clinical testing. A major area of focus of his research lies in the delineation of the mechanisms of action and resistance that are relevant for antibody-based AML therapeutics and the rational development of combination therapies that can overcome drug resistance. Many of his studies conducted over the last 20 years have aimed at optimizing CD33- and, more recently, CD123-targeted therapies. In clinical studies, Dr. Walter conducts trials testing novel treatments and innovative care approaches for AML patients. Furthermore, he uses large datasets to develop and improve diagnostic and prognostic tools for people with AML.

Program Name(s)

Translational Research Program

Project Title

211Astatine-CD123 Radioimmunotherapy for Cancer (Stem) Cell-Directed Treatment of Acute Leukemia

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Nika Danial is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Cancer Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where she Co-Directs the T32 Training Program in Cancer Chemical Biology and Metabolism. She received a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Biophysical Studies from Columbia University. Her postdoctoral studies with the late Stanley J. Korsmeyer focused on the role of BCL-2 family proteins in mitochondrial apoptosis, where she discovered a molecular link between cell survival/death regulatory pathways and metabolism. Dr. Danial’s lab studies fundamental aspects of metabolic biology, including causes and consequences of cellular nutrient utilization patterns and metabolic signals that shape cell fate, function, and stress responses. This research has led to advances in metabolic mechanisms that link nutrient signaling to diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

Program Name(s)

Discovery

Project Title

Lipid-dependent regulation of oncogenic signaling in DLBCL growth and therapeutic response

University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus

Ana Vujovic is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She completed her PhD under the mentorship of Dr. Kristin Hope at the University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, where she studied the role of post-transcriptional regulation in hematopoietic and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) stem cells. Ana joined the laboratory of Dr. Craig T. Jordan in the Spring of 2023, where her postdoctoral studies are focused on investigating metabolic vulnerabilities in AML stem cells and in particular mechanisms that underlie the resistance of these cells to the combination therapy, Venetoclax and Azacitidine (Ven/Aza). The objective of her postdoctoral research is to identify novel therapeutic strategies to uniquely target the metabolic vulnerabilities of Ven/Aza-resistant AML stem cells with the goal of improving AML patient outcomes.

Program Name(s)

Career Development Program

Project Title

Investigating the dependency for protein synthesis in Venetoclax/Azacitidine-resistant acute myeloid leukemia

Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute

Dr. Melnick is a recognized leader in the fields of hematologic malignancies and cancer epigenetics. Among his major contributions are the first large-scale epigenomic studies in humans, which demonstrated that aberrant epigenetic programming is a hallmark of cancer and that epigenetic diversity is a key determinant of tumor fitness and poor clinical outcomes. These findings led to important mechanistic insights—for example, how mutations in IDH1 and IDH2 disrupt the epigenome through the production of an aberrant oncometabolite, and how mutations in TET2, WT1, IDH1/2, and FLT3 promote leukemogenesis through cooperative epigenetic reprogramming. This was the basis for him receiving the ASH Beutler Award for Outstanding Translational Research in 2020.  Dr. Melnick has played a foundational role in establishing the importance of epigenetic dysfunction in lymphomagenesis, elucidating the mechanistic roles of chromatin modifiers such as EZH2, CREBBP, EP300, KDM1A, KMT2D, HIST1H1, BTG1, ARID1A, TBL1XR1, and TET2. He has also pioneered studies on nuclear topology and its role in regulating the humoral immune response and the malignant transformation of B cells. In the therapeutic arena, Dr. Melnick has developed novel targeted therapies against key lymphoma oncoproteins such as BCL6, SIRT3, and MALT1, and has helped define the rationale for additional targets, including EZH2. Several of these therapeutic approaches have received FDA approval or progressed to phase III clinical trials. He has authored more than 350 scientific publications, held numerous national leadership roles, organized prominent scientific conferences, and devoted extensive effort to mentoring trainees and junior faculty—many of whom now lead distinguished careers in basic and translational research. Dr. Melnick serves on the Board of Directors of both the Blood Cancer United and the Lymphoma Research Foundation. He also has extensive experience initiating and leading multi-center and international research consortia, and is currently the Principal Investigator of several program grants, including two active Blood Cancer United SCOR and RAFL programmatic grants.  He recently took on the position of the Josep Carreras Institute in Barcelona, a unique, free-standing institute focused exclusively on Blood Cancer research, leveraging a diverse and highly accomplished team of cutting-edge basic, translational and clinical scientists. With expertise in many disciplines including epigenetics, immunology, stem cell biology, metabolism, genetics, cell biology and many others, the team integrates artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art preclinical facilities to lead the world in curing Blood Cancers.  The institute is located in Barcelona, which has become one of the top hotspots for biomedicine and biotech in Europe.

