John Hawley

Message from the President

Posted on by John Hawley

Dr. Ebert

As the fall begins, I wanted to provide you with an update about various ASCI activities under way and coming up.

We are excited about the transition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation to Editor in Chief Gordon F. Tomaselli and his Editorial Board at Johns Hopkins University, which took effect July 1. You’ll be hearing from Dr. Tomaselli about new initiatives in the coming months. For the time being, Howard Rockman remains as JCI Insight Editor, with a recently expanded academic Editorial Board and a diverse roster of Consulting Editors, nearly all of whom are drawn from the ASCI membership.

Several calls for nominations are currently open. In recognition of the challenges recently faced by our colleagues in Texas and Florida, we are extending the deadline for 2018 ASCI membership to October 5 (from September 22). Nominations for the 2018 Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award are due October 13, and nominations for the 2018 Donald Seldin~Holly Smith Award for Pioneering Research are due November 10. We will call for Young Physician-Scientist Award nominations in mid-Fall and Council nominations in December.

In order to address particular priority areas, the ASCI Council has created several task-specific committees: a Publications Committee that I co-chair with Dr. Tomaselli; a Development Committee chaired by Kieren Marr (the current ASCI President-Elect); and an Advocacy Committee chaired by Kim Rathmell (the current ASCI Vice President).

The ASCI has had longstanding advocacy relationships with the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) and Research!America. These organizations are at the forefront of fighting for support of basic and clinical research, in addition to supporting sound policies to ensure the success of the biomedical research enterprise. I applaud the efforts of Laura Niedernhofer, who recently completed her 4-year term (2013-2017) as the ASCI’s representative to the FASEB Board. Talat Alp Ikizler has kindly agreed to serve the ASCI as the next representative (2017-2021). In addition, Councilor Donna Martin will serve as the ASCI’s representative to FASEB’s Science Policy Committee for 2017-2020. Dr. Rathmell will serve in the role of FASEB Board Advisor (a 1-year term).

Over the last few years, the ASCI has raised funds from a small group of committed ASCI members to support several programs, notably the Seldin~Smith Award and a program to support the attendance of HHMI Medical Fellows and others at the AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting. As President, I encourage you to consider becoming (or continuing to be) a donor toward these programs or to the ASCI in general. We know that the physician-scientist community is important to you, and you can help the ASCI nurture and celebrate physician-scientists across the career spectrum with a contribution of any size.

Sincerely,

Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD
President, 2017-2018
The American Society for Clinical Investigation

Call for nominations, 2018 Seldin~Smith Award

Posted on by John Hawley

The ASCI is pleased to call for nominations for the 2018 Donald Seldin~Holly Smith Award for Pioneering Research. The Award seeks to recognize and connect the next generation of physician-scientist leaders with the legacies of two of the ASCI’s most esteemed members, Drs. Donald W. Seldin and Lloyd H. “Holly” Smith Jr.

For the Award, the ASCI seeks nominations of outstanding physician-scientists who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and accomplishments in biomedical research. The ideal nominee:

  • is an early-stage, clinically active physician-scientist addressing fundamental questions that relate to human health and disease, and
  • shows great promise in biomedicine.

The recipient of the Seldin~Smith Award will receive an unrestricted grant of $30,000 to advance academic efforts. S/he will be recognized at the 2018 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting, deliver a research talk at the 2019 Joint Meeting, and receive mentoring from the members of the Seldin~Smith Award Selection Committee and Advisory Committee.

Eligibility

  • MD (or the equivalent) or MD/PhD;
  • The candidate should be more than 2 years but not more than 6 years from first faculty (or the equivalent) appointment at the time of acceptance in April 2018;
  • The candidate spends substantial time in research while providing direct patient care.

This competition is not restricted to any geographic location.

Application

Physician-scientists should apply directly by sending nominations by email attachments to staff@the-asci.org.

  • Completed nomination form, including:
    • a summary of the nominee’s research (not to exceed 100 words)
    • a description of the nominee’s most significant achievement (not to exceed 500 words).
    • a list of the nominee’s three most significant publications and a short statement describing the significance of each publication (not to exceed 100 words each).
    • Nominee’s agreement, if chosen as the recipient, to attend the 2018 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting (April 20-22) and the 2019 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting (April 5-7).
  • PDFs of the nominee’s three most significant publications as listed in the nomination form.
  • Nominee’s curriculum vitae. Include only educational background, major awards, and peer-reviewed publications (do not include abstracts, grants, or meeting presentations).
  • No more than two letters of support (as PDFs), one from the nominee’s primary mentor, the other ideally from an individual who is a recognized expert on the subject of the nominee’s research.

