Mary Horowitz, MD, MS, the Robert A. Uihlein, Jr. Chair in Hematologic Research, Professor of Medicine, and Chief of Hematology and Oncology at Medical College of Wisconsin, has received the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. The award, which was presented at the Annual Meeting in February, recognizes her involvement and support of the marrow transplant community, as well as her stewardship of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) and the Clinical Trials Network.

Figure. No caption available.

Horowitz, CIBMTR's Chief Scientific Director, also studies the effectiveness of transplantation as a treatment for leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and other cancers. She is also Research Director for the Stem Cell Therapeutic Outcomes Database of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and Principal Investigator of the Data and Coordinating Center of the National Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network.

MARY HOROWITZ, MD, MS. MARY HOROWITZ, MD, MS

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has recognized two members of the oncology community for their work in promoting gender equality in medicine and research: Laurie Glimcher, MD, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University, received the 2014 Margaret L. Kripke Legend Award; and Thomas Burke, MD, Executive Vice President of MD Anderson Cancer Network, received the President's Leadership Award for Advancing Women Faculty.

The Kripke Award recognizes a person who has made significant contributions to the advancement and promotion of women in cancer medicine and cancer science. In addition to her Weill Cornell appointments, Glimcher serves as President of the American Association of Immunologists, where she founded the Primary Caregivers Technical Assistance Programs at the National Institutes of Health. The program supports postdoctoral women scientists with child care responsibilities.

LAURIE GLIMCHER, MD. LAURIE GLIMCHER, MD

THOMAS BURKE, MD. THOMAS BURKE, MD

Burke, at MD Anderson since 1988, was appointed Professor in 1998, and named EVP and Physician-in-Chief in 2007, and EVP of MD Anderson Cancer Network in 2013. He has identified and promoted women faculty to medical director positions, and has mentored many women faculty.

Two members of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) were recognized at the 6th Annual Nashville Honors Gala for their contributions to cancer research by the T.J. Martell Foundation: Scott Hiebert, PhD, Associate Director of Basic Research, received the Medical Research Advancement Award; and Beth Dortch Franklin, a member of the VICC Board of Overseers, received the Lifetime Humanitarian Award.

Hiebert, who also holds the Hortense B. Ingram Chair in Cancer Research at VICC, researches the mechanistic basis of acute leukemia. He oversees some 100 faculty members at VICC, as well as the Cancer Center's Shared Resources (which provide advanced technologies to members).

SCOTT HIEBERT, PHD. SCOTT HIEBERT, PHD

BETH DORTCH FRANKLIN. BETH DORTCH FRANKLIN

Franklin was recognized for her work to enhance awareness and support for cancer research, as well as for her efforts as an advocate for the educational and outreach needs of cancer patients and families. At VICC, she has led efforts to expand the clinic and has served as a mentor to the Young Ambassadors, a group of young philanthropists who support cancer research.

Samir N. Khleif, MD, Director of the GRU Cancer Center at Georgia Regents University Cancer Center, has been named to the National Academies of Sciences' Institute of Medicine National Cancer Policy Forum. The forum identifies emerging policy issues in the nation's effort to combat cancer, providing a focus within the Academies of Sciences on cancer issues related to science, clinical medicine, and public health and policy. Reports published by the forum are made available to the government and to the public.

Alan Ashworth, PhD, FRS, has been appointed Director of the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is currently Chief Executive of the Institute of Cancer Research in London, and will assume the new role at UCSF in January.

SAMIR N. KHLEIF, MD. SAMIR N. KHLEIF, MD

Ashworth played a central role on the team that discovered the link between BRCA2 and certain cancers. His research also identified a way to exploit genetic weaknesses in cancer cells, including mutated BRCA2. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2008.

ALAN ASHWORTH, PHD, FRS. ALAN ASHWORTH, PHD, FRS

"Alan was at the forefront of the world's understanding of the genetic principles behind cancer biology and using that information to change the way patients are treated," Sam Hawgood, MBBS, Dean of the UCSF School of Medicine and incoming interim Chancellor for UCSF, said in a news release. "He is renowned for both his research into the genetics of breast cancer and cancer susceptibility, and for his leadership at The Institute of Cancer Research. He will be a phenomenal addition to the UCSF community."

Ashworth succeeds current Director Frank McCormick, PhD, FRS, who launched the cancer center in 1997 and led the center to receive designation as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center. McCormick is leaving UCSF to become Director of the RAS Project, a new NCI lab that will focus on the mutated protein RAS.

Peter R. Carroll, MD, MPH, Associate Dean of the UCSF School of Medicine, Chair of the UCSF Department of Urology, and leader of the prostate cancer program, was named to serve as Interim Director for the remainder of the year.