Program Name(s)

Research Accelerator for Follicular Lymphoma

Project Title

The ERADICATE follicular lymphoma consortium: accelerating improved outcomes for FL patients

The George Washington University

Dr. Vichare’s research investigates the impact of health policies on health equity. Her training as primary care physician and health services researcher, and professional experiences shape her research approaches. Her recent studies in collaboration with Dr. Luo and Ms. Erikson utilize Medicaid claims and generate foundational evidence on health workforce in Medicaid. She implements creative analytic approaches, including in her ongoing funded research projects that innovatively link physician race/ethnicity and Medicaid claims. The findings are critical to support policy improvements in health workforce diversity. Dr. Vichare has a solid understanding of Medicaid policies for cancer care. Her publications address salient issues relevant to the oncology specialty workforce, including a national study of radiation oncology workforce. Dr. Vichare developed an NQFendorsed quality measure to address variation in radiation therapy for bone metastasis. Her transdisciplinary research and resulting collaborations have produced notable publications (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1t5tUQmM5aboAj/bibliography/public/). Dr. Vichare has a track record of successfully managing teams, budgets and creating realistic research plans and timelines. Her experience in cancer health policy, familiarity with oncology specialty workforce and research approaches grounded in contemporary health equity frameworks demonstrate her expertise and motivation necessary to lead the proposed project.

Program Name(s)

Equity in Access

Project Title

Addressing Inequities in Access to Care for Patients with Hematologic Malignancy: Understanding the Impact of Telehealth Policies in Medicaid

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Dr. Keisuke Ito is an Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he has also served as the Director of Scientific Resources at the Stem Cell Institute. After his postdoctoral training, first at Keio University, where he also completed his clinical training, and then at Harvard, he joined the Einstein faculty in 2012. Dr. Ito’s team has focused on advancing our understanding of the regulatory pathways controlling the equilibrium of stem cells. At the core of his work is the process of stem cell division, and the balance between self-renewal and differentiation, which directly impacts tissue homeostasis and the development of hematological malignancies. Dr. Ito is devoted to targeting mitophagy, a mitochondrial quality-control process, as a therapeutic strategy, and has cut a path along the leading edge of research into the role of Ten-eleven translocation in the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndrome.

Program Name(s)

Career Development Program

Targeting mitophagy of leukemia stem cells for therapy

Stanford University

I am a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University studying how changes in blood-forming stem cells contribute to aging and blood cancers. I completed my PhD in Molecular Genetics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where I discovered new gene regulatory mechanisms that support red blood cell recovery after stress, including blood loss, inflammation, and aging. My graduate work resulted in multiple first-author publications and several research awards. At Stanford, my research focuses on how inherited genetic factors and hormone signaling influence the earliest stages of blood cancer development. I am passionate about translating basic scientific discoveries into better ways to detect and treat leukemia. My long-term goal is to lead my own research team dedicated to improving outcomes for people with blood disorders and preventing their progression to blood cancer.

Program Name(s)

Career Development Program

Project Title

Dissecting the Role of Thyroid Hormone Receptor Beta in Driving Clonal Hematopoiesis and Hematologic Malignancy

Washington University in St. Louis

Stefan Tarnawsky, M.D.; Ph.D. is a Hematology/Oncology fellow and junior physician scientist at the Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, MO. His research focus is understanding the origin of myeloid blood cancers. His graduate work at Indiana University with Dr. Merv Yoder and Dr. Rebecca Chan focused on the prenatal origin of childhood blood cancers. This work led to a F30 award from the NHLBI and three first-author research publications, including one in the Journal of Clinical Investigations. Currently, under the mentorship of Dr. Matt Walter, M.D., Stefan studies how splicing factor gene mutations dysregulate blood cell growth. He thereby aims to identify novel therapies for the ~50% of myelodysplastic syndrome patients and ~20% of acute myeloid leukemia patients that have these mutations. His career goal is to continue this research focus as an independent investigator studying and treating blood cancer patients at an academic medical center.

Program Name(s)

Career Development Program

Project Title

The Role of TP53 in Mutant U2AF1 Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Boston Children's Hospital

In the last 17 years, I developed gene editing tools to improve cancer immunotherapy or promote safer applications of human hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy. I pioneered this field since when the first gene editing enzymes were shown to be potentially useful for therapeutic purposes. In 2012, I published a break-through work where we demonstrated for the first time the possibility to genetically inactivate the T cell receptor in primary T cells for improving safety/efficacy of cancer adoptive immunotherapies. This innovative approach is now widely used in immunotherapy field for generating allo-compatible T cells or to express CAR genes under the TCR promoter. In 2014, I developed the first protocol that allows targeted transgene integration in human HSC capable of long-term multilineage repopulation. My current efforts are aimed to move these advanced genetic engineering strategies towards an effective therapeutic treatment for inherited and acquired hematologic diseases.

 

Program Name(s)

Translational Research Program

Project Title

Towards clinical testing of epitope editing to enable novel adoptive immunotherapies