Notable dates and selection process

  • Nomination deadline: November 10, 2017.
  • Recipient will be notified by early 2018.
  • Recipient will be recognized at the 2018 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting, April 20-22.
  • Recipient will deliver a research talk at the 2019 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting, April 5-7.

The Seldin~Smith Award Selection Committee reviews nominations and selects finalists for further consideration. Members are: Mukesh K. Jain (Chair), Vivian G. Cheung, Elizabeth M. McNally, Stuart H. Orkin, and Charles L. Sawyers. Finalists are reviewed by the Seldin~Smith Award Advisory Committee members: Joseph L. Goldstein (Chair), Michael S. Brown, Arthur Weiss, Stanley B. Prusiner, and Robert J. Lefkowitz.

About the ASCI

Founded in 1908, the ASCI is home to physician-scientist leaders in academic medicine and industry across the world. The ASCI seeks to support the scientific efforts, educational needs, and clinical aspirations of physician-scientists to improve human health. The Society, based in the United States, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

Nominations for 2018 membership

Posted on by John Hawley

Nominations for 2018 membership may be submitted through October 5, 2017 (extended from September 22, 2017). Proposers and supporters of nominations should review the Membership Nomination Guide carefully. Questions regarding nominations should be sent by email to staff@the-asci.org.

Note to submitters: The ASCI sends acknowledgment of submissions by email after they have been reviewed and found to be complete. Submitters can check the status of their submissions (nominations and support forms) online by accessing their member accounts.

Submitting nominations

To ensure proper tracking of nominations, all information and documents must be supplied online.
  • First, access your member account
  • After you have logged in to your account, select the “Nominations” tab, then search the nominee database. Links will appear in search results to guide you in the next steps.
  • Your nominee may already be in the ASCI database because the nominee was previously nominated or because a nomination or support form has been started for the nominee for this nomination cycle.

Proposers: Once you have supplied the requested information about your nominee (name, contact information, etc.), you will be able to upload required documents. You will also be able to add Seconder and General Supporter information to the nomination, although supporters will need to supply their comments via their own member accounts.

Seconder and General Supporters: Forms may be drafted and submitted online after selecting the applicable nominee from search results or after adding requested information about the nominee you are supporting. (NOTE: General Supporters who are not ASCI members may complete the nomination support template and email it to staff@the-asci.org for handling. Please indicate clearly your contact information and the name and institution of the nominee you are supporting.)

Further clarification

  • Age criterion for Active and Foreign Associate nominees. Nominees in these categories must be age 50 or younger as of January 1, 2018.
  • Exceptions to the age criterion cannot be made. Although the ASCI Council understands that a nominee’s progress may have been delayed because of unavoidable or extreme circumstances, the Council has on multiple occasions discussed exceptions and concluded from each discussion that no policy could be implemented fairly and durably.
  • Limit on number of nominations per nominee. The number of nominations per nominee is limited to 3, with the following exception: In 2013 the age limit for eligibility was increased from age 45 to age 50 or younger. In recognition of this revision, Active and Foreign Associate candidates who reached 3 nominations before or during the 2013 nomination cycle may be nominated one more time (for a maximum of 4 nominations) provided they are age 50 as of January 1, 2018.
  • Limit on number of nominations proposed, seconded, or supported. There is no limit to the number of nominations a member may propose or support (either as Seconder or General Supporter).
  • Ph.D.-only candidates. Active and Foreign Associate nominations are, per the ASCI’s bylaws, restricted to physicians.
  • M.D.-equivalent candidates are eligible for nomination.
  • Faculty appointment versus nominee’s country of residence. The distinction between Active and Foreign Associate nominations is made on the basis of residence, not faculty appointment. Active nominees must reside in the U.S. or Canada. Candidates residing elsewhere should be nominated in the Foreign Associate category.

Highlights from the 2017 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting

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We had a wonderful time at the Joint Meeting at the end of April. For those of you who attended, thank you for contributing to the convivial atmosphere. For those of you unable to attend this year, we hope you will be able to attend next year’s meeting, April 20-22, 2018, at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park.