Chad Ellis, PhD, has been appointed Associate Director of the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. He will play a key role in updating the strategic plan that drives the University Cancer Research Fund, a $42 million state investment to support cancer research in the state. Prior to his move to UNC at the beginning of April, he was Deputy Director of Research Affairs at the Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The American Society of Hematology has awarded the organization's third round of Bridge Grants to 15 research investigators who will receive interim support from the Society for research proposals that, despite earning high scores, could not be funded by the National Institutes of Health due to severe funding reductions.

CHAD ELLIS, PHD. CHAD ELLIS, PHD

The $100,000 awards are intended to help bridge the investigators to their next NIH research grant by funding efforts to gather additional data to strengthen the resubmission of their applications. The recipients are:

* Adam N. Goldfarb, MD, of the University of Virginia;

* Alvin H. Schmaier, MD, of Case Western Reserve University Medicine;

* Demin Wang, PhD, of the BloodCenter of Wisconsin;

* Don M. Wojchowski, PhD, of Maine Medical Center Research Institute and Tufts University School of Medicine;

* Elizabeth Nemeth, PhD, of the University of California, Los Angeles;

* Jatinder K. Lamba, PhD, of University of Minnesota;

* Joel S. Bennett, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania;

* Joanne E. Murphy-Ullrich, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham;

* John G. Conboy, PhD, of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory;

* John K. Cowell, PhD, of Georgia Regents University;

* Jordan Jacobelli, PhD, of National Jewish Health;

* Keith McCrae, MD, of Cleveland Clinic Foundation;

* Michael B. Jordan, MD, of Cincinnati Children's Hospital;

* Trista E. North, PhD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and

* Neil E. Kay, MD, of Mayo Clinic.

Kenneth J. Pienta, MD, Professor of Urology and Oncology at Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been named Director of the Prostate Cancer Program there. He will continue to serve as Director of the Urology Research Laboratories in the Brady Urological Institute. In the new role, Pienta will be charged with coordinating the development of prostate cancer and other GU cancers research at Johns Hopkins.

He will be joined by two co-directors: Samuel R. Denmeade, MD, Professor of Oncology, Urology, Pharmacology, and Molecular Sciences; and Shawn E. Lupold, PhD, Associate Professor of Urology, Oncology, and Radiation Oncology, and Molecular Radiation Sciences.

KENNETH J. PIENTA, MD. KENNETH J. PIENTA, MD

In other Johns Hopkins news, the following grants were received:

* Jonathan Powell, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins, was awarded a $50,000 BioMaryland Leading Innovative Faculty Entrepreneurs research grant to further develop a therapeutic agent for type II diabetes. The award is intended to help advance research in biotech and biopharma, medical devices, or diagnostics that have the greatest potential for commercial application.

* Nita Ahuja, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Sarcoma and Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program at Johns Hopkins, received a $50,000 grant research award from the Baltimore-based Abell Foundation for developing a blood test for the elderly for the early detection of pancreatic cancer, using a genome screen for screening high-risk patients. The award is given to university researchers for having a positive impact on the health of the community.

* David Loeb, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Oncology and Director of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Program at Johns Hopkins, received an Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Reach Grant to research Ewing's sarcoma. The grant-$250,000 over the next two years-is designed to overcome significant barriers that impede the translation of innovative and important research ideas from the lab to the clinic.

Also:

* Elizabeth Platz, ScD, the Martin D. Abeloff, MD Scholar in Cancer Prevention, Deputy Chair of the Department of Epidemiology, Leader of the Cancer Prevention & Control Program, and Director of the Cancer Epidemiology, Prevention, & Control Training Program, all at Johns Hopkins, is now serving as Chair of the Maryland Cancer Collaborative, which works with individuals and organizations to prioritize and implement the objectives and strategies in the Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan.

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has opened "The Patty and Jay Baker National Palliative Care Center at Mount Sinai"-which will support public policy, education, training, national outreach, and research to improve access to quality palliative care for all seriously ill Americans and their families. The new center will house Mount Sinai's two existing palliative care centers: the National Palliative Care Research Center and the Center to Advance Palliative Care.

"The mission of the [new] Center is to ensure that all patients living with serious illness and their families understand the role of palliative care in improving quality of life and request it; that all clinicians have the knowledge and skills to provide palliative care; and that all healthcare institutions are equipped to deliver it," R. Sean Morrison, MD, Director of the National Palliative Care Research Center, said in a news release. Morrison also serves as Co-Director of the new Patty and Jay Baker National Palliative Care Center, with Diane E. Meier, MD, Director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care.

The new center is named for benefactors Patty and Jay Baker to recognize their $10 million gift.

R. SEAN MORRISON, MD. R. SEAN MORRISON, MD

DIANE E. MEIER, MD. DIANE E. MEIER, MD

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