John Hawley

Announcing the Genentech / ASCI Early-Career Impact Awards program

Posted on by John Hawley

The ASCI is pleased to announce a partnership with Genentech to support early-career physician scientists.

The Genentech / ASCI Early-Career Impact Awards program seeks to enhance the understanding of disease mechanisms, accelerate translational discoveries, and drive the development of cutting-edge diagnostics and therapies. These Awards support the work of physician-scientists who are early in their first full-time faculty appointment and who are conducting impactful research in one of Genentech’s therapeutic areas of interest.

  • Number of available awards: up to 2
  • Award amount: $100,000 per year for 3 years, with an institutional match of $100,000 per year for 3 years
  • Nomination deadline: April 20, 2026, 11:59 pm Eastern
  • Start of Award: July 1, 2026

Eligible nominees:

  • are from an U.S.-accredited university / research institution that is able to commit to matching the award amount of $100,000/year for 3 years,
  • hold an MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent degree,
  • be in the first three years of their first academic appointment at the Instructor or Assistant Professor or equivalent level (tenure- and non-tenure-track) as of the Award start date,
  • can dedicate more than 75% of their time to research activities,
  • conduct research in one of Genentech’s therapeutic areas of interest:
    • Cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic disease
    • Immunology
    • Infectious disease
    • Neuroscience
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
  • and are in good standing at their institution.

Nominees are nominated by an ASCI member, who does not have to be from the nominee’s institution. The ASCI Directory is linked here (searchable by name, institution, specialty, etc.).

  • Nominators:
    • start nominations through their ASCI member accounts, under the “Activities / nominations” tab
    • send notification to the nominee to complete the nominee’s aspects of the nomination
    • submit a 500-word summary of the nominee’s accomplishments
  • Nominees submit documents and other information through the ASCI website (nominees who have not yet identified a nominator may request that ASCI staff initiate the nomination, see contact email below):
    • Documents:
      • letter of commitment from their institution regarding the institutional funding match (PDF) (see More information, below)
      • a comprehensive research plan (1,000-word limit, excluding preliminary results and references), using an editable template (Word):
        • Project title
        • Background
        • Hypothesis
        • Methods
        • Aims 1-3 (rationale, experiment, expected outcomes)
        • Preliminary results (if applicable) (not included in word count)
        • Timeline
        • References (not included in word count)
      • curriculum vitae
      • NIH-style biosketch
      • photo (for use if awarded, not used during the review process)
    • Other information about themselves, including contact, educational background, research domain(s), brief biographical statement, and demographic details

In addition to financial support, award benefits include:

  • Complimentary registration to the AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting
  • Access to ASCI Early-Career programming

For questions, contact staff@the-asci.org.

More information

Restrictions on the use of Award funds

  • This program does not provide, and is not intended to cover, indirect costs. Funds should be used to support salaries for the Awardee, post-doctoral fellows or graduate students as well as supplies required in the performance of the research proposal. Funds may not be used to purchase major equipment or engage in non-research activities such as time spent as a healthcare provider.

Institutional funding match

  • Use of start-up funds. Start-up funds may be used to match the Award amount, provided that such funds are available through the term of this Award. A letter of commitment specifying this must still be supplied.
  • Coverage of indirect costs. Institutional funds may be used to cover indirect costs.
  • Letter of commitment. This may be from the nominee’s department chair, dean, or equivalent.

Concurrent funding

  • Concurrent funding, including career-development awards (NIH K and similar) and project awards (NIH R and similar) is allowed.

Nominations open for the 2026-2028 ASCI Postbaccalaureate Program

Posted on by John Hawley

The ASCI is pleased to call for applications for the 2026-2028 ASCI Postbaccalaureate Program, a mentored research experience in an ASCI-member laboratory. By the end of the two-year term, postbacs will possess the experience, confidence, and research acumen necessary to become competitive MD or MD-PhD candidates entering the physician-science pipeline.