As you know, the Joint Meeting is an annual gathering of colleagues and friends, providing an opportunity to reunite, engage in stimulating conversation, learn about cutting-edge research, and share ideas and experiences. Here are some highlights from this year’s meeting:


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Dr. Vivian Cheung reminds us in her presidential address to enable and inspire burgeoning physician-scientists. In asking us to shed “imagination fatigue,” take concerted action together, and encourage excellence in the physician-scientist community, Dr. Cheung mapped out the steps we can take to reverse the decline of the physician-scientist career path in the United States. Her presidential address will appear in a future issue of the JCI.


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We were pleased to welcome 64 new ASCI members. Find out more about the ASCI’s new members.


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Dr. Ben Ebert and Ms. Susan Korsmeyer present Dr. James E. Crowe Jr. with the 2017 Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award in recognition for his research leading to the development of innovative technologies for the isolation and study of antiviral antibodies and for significantly advancing the fields of virology and immunology. This annual Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of ASCI members in advancing knowledge in a specific field and in mentoring future generations of life science researchers. Learn more about the Korsmeyer Award.


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Mr. and Mrs. Ron and Nancy Harrington and Dr. Cheung with Drs. Drucker, Habener, and Holst, joint recipients of the 2017 Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine for their discovery of incretin hormones and for the translation of these findings into transformative therapies for major metabolic diseases such as diabetes. Learn more about the Harrington Prize, including the 2018 call for nominations.


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Dr. Donald Seldin shakes hands with Dr. Omar Abdel-Wahab, recipient of the 2017 Donald Seldin~Holly Smith Award for Pioneering Research for his work on the discovery and functional characterization of genetic abnormalities in common and rare forms of hematologic malignancies. This award helps to foster the careers of promising young physician-scientists. Learn more about the Seldin~Smith Award.


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Members of the American Physician-Scientists Association (APSA) present their research during a busy lunch poster session.


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Recipients of the 2017 Joint Meeting Best Poster Awards: Ali Alawieh, Medical University of South Carolina; Joshua Alinger, Washington University; Matthew Emmett, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; David Kosoff, University of Wisconsin; Songjun Li, Boston University School of Medicine; and Yedda Li, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine.


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APSA members show off their signs for the March for Science, which took place April 22 in Chicago as part of a global show of support for science.


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Medical fellows discuss science over food provided by renowned chefs Floyd Cardoz, Ravin Patel, and Ross Mendoza at the ASCI’s 2017 Food & Science Evening on April 22.


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At the Food & Science Evening, the ASCI recognized the 39 Young Physician-Scientist Award recipients in a special poster session. Three recipients were selected for Best Poster Awards: Drs. Kelley Yan, Columbia University Medical Center; Olujimi Ajijola, University of California, Los Angeles; and Jens Lohr, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School. Young Physician-Scientist Awards recognize young physician-scientists who are supported by significant career-development awards, are early in their first faculty appointment, and have made notable achievements in their research. Read the full list of 2017 Awardees.


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A group of exuberant medical fellows enjoy networking at the meeting. The Medical Fellows Initiative recognizes young medical fellows who have dedicated a year of their academic training to scientific research. These fellows attend the Joint Meeting, present their work, and participate in a series of mentor workshops and activities.

Finally, we thank those generous individuals who took time at the meeting to donate to ASCI programming to support young physician-scientists. If you’d like to join them in supporting our efforts, don’t hesitate to contact us at staff@the-asci.org or visit our donations page.

Thanks again for a successful Joint Meeting!

The ASCI’s 2017 Young Physician-Scientist Awards

Posted on by John Hawley

The ASCI is pleased to announce the 39 recipients of its 2017 Young Physician-Scientist Awards. The Awardees will present their work at the ASCI’s Food & Science Evening, on April 22, 2017, as part of the AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting, April 21-23, 2017.

Awardee Institution
Olujimi A. Ajijola, MD, PhD University of California, Los Angeles
Himisha Beltran, MD Weill Cornell Medical College
Ankit Bharat, MBBS, FACS Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Michael Chattergoon, MD, PhD Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Helen Y. Chu, MD, MPH University of Washington
Paul Cohen, MD, PhD The Rockefeller University
Matthew Steven Davids, MD, MMSc Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Robert Pickett Dickson, MD University of Michigan Medical School
Jennifer Alzos Downs, MD, MSc, PhD Weill Cornell Medical College
Maros Ferencik, MD, PhD Oregon Health & Science University
Gabriel Ghiaur, MD, PhD Johns Hopkins University
Ethan Michael Goldberg, MD, PhD Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Matthew Blake Greenblatt, MD, PhD Weill Cornell Medical College
Yogendra Kanthi, MD University of Michigan Medical School
Kory J. Lavine, MD, PhD Washington University School of Medicine
Jens G. Lohr, MD, PhD Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Matthew D. Neal, MD University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Sahar Nissim, MD, PhD Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Edwin Ostrin, MD, PhD MD Anderson Cancer Center
Lale Ozcan, MD Columbia University Medical Center
Marta Peciña, MD, PhD University of Pittsburgh
Hallie C. Prescott, MD, MSc University of Michigan
Seth Rakoff-Nahoum, MD, PhD Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Rajesh C. Rao, MD University of Michigan
Nataliya Razumilava, MD University of Michigan
Michael Satlin, MD, MS Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Robert W. Schnepp, MD, PhD Emory University School of Medicine
Natalie D. Shaw, MD, MMSc NIH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Matthew A. Sparks, MD Duke University School of Medicine
Cullen Mitsuo Taniguchi, MD, PhD The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Sriram Venneti, MD, PhD University of Michigan Medical School
Philip A. Verhoef, MD, PhD University of Chicago
Taia Wang, MD, PhD Stanford University School of Medicine
Michael Emmerson Ward, MD, PhD NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Brendon O. Watson, MD, PhD Weill Cornell Medicine
Marc Nathan Wein, MD, PhD Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital
James Michael Wells, MD University of Alabama at Birmingham
Min Xie, MD, PhD University of Alabama at Birmingham
Kelley Yan, MD, PhD Columbia University Medical Center

The ASCI’s 2017 Young Physician-Scientist Awards

Posted on by John Hawley

The ASCI congratulates its 2017 Young Physician-Scientist Award recipients, who will be recognized at the 2017 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting and present their work at the ASCI’s Food and Science Evening on April 22, 2017.

Download the ASCI’s 2017 Food and Science Evening abstract book

Recipient Institution
Olujimi A. Ajijola, MD, PhD University of California, Los Angeles
Himisha Beltran, MD Weill Cornell Medical College
Ankit Bharat, MBBS, FACS Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Michael Chattergoon, MD, PhD Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Helen Y. Chu, MD, MPH University of Washington
Paul Cohen, MD, PhD The Rockefeller University
Matthew Steven Davids, MD, MMSc Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Robert Pickett Dickson, MD University of Michigan Medical School
Jennifer Alzos Downs, MD, MSc, PhD Weill Cornell Medical College
Maros Ferencik, MD, PhD Oregon Health & Science University
Gabriel Ghiaur, MD, PhD Johns Hopkins University
Ethan Michael Goldberg, MD, PhD Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Matthew Blake Greenblatt, MD, PhD Weill Cornell Medical College
Yogendra Kanthi, MD University of Michigan Medical School
Kory J. Lavine, MD, PhD Washington University School of Medicine
Jens G. Lohr, MD, PhD Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Matthew D. Neal, MD University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Sahar Nissim, MD, PhD Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Edwin Ostrin, MD, PhD MD Anderson Cancer Center
Lale Ozcan, MD Columbia University Medical Center
Marta Peciña, MD, PhD University of Pittsburgh
Hallie C. Prescott, MD, MSc University of Michigan
Seth Rakoff-Nahoum, MD, PhD Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Rajesh C. Rao, MD University of Michigan
Nataliya Razumilava, MD University of Michigan
Michael Satlin, MD, MS Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Robert W. Schnepp, MD, PhD Emory University School of Medicine
Natalie D. Shaw, MD, MMSc NIH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Matthew A. Sparks, MD Duke University School of Medicine
Cullen Mitsuo Taniguchi, MD, PhD The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Sriram Venneti, MD, PhD University of Michigan Medical School
Philip A. Verhoef, MD, PhD University of Chicago
Taia Wang, MD, PhD Stanford University School of Medicine
Michael Emmerson Ward, MD, PhD NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Brendon O. Watson, MD, PhD Weill Cornell Medicine
Marc Nathan Wein, MD, PhD Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital
James Michael Wells, MD University of Alabama at Birmingham
Min Xie, MD, PhD University of Alabama at Birmingham
Kelley Yan, MD, PhD Columbia University Medical Center

Recipient of the 2017 Seldin~Smith Award: Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD

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Dr. Abdel-Wahab

The American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) is pleased to announce Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, as the recipient of the 2017 Donald Seldin~Holly Smith Award for Pioneering Research. Dr. Abdel-Wahab is an Assistant Member at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he serves as Co-Director of the Hematology/Medical Oncology Fellowship Program in the Department of Medicine.

Dr. Abdel-Wahab will receive an unrestricted award of $30,000 to advance his academic efforts, and he will be recognized on April 22, 2017, as part of the AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting (April 21-23). Dr. Abdel-Wahab will deliver a scientific talk at the 2018 Joint Meeting.

Dr. Abdel-Wahab’s efforts have focused on the discovery and functional characterization of genetic abnormalities in common and rare forms of hematologic malignancies. His laboratory identified the functional effects of mutations in some of the most commonly mutated genes in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These discoveries have resulted in ongoing clinical trials of novel targeted therapies for patients with MDS, AML, hairy cell leukemia, and histiocytosis.

“One major focus of Omar’s research includes studying the role of altered spliceosomal proteins in leukemia. His work has already advanced our understanding of this basic biological function and its alteration in cancer,” Ross L. Levine, MD, wrote in his letter supporting Dr. Abdel-Wahab’s nomination. “In addition to his seminal work in the MDS field relating to aberrant splicing, Omar helped to define the cell-of-origin of hairy cell leukemia, a question that has been debated for decades. More recently, he has helped to define the clinical efficacy and mechanisms of vemurafenib resistance in hairy cell leukemia. His insight, knowledge, and technical skills are incredibly advanced for a young investigator.”

Development of the Seldin~Smith Award began with the goal of connecting the legacies of two iconic figures in medicine — Donald Seldin (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center) and Lloyd “Holly” Smith Jr. (University of California, San Francisco) — with exceptionally creative early-career physician-scientists. The ASCI is grateful to Drs. Seldin and Smith, who provided the inspiration for this Award through their storied careers of developing generations of outstanding physician-scientists.

Dr. Abdel-Wahab was selected from a group of exceptional nominees in the United States and abroad. The applicants were evaluated by a Selection Committee of current and former ASCI presidents: Mukesh K. Jain (Chair), Vivian G. Cheung, Charles L. Sawyers, Elizabeth M. McNally, and Stuart H. Orkin. Finalists were evaluated by an Advisory Committee comprising five physician-scientist luminaries: Joseph L. Goldstein (Chair), Michael S. Brown, Arthur Weiss, Stanley B. Prusiner, and Robert J. Lefkowitz.

The Seldin~Smith Award complements two prestigious ASCI awards (the Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award and the Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine) that recognize senior physician-scientists who have made major contributions to science, mentorship, and translation of discovery to clinical impact.

About the ASCI: Founded in 1908, the American Society for Clinical Investigation is one of the oldest and most esteemed nonprofit honor societies of physician-scientists. Membership is by election only, and only researchers who are 50 years of age or younger are eligible for nomination. Therefore, membership in the ASCI recognizes a researcher’s significant contributions, at a relatively young age, to the understanding of human disease. The Society counts among its ranks over 3,000 members, many of whom are leaders in academic medicine and industry. Many members have been recognized by election to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. National Academy of Medicine. The ASCI is also proud to have among its membership winners of the Nobel Prize and the Lasker Award. The Society self-publishes the prestigious Journal of Clinical Investigation, a top-tier biomedical journal, and JCI Insight, launched in late 2015. The ASCI holds its annual meeting with the Association of American Physicians and the American Physician-Scientists Association.

The 2017 Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine: Daniel J. Drucker, MD, Joel F. Habener, MD, and Jens J. Holst, MD, DMSc

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International Harrington Prize Jointly Awarded to Three Recipients

Dr. Drucker

Dr. Habener

Dr. Holst

The fourth annual Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine has been jointly awarded to Daniel J. Drucker, MD (Mount Sinai Hospital, Canada), Joel F. Habener, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital, USA), and Jens J. Holst, MD, DMSc (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) for their discovery of incretin hormones and for the translation of these findings into transformative therapies for major metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

The Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine, established in 2014 by the Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals (UH) in Cleveland, Ohio, and The American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), honors physician-scientists who have moved science forward with achievements notable for innovation, creativity and potential for clinical application.

Drs. Habener and Holst are recognized for their discovery of the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and Dr. Drucker for translating the discovery into breakthrough treatments for diabetes. The work of these three investigators, and in particular Dr. Drucker, has also resulted in the discovery and clinical development of glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) for intestinal disorders (short bowel syndrome).

“The work by this trio of investigators that spans the full spectrum from discovery to clinical impact is exemplary,” said Vivian Cheung, MD, Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Professor of Medicine at the University of Michigan, and 2016-2017 President of the ASCI. “This is precisely the type of bench-to-bedside advancements that The Harrington Prize seeks to recognize.”

A committee composed of members of the ASCI Council and the Harrington Discovery Institute Scientific Advisory Board reviewed 58 nominations from 49 institutions and five countries before selecting the 2017 recipients.

“We are pleased to join with the ASCI to honor Drs. Drucker, Habener and Holst for their contributions to medicine,” said Jonathan Stamler, MD, President of the Harrington Discovery Institute and the Robert S. and Sylvia K. Reitman Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Innovation at UH Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “This remarkable trio exemplifies the best in medicine – from fundamental discovery through to breakthrough drugs in the clinic that impact the lives of millions of people around the world.”

In addition to sharing a $20,000 honorarium, Drs. Holst, Habener, and Drucker will jointly deliver The Harrington Prize Lecture at the 2017 Association of American Physicians/ASCI/American Physician Scientists Association Joint Meeting on April 21, and publish an essay in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Dr. Drucker received his MD from the University of Toronto in 1980, is currently a Senior Scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, and Professor, University of Toronto. Dr. Habener received his MD in 1970 from the University of California Los Angeles and currently is Professor of Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Holst received his MD in 1970 from the University of Copenhagen where he currently serves as Scientific Director, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research.

The first recipient of The Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine, in 2014, was Dr. Harry Dietz, a pediatric cardiologist and genetics researcher from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The Prize recognized Dr. Dietz’s contributions to the understanding of biology and treatment of Marfan syndrome, a disorder leading to deadly aneurysms in children and adults. The 2015 Prize recipient was Douglas R. Lowy, MD, Chief, Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, and Acting Director of the National Cancer Institute, in recognition of his discoveries that led to the development of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. The 2016 recipient of The Harrington Prize was Jeffrey M. Friedman, MD, PhD, of The Rockefeller University, New York City, for his discovery of leptin, which controls feeding behavior and is used to treat related clinical disorders.

Harrington Discovery Institute

The Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio – part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development – aims to advance medicine and society by enabling our nation’s most inventive physician-scientists to turn their discoveries into medicines that improve human health. The institute was created in 2012 with a $50 million founding gift from the Harrington family and instantiates the commitment they share with University Hospitals to a Vision for a ‘Better World’.

The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development

The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development (The Harrington Project), founded in late February 2012 by the Harrington Family and University Hospitals of Cleveland, is a $300 million national initiative built to bridge the translational valley of death. It includes the Harrington Discovery Institute and BioMotiv, a for-profit, mission-aligned drug development company that accelerates early discoveries into medicines for benefit of society.

For more information about The Harrington Project and the Harrington Discovery Institute, visit: HarringtonDiscovery.org.

University Hospitals

Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of over 1 million patients per year through an integrated network of 18 hospitals, more than 40 outpatient health centers and 200 physician offices in 15 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, located on a 35-acre campus in Cleveland’s University Circle, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The main campus also includes University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; University Hospitals MacDonald Women’s Hospital, Ohio’s only hospital for women; and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, including cancer, pediatrics, women’s health, orthopedics, radiology, neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, digestive health, dermatology, transplantation and urology. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals – part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development. UH is the second largest employer in northern Ohio with 26,000 employees. For more information, go to UHhospitals.org.

The 2017 Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award: James E. Crowe Jr., MD

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Dr. Crowe

James E. Crowe Jr., MD, is the recipient of the 2017 American Society for Clinical Investigation’s (ASCI) Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award, in recognition for his research leading to the development of innovative technologies for the isolation and study of antiviral antibodies and for significantly advancing the fields of virology and immunology.

Dr. Crowe’s research group has isolated human monoclonal antibodies for many pathogenic viruses, including Zika, HIV, dengue, influenza, Ebola, norovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rotavirus, and others. Antibodies discovered by his laboratory currently are in clinical development programs for several targets. His research has led to a number of patents and licensures of antibodies and vaccines, in particular for RSV, that have progressed to clinical trials.

Dr. Crowe drew inspiration from his father, a pediatric radiologist. Seeing his father read films intrigued him and later inspired his interest in structure-based design of vaccine development and computational immunology. He received his BS from Davidson College and became interested in service and global issues. He received his MD in 1987 from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, where he also completed his pediatric residency in 1990. He worked on infectious diseases in West and East Africa, and this experience prompted him to think about how to have a broader impact on the diseases affecting these populations.

In 1995, he did a postdoctoral fellowship under Dr. Robert M. Chanock at the National Institutes of Health, where he worked on developing vaccines for RSV. He said, “I enjoyed the vaccine development work, but I was always thinking, ‘How does the immune system work? What is it that we are trying to accomplish with these vaccines? And are these vaccines going to trigger the types of responses we want?’ ” Following this five-year laboratory fellowship, he did a clinical fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center leading to board certification in that field. He started his faculty life at Vanderbilt as an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology in 1996 and became Associate Professor in 2001. One of his major initial efforts was the development of a technique for generating recombinant human monoclonal antibodies to rotavirus from single antigen-specific B cells. This technique was then expanded to generate monoclonal antibodies against other viruses, including poxviruses. Presently, his laboratory is working with over 50 targets, most recently Zika, Ebola, and dengue.

Extending his work as a scientist, Dr. Crowe is also passionate about mentoring. He has received awards for mentoring postdoctoral fellows at Vanderbilt and has trained a large number of successful scientists at the pre- and postdoctoral level, with many of his trainees obtaining faculty positions at Vanderbilt and elsewhere.

Dr. Crowe is Professor of Pediatrics, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and the Ann Scott Carell Chair at Vanderbilt University, where he is also Director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center. Dr. Crowe was elected to the ASCI in 2004, the Association of American Physicians in 2009, and the National Academy of Medicine in 2014. In 2016, he was awarded Vanderbilt University’s John H. Exton Award, for research leading to innovative biological concepts.

Election of new members, 2017

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The ASCI is pleased to report the results of a recent ballot to the Active segment of the membership, which asked voters to approve the Council’s recommendations for membership nominees to be elected this year. The vote, audited and confirmed late last week, returned overwhelmingly in favor of the recommendations.

The ASCI will welcome 64 new members this year. This new class of members is a remarkable and accomplished group of physician-scientists representing a diverse range of disciplines, specialties, and institutions.

The ASCI’s class of 2017

Member Institution Specialty
Abdulkadir, Sarki A. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Pathology
Alizadeh, Ash Stanford University School of Medicine Internal Medicine
Arora, Vineet M. University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine Internal Medicine
Auerbach, Andrew D. University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine Internal Medicine
Bass, Adam J. Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Medical Oncology
Behrens, Edward M. University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Pediatrics
Beroukhim, Rameen Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Medical Oncology
Bilimoria, Karl Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Surgical oncology
Bose, Ron Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine Oncology
Bowler, Russell Paul National Jewish Health Internal Medicine
Calakos, Nicole Duke University School of Medicine Neurology
Chandarlapaty, Sarat Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Internal Medicine
Chi, Ping Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Medicine
Corcoran, Ryan B. Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Oncology
Crompton, Peter D. NIH, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Internal Medicine
Cypess, Aaron M. NIH, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Internal Medicine
Diehn, Maximilian Stanford University School of Medicine Radiation Oncology
Dimick, Justin University of Michigan Medical School Surgery
Dransfield, Mark T. University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Internal Medicine
Feldman, Brian J. Stanford University School of Medicine Pediatrics
Feldstein, Ariel E. University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine Pediatrics
Fernandez-Zapico, Martin E. Mayo Clinic Cancer Biology
Fornoni, Alessia University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Internal Medicine
Fry, Terry J. NIH, National Cancer Institute Pediatrics
Galindo, Rene L. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Pathology
Gleason, Thomas L. G. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Surgery
Greka, Anna Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women’s Hospital Medicine
Habtezion, Aida Stanford University School of Medicine Medicine
Haining, W. Nicholas Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Pediatrics
Han, MeiLan University of Michigan Medical School Pulmonology
Herzog, Erica L. Yale School of Medicine Pulmonology
Jaffrey, Samie R. Weill Cornell Medical College Pharmacology
Jagsi, Reshma University of Michigan Medical School Radiation Oncology
Kirkpatrick, Beth Diane University of Vermont College of Medicine Internal Medicine
