Dr. Rainer Storb, Clinical Research Division Photo by Bo Jungmayer

American Society of Hematology honors longtime scientist-clinician Rainer Storb for mentoring more than 150 trainees, advancing research and patient care

The Clinical Research Division’s Dr. Rainer Storb has been honored by the American Society of Hematology with a Mentor Award for his sustained, outstanding commitment to the training and career development of junior hematologists. Storb received his award on December 9 during ASH’s 54th annual meeting in Atlanta.

The ASH Mentor Award was established in 2006 to recognize hematologists who have excelled in mentoring trainees and colleagues. Each year, ASH honors two mentors, one in the basic sciences and one in clinical investigation andtraining, who have had a significant, positive impact on their mentees’ careers, and, through their mentees, have advanced research and patient care in the field of hematology. ASH members nominate candidates whose mentorship shaped their careers.

Storb, the winner for basic science mentoring, leads the Hutchinson Center’s Transplantation Biology Program and is a professor of medicine at the University of Washington. In 1965 he began work in the Division of Hematology at the University of Washington under the mentorship of the late Dr. E. Donnall Thomas. Storb was part of Fred Hutch’s founding faculty when the Center formed in 1975. Since then, he has mentored more than 150 trainees, including 10 current Fred Hutch faculty members.

Thorough and Constructive Passage of Knowledge

Among his many leadership and mentorship qualities, Storb is perhaps best known for uniquely challenging his mentees to foster their intellectual growth, continually underscoring the importance of rigorous basic science training to ensure their future clinical research success. Described by his mentees as thorough and constructive, Storb places significant emphasis on having trainees focus on the overall landscape of published literature in the field to inform their manuscripts. An articulate and effective speaker, Storb has passed his knowledge down to his trainees, encouraging them to present their work in a broad range of venues ranging from lab gatherings to international meetings. He has also supported mentees’ efforts to submit applications for independent research funding. Storb’s legacy in the field is evidenced by his distinguished group of trainees who now lead institutes and transplantation centers around the world.

Storb has been honored in the past with two additional ASH honorific awards, including the 1997 Henry M. Stratton Medal and the 2005 E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize.

[Adapted from an American Society of Hematology news release]
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Dr. Andrew Rezvani, Clinical Research Division
Photo by Dean Forbes

The $583,000 four-year research award will aid research using monoclonal antibodies to lower the chances of non-Hodgkin lymphoma relapse, complications

The Clinical Research Division’s Dr. Andrew Rezvani has received a four-year, $583,000 mentored research scholar grant from the American Cancer Society. The award supports his work in improving outcomes for patients who receive blood and bone marrow transplants to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“We are studying ways to integrate the monoclonal antibody rituximab into the transplant process in order to reduce the risk of lymphoma relapse,” said Rezvani, a member of the Storb Lab. “We are also studying whether rituximab might help prevent graft-vs.-host disease, a major complication of blood and bone marrow transplantation. Ultimately, we hope that the funded research will lead to more effective treatments and cures for people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”

The American Cancer Society, the largest non-government, nonprofit funding source of cancer research in the U.S., has awarded 135 national research and training grants totaling $51,965,000 to investigators at 93 institutions nationwide in one of two grants cycles for 2012. All the grants go into effect July 1.

[Adapted from an American Cancer Society news release]

Dr. Steven Rosinski, Clinical Research Division, said his goal is to develop a vaccine that induces an allogeneic response against host hematopoietic cells and can be used to prevent or treat relapsed hematological diseases.
Photo by Bo Jungmayer

Clinical Research fellow receives one-year, $50,000 ASH grant designed to support protected time to conduct research while in training

Dr. Steven Rosinski, a senior hematology/oncology fellow in the Hutchinson Center’s Clinical Research Division, is one of five recipients of the 2011 American Society of Hematology Research Training Award for Fellows. The one-year, $50,000 ASH grant is intended to encourage junior researchers to pursue careers in academic hematology by supporting protected time to conduct research during his or her fellowship training.

“I am starting my postdoctoral work at a time when technological advancements allow us to afford a rapid determination of the genetic differences between the donor and recipient of a hematopoietic stem cell transplant,” said Rosinski, who is working collaboratively with Dr. Brad Stone, Benaroya Research Institute, and under the direction of Dr. Rainer Storb.

“My goal is to apply this technology to the development of a vaccine that induces an allogeneic response against host hematopoietic cells that can be translated into human hematopoietic cell transplantation to prevent or treat relapsed hematological diseases,” Rosinski said.

“The availability of protected research time is critical to the growth and success of these extremely bright trainees, as well as to the advancement of our specialty,” said ASH President Dr. J. Evan Sadler, of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “ASH is committed to providing assistance for young trainees to conduct research that will hone their skills, build their expertise, and ultimately lead to significant scientific breakthroughs.”

The award primarily provides salary support for the recipient. However, up to $5,000 may be allocated for research supplies and reagents, and up to $1,000 may be allocated for travel to the ASH annual meeting.

Apply for Research Training Awards

Visit the ASH website to see the list of grant recipients, learn more about the ASH Research Training Award and obtain information about applying for the 2012 award cycle.

The American Society of Hematology is the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders. The official journal of ASH is Blood, which is available weekly in print and online.

[Adapted from an ASH news release]