Postbacs will attend and present their research at the 2027 and 2028 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meetings and are expected to co-author papers describing their research projects.

Nominations for this cycle are open through March 31, 2026.

This program provides an intensive, two-year mentored laboratory research experience for students that will expose them to the physician-scientist career path, strengthen their applications to MD or MD-PhD programs, and enhance their career development. From the nominations, two finalists will be selected.

Nominees are undergraduates who are either in their last year of study or are college graduates who have received their bachelor’s degree within two years at the time of submission. Nominees should intend to apply to medical school during their second year of the Postbac Program.

Nominators are ASCI members in good standing who are able to provide a suitable environment for their nominees and who, by way of their nomination, are indicating their agreement to host the nominee if selected for this recognition. (This is different from previous cycles in which nominees would be matched with member labs via a separate solicitation for members interested in hosting a postbac.)

Nominations consist of the following:

  • The nominator provides:
    • a 500-word statement focused on two aspects:
      • a description of the nominee’s strengths and suitability for this program, and
      • detail regarding the daily mentoring and career-development environment available to the nominee during the term of the program
    • a trainee table (PDF)
  • The nominee provides:
    • a 750-word essay that describes the nominee’s research experience, current interests and career goals;
    • an undergraduate transcript (PDF);
    • a curriculum vitae (PDF);
    • headshot photograph (JPG etc.) (this file is not used in the review process);
    • two letters of recommendation (see more below); and
    • a completed ASCI demographics survey.

Letters of recommendation

Nominees will see a “Letters of recommendation” section where they can look up supporters and add them to the nomination if not found in our database. Supporters do not need to be affiliated with the ASCI in any way.

Once a supporter is selected, nominees notify the supporter by clicking “Notify supporter”; this will prompt supporters via email to access the portal through which they will complete two sections:

  • a statement (500-word limit) detailing the nominee’s strengths and suitability to this program; and
  • a brief statement regarding the supporter’s relationship to the nominee.

In this section, nominees will be able to see whether supporters’ forms are in progress or submitted. Nominees also receive an email notification when each supporter submits her/his form. Note that nominees won’t be able to submit their part of the nomination until supporters have been notified.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the main ASCI Postbaccalaureate Program page.

Contact:

For information or questions, contact us at programs@the-asci.org.

Call for applications for JCI Editor, 2027-2032

Posted on by John Hawley

The American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) invites applications for the position of Editor in Chief of the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI). The JCI, one of the oldest and most respected biomedical journals, is renowned for publishing exemplary studies focused on the mechanistic basis and treatment of disease. The ASCI seeks a dynamic Editor in Chief who will lead a team of academic editors to invigorate the Journal in the highly competitive publishing landscape.

Duties of the Editor

The Editor is responsible for determining the scientific scope and content of the JCI; ensuring the quality and integrity of publications; assembling and leading an editorial board to handle research submissions; and meeting goals set by the ASCI Council and Publications Committee. The selected candidate’s responsibilities include service on the ASCI Council. The term of office is 5 years and begins March 2027.

Strategic Focus

The Editor in Chief must provide a clear vision for the future scientific development of the JCI, with a particular emphasis on how the Journal can expand its portfolio of high-impact research publications, such as clinical trials, public health studies, translational studies, and cutting-edge genomics and bioinformatics research. The successful applicant should also articulate a vision for attracting high-quality submissions to the Journal from across the globe. It is also important to ensure that JCI complements rather than competes with JCI Insight in the ASCI Family of Journals. The Editor in Chief works in collaboration with the Editorial Board, the JCI Executive Editor, the ASCI publishing staff, and the ASCI Publications Committee to set priorities for the Journal.

Eligibility of the Editor and Editorial Board

To be considered for the position of Editor, a candidate must:

  • be a member of the ASCI and
  • demonstrate a strong scientific record.

For the proposed Editorial Board

  • At least 50% must be ASCI members (Active or Senior) in good standing.
  • Multi-institution applications are encouraged.

Application timeline

  • April 10, 2026: Letters of intent (LOI) due. Applicants submitting a LOI will receive an operational overview of the ASCI and JCI for use in developing full applications. The LOI only needs to identify the proposed Editor in Chief and their affiliated institution but does not need to include specific details regarding the application.
  • June 3, 2026: Full applications due.
  • July 2026: Finalists for the Editor position determined.
  • September 2026: Editor Selection Committee interviews finalists (date and location to be determined).

Full application requirements

The applicant should address the following areas in 5 or fewer single-spaced pages:

  • Describe your vision for the scientific scope of manuscripts published in the Journal under your leadership, including scientific areas you see as priorities for the JCI, potential new article categories (if applicable), and areas you see as opportunities for growth and increased impact.
  • Provide details regarding proposed editorial board members.
    • Describe how you will ensure that the team has the breadth to handle submissions across all specialties. including any areas of new or expanded emphasis for the Journal.
    • Describe how Clinical Research and Public Health submissions will be encouraged and handled and any board members with specific expertise in clinical research and translational medicine.
    • Specify board members with expertise in genomics and bioinformatics and how efforts will be made to encourage submissions in these areas.
  • Describe how the proposed board will evaluate manuscripts and specific efforts to ensure scientific rigor, fair decisions, and timeliness.
  • Describe your vision for attracting the best research submissions to the Journal. Consider the changing demographics of submitting authors, in terms of the growing volume of international submissions and potential volatility in US-based submissions.
  • Describe how you envision collaborating with the Editor in Chief of JCI Insight to ensure seamless handling of Dual-Journal Submissions and potential transfers from the JCI to JCI Insight.
  • Describe how you see the JCI’s mission with respect to serving the ASCI and its membership.
  • In the event that you cannot complete the duration of the term, describe the process by which a candidate to replace the Editor in Chief would be determined (subject to approval by the Council and a vote by the membership).

In addition, the application must include a letter from each proposed Board member stating a commitment to the role.

Submitting letters of intent and applications

Address materials to Julie A. Bastarache, MD, Chair of the Editor Selection Committee, and send as an attachment to staff@the-asci.org.

Questions

Contact Sarah Jackson, Executive Editor, at sarah.jackson@the-jci.org.

Review of applications

The Editor Selection Committee will review applications, interview candidates, and recommend a selection to the ASCI Council, which will then submit the recommendation to a vote of the Active segment of the ASCI membership.

Nominations open for 2026 Honorary membership

Posted on by John Hawley

The ASCI is pleased to call for nominations for 2026 Honorary membership. Nominees for this recognition must fit the criteria as given in the ASCI bylaws:

Any distinguished person who has contributed significantly to the Society’s objectives, who has not been previously and unsuccessfully nominated for Active or International membership, and who enjoys an unimpeachable moral standing is eligible for nomination in this category.

For the nominee who meets these criteria, there is no restriction on age or degree held.

The deadline for receipt of nominations is January 6, 2026, at 11:59 pm Eastern. Nominations will be screened to ensure they are complete and fit the nomination criteria. The Council reviews nominations and submits its recommendations to Active and Senior members for approval.

The nominator must be an ASCI member in good standing and must start the nomination:

  • Access your member account
  • Go to the “Nominations” tab, then to the “Honorary membership nomination” section
  • Select “I’m the nominator” option
  • Search for your nominee:
    • If found, click on “Start nomination”
    • If no result is found, provide and save the requested information (first name, last name, and email address), then click on “Start nomination” for the newly created nominee in the “Results” section
  • At the top of the nomination form, click on “Send access notification to the nominee at: <email>”
  • Provide a 250-word limit statement on the nominee’s qualifications
  • Submit the statement, which can be done regardless of whether the nominee’s part of the nomination is completed

The nominee receives an email with information to access their part of the nomination and then must:

  • Provide a birth date and address information
  • Provide a brief (300-word limit) biography
  • Provide current institutional affiliation
  • Upload a full curriculum vitae and headshot photograph
  • Complete a demographics survey
  • Identify research domain(s)
  • Submit this aspect of the nomination, which can be done regardless of whether the nominator has completed her/his statement

Nominations for ASCI Council, 2026

Posted on by John Hawley

The Society seeks nominations for the following ASCI Council vacancies arising in 2026 (all terms begin and end in the spring):

  • Vice President (4-year term, 2026-2030)
  • Secretary-Treasurer Elect (3-year term, 2026-2029)
  • Councilor (2 positions, 3-year term, 2026-2029)

Those eligible for nomination must be in the Active category and:

  • for Vice President, will not turn age 56 until 2031 or later
  • for Secretary-Treasurer Elect and Councilor, will not turn age 56 until 2030 or later

The Society strongly encourages members to consider diversity in identifying those suitable for nomination. Self-nominations are not permitted. Nominations may be submitted by any member in good standing (with dues up to date if applicable) and must be submitted by January 20, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.

All Council members are expected to support the activities of and attend the ASCI annual meeting, and to participate in the general governance of the Society, including two in-person meetings (fall and spring, with the spring meeting occurring as part of the annual meeting) and videoconference calls (typically every other month). All Council members participate in the review of membership and various award nominations and subsequent discussion at the fall meeting.

The Vice President transitions to President-Elect in year 2, President in year 3, and Immediate Past President in year 4. This role is represented on numerous committees throughout the term of office. For the 2nd through 4th years of this position, this member is expected to participate significantly in matters related to the annual meeting. In the Presidential year (year 3), the member convenes a face-to-face Council meeting and oversees related review processes for nominations, notably including those to membership. The President works closely with the Association of American Physicians to create the annual meeting program and presents the traditional Presidential Address at the meeting.

The Council is supported by an Executive Director, Managing Director, and other staff members who oversee the day-to-day operations of the Society and effect initiatives as directed by the Council. For details on Officers and Councilors, see the ASCI Bylaws.

Nominators:

  • may be any ASCI member
  • must provide a statement (250-word limit) regarding the nominee

Nominees:

  • must specify the position of interest (Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer Elect, Councilor);
  • provide a 250-word candidate statement, written in first person, for consideration by the Council and for use as the ballot statement if the nominee is selected as a candidate (nominees may refer to candidate statements for the 2025 nomination cycle for guidance in drafting their own statements);
  • provide an NIH-style biosketch;
  • must complete the ASCI’s demographic survey and provide information about research domain(s)

To start a nomination:

  • Access your member account
  • Go to the “Nominations” tab
  • In the section for “Council vacancies”:
    • If you are the nominee, select the “I’m the nominee” option to start your part of the nomination (only you have access to this information).
    • If you are the nominator, select “I’m the nominator” option, then search for your nominee. Only nominees who are within the age-eligibility criteria will be returned in the results.

Nominations open for mid-career member awards, 2026

Posted on by John Hawley

The ASCI is pleased to call for nominations for awards recognizing the scholarly achievements of mid-career members:

The Marian W. Ropes, MD, Award recognizes a middle-career woman physician-scientist. The annual award honors Dr. Ropes (1903–1994), a pioneer both as a researcher on the role of synovial fluid in joint diseases and as a woman in academic medicine. She was the first woman documented to have been elected to the ASCI. The recipient of this award will receive a $10,000 honorarium, be recognized at the ASCI’s 2026 annual meeting, and give the Ropes Lecture at the 2027 meeting.

The Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Award recognizes a middle-career physician-scientist from a population underrepresented in medicine and science. The award honors Dr. Sullivan (born 1933), a hematologist, health care advocate, and policy leader — having served as US Secretary of Health and Human Services — and who was the first Black physician-scientist elected to the ASCI. The recipient of this award will receive a $10,000 honorarium, be recognized at the ASCI’s 2026 annual meeting, and give the Sullivan Lecture at the 2027 meeting.

ASCI members who were elected in 2021 or more recently may be nominated. Additionally:

  • For the Ropes Award, only female members are eligible for nomination.
  • For the Sullivan Award, only UiMS members are eligible for nomination.

The deadline for receipt of nominations is December 12, 2025, at 11:59 pm Eastern. Nominations will be screened to ensure they are complete and fit the award criteria. The ASCI’s Physician-Scientist Engagement Committee reviews nominations and submit recommendations to the ASCI Council for approval. We expect to notify nominees about the outcome in January 2026.

Nominators:

  • must be ASCI members; current members of the ASCI Physician-Scientist Engagement Committee are excluded; and
  • must provide a statement regarding the nominee (500-word limit).

Nominees:

  • must fit the criteria noted above and may not be current members of the ASCI Council and/or Physician-Scientist Engagement Committee;
  • may be nominated for only one ASCI award (for example, a nominee for the Ropes Award may not be nominated for the Sullivan Award, Korsmeyer Award, Harrington Prize, or Scharschmidt~Crawford Award);
  • must provide the following:
    • a personal statement (750-word limit) on their scientific achievements, with attention to relevant personal and career history, mentoring experience, and service to the community;
    • a full curriculum vitae; and
    • 3 most-significant publications, each with a 50-word annotation, followed by the member’s role in the publication, the journal name and publication year, and the Pubmed ID noted as “PMID:12345”;
  • must complete the ASCI’s demographics survey; and
  • must provide information regarding their research domain(s).

To start a nomination:

  • Access your member account
  • Go to the “Nominations” tab
  • In the section for the award of interest:
    • If you are the nominee, select the “I’m the nominee” option to start your part of the nomination (only you have access to this information); note that in the case of the Ropes Award, this option will not be available for male members.
    • If you are the nominator, select “I’m the nominator” option, then search for your nominee. Only nominees who were elected starting 2020 will appear in the results. Note: for the Ropes Award, you will only be able to select a nominee who is a woman; for the Sullivan Award, you may select anyone who is within the election-year window, but nominations will be screened (based on the information the nominee provides in the demographics survey) to ensure they fit the UiMS criterion.

Definition of UiMS

The ASCI defines underrepresented in medicine in science as follows: Underrepresented in medicine and science (UiMS) refers to populations that are underrepresented relative to their numbers in the general US population. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, physician-scientists who identify in the following racial and/or ethnic groups: Black/African American, Hispanic or Latin American, Native American/American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander; individuals with disabilities: physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; and those with an educationally or financially disadvantaged background.

Nominations open for the 2026 Seldin~Smith Award for Pioneering Research

Posted on by John Hawley

The ASCI is pleased to call for nominations for the 2026 Seldin~Smith Award for Pioneering Research. The annual award, accompanied by an unrestricted $30,000 grant to advance academic efforts, honors an early-career physician-scientist who has demonstrated exceptional creativity and accomplishments in biomedical research (see past recipients).

The deadline for receipt of nominations is December 12, at 11:59 pm Eastern.

The nominee:

  • must be an MD (or the equivalent);
  • must be more than 2 years but not more than 6 years from first faculty (or the equivalent) appointment as of April 2026; and
  • spends substantial time in research while providing direct patient care.

A nomination must be started by the nominator, who then notifies the nominee to complete her/his part of the nomination. The nominee identifies the supporter of the nomination and notifies that person through the submission site to complete her/his support form. Note: The nominee may not be a past recipient of the Foundation for the NIH’s Trailblazer Prize for Clinician-Scientists.

Nominations will be screened to ensure they are complete and fit the nomination criteria. The Seldin~Smith Award Selection Committee reviews nominations and provides recommendations to the Seldin~Smith Award Advisory Committee to determine the recipient.

The nominator must be an ASCI member in good standing and must start the nomination:

  • Access your member account
  • Go to the “Nominations” tab, then to the “ASCI / Seldin~Smith Award for Pioneering Research” section
  • Select “I’m the nominator” option
  • Search for your nominee:
    • If found, click on “Create nomination”
    • If no result is found, provide and save the requested information (first name, last name, and email address), then click on “Create nomination” for the newly created nominee in the “Results” section
  • At the top of the nomination form, click on “Send access notification to the nominee at: <email>”
  • Provide a 500-word limit statement on the nominee’s most significant achievement
  • Submit the statement, which can be done regardless of whether the nominee’s part of the nomination is completed

The nominee receives an email with information to access her/his part of the nomination and then must:

  • Provide a birth date and address information
  • Provide a summary (100-word limit) of her/his research, followed by a notation of the percentage of time devoted to direct patient care
  • Provide detail of:
    • Degrees obtained
      • Year of first faculty or equivalent appointment
    • Current institutional affiliation
  • Upload:
    • Current NIH-style biosketch
    • Three significant publications, each with an annotation (100-word limit)
  • Identify the nomination’s supporter and send notification to the supporter to access her/his support form
  • Complete a demographics survey
  • Identify research domain(s)
  • Submit this aspect of the nomination, which can be done regardless of whether the nominator or supporter has completed her/his statement

The supporter:

  • Does not need to be an ASCI member
  • Must be identified and notified by the nominee
  • Provides a statement (500-word limit) of the nominee’s research contributions (the statement should be distinct from that of the nominator)

Take action for federal funding of research

Posted on by John Hawley

Dear members of the ASCI community,

The ASCI has produced a campaign to highlight the critical importance of federal funding of scientific and medical research. “Fund Research / Save Our Cures” is available here:

https://fundresearch.org

Social: X / Twitter | Facebook | Bluesky | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube

The key campaign goals are to reach beyond our community to make the case for government investment in research and to prompt citizens to contact their Congressional representatives to support this investment.

Share the links freely and follow the campaign on the social platforms you use. If you haven’t already, take a moment to urge your representatives to support federal funding of science.

The campaign stems from internal and community conversations about the impact of the administration’s actions taken toward the NIH – well-known to us: the reduction of indirect costs earlier this year, the suspension or cancellation of grants already awarded, NIH campus workforce reductions and reorganization, and more recently the administration’s request to cut the NIH budget by an astounding 40%.

While the US House of Representatives agreed to the cut, the US Senate expressed its support for a stable NIH budget. At present it appears that the next US fiscal-year budget may not see a devastating reduction for the NIH or other agencies that support the scientific and biomedical enterprise. However, it takes only a quick read of the day’s headlines to see that America’s status as a scientific powerhouse is in the crosshairs.

To formulate our campaign, we undertook a survey of the general population to find out what people knew and which messages resonated with them. Among the findings, only 52% of respondents were aware that the government funds research. At a time when this research is producing amazing results and is poised to address significant challenges presented by major diseases, it’s unfortunate that awareness isn’t greater. However, it’s an opportunity for us, this campaign, and others like it: to engage with the tax-paying members of the public about the great work they’re supporting, to grow their understanding, and to have them join us in advocating to continue the progress research has made for many decades.

Priscilla Y. Hsue, MD
President, 2025-2026
The American Society for Clinical Investigation
https://the-asci.org
Social: X / Twitter | Bluesky

Nominations open for the 2026 ASCI / Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award

Posted on by John Hawley

Nominations for the ASCI’s 2026 ASCI / Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award are now open.

This prestigious recognition, first called the ASCI Award, was renamed in 2006 in honor of Dr. Korsmeyer, the first recipient of the Award in 1998, who passed away in 2005. The Award recognizes individuals for their advancement of knowledge in a specific field and for mentoring future generations of life science researchers. Information on all past honorees is available here.

The Awardee delivers the Korsmeyer Award Lecture at the 2026 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting, April 17-19, and receives an unrestricted $20,000 honorarium.

Current Active and International ASCI members are eligible for nomination. Prior nominees who remain eligible may be re-nominated. However, current ASCI Council members and prior Award recipients may not be nominated.

The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 15, 2025, at 11:59 pm Eastern. Nominations will be screened to ensure they are complete and fit the nomination criteria. The Council reviews nominations, with the outcome of review expected toward the end of November 2025.

Nominators:

  • may be any ASCI member in good standing, including members of the Council;
  • must provide a statement (250-word limit) regarding the nominee; and
  • must comment regarding other investigators who have significantly contributed to the discoveries related to the nomination.

Nominees:

  • must currently be an Active or International member (age 55 or younger);
  • must provide a biosketch, full curriculum vitae, and a trainee table;
  • must identify a former mentee to provide a statement of support (500-word limit);
  • must complete the ASCI’s demographic survey; and
  • must identify their research domain(s).

To start a nomination:

Nominations may be started by the nominator or the nominee:

  • Access your member account
  • Go to the “Activities / nominations” tab
  • Go to the section for “ASCI / Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award”

For the nominator:

  • Select “I’m the nominator” option
  • Search for your nominee
  • Click on “Start nomination”
  • If the nominee has not already claimed her/his part of the nomination, click on “Send nominee information to access the nominee’s part of the nomination” to send the nominee an email to access and edit her/his aspect of the nomination (see above).
  • Supply the required information (see above)
  • Submit this aspect of the nomination

For the nominee:

  • Select “I’m the nominee” option
  • Supply the required information (see above)
  • Submit this aspect of the nomination

Nominations open for the 2026 ASCI / Scharschmidt~Crawford Distinguished Lectureship and Award

Posted on by John Hawley

Nominations for the ASCI’s 2026 Bruce F. Scharschmidt & Peggy S. Crawford Translational Medicine Distinguished Lectureship and Award are now open.

The Award recognizes those who have made important contributions to the development of high-impact diagnostics or therapeutics for patients. The Awardee delivers the Scharschmidt~Crawford Distinguished Lectureship at the annual AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting and receives an unrestricted $20,000 honorarium. Drs. Scharschmidt and Crawford have pledged a very generous philanthropic gift to the ASCI to fully endow the Award.

Any person with an MD or equivalent, regardless of ASCI membership, is eligible for nomination. However, current ASCI Council members may not be nominated.

The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 15, 2025, at 11:59 pm Eastern. Nominations will be screened to ensure they are complete and fit the nomination criteria. The Council reviews nominations, with the outcome of review expected in December 2025.

Nominators:

  • may be any ASCI member in good standing, including members of the Council, and
  • must provide a statement (250-word limit) regarding the nominee.

Nominees:

  • may be any person with an MD or equivalent, regardless of ASCI membership, but excluding members of the Council;
  • must be able to attend the 2026 Joint Meeting, April 17-19, in Chicago;
  • must provide a 500-word-limit description of their contributions to the development of high-impact diagnostics or therapeutics for patients;
  • must provide a full curriculum vitae;
  • must complete the ASCI’s demographic survey; and
  • must provide information regarding their research domain(s).

To start a nomination:

Nominations may be started by the nominator or the nominee:

  • Access your member account
  • Go to the “Activities / nominations” tab
  • Go to the section for “ASCI / Scharschmidt~Crawford Distinguished Lectureship and Award”

For the nominator:

  • Select “I’m the nominator” option
  • Search for your nominee
  • Click on “Start nomination”
  • If the nominee has not already claimed her/his part of the nomination, click on “Send nominee information to access the nominee’s part of the nomination” to send the nominee an email to access and edit her/his aspect of the nomination (see above).
  • Supply the required information (see above)
  • Submit this aspect of the nomination

For the nominee:

… if the nominee is an ASCI member:

  • Select “I’m the nominee” option
  • Supply the required information (see above)
  • Submit this aspect of the nomination

… if the nominee is not ASCI member, the nominee can email staff@the-asci.org to have a nomination set up by staff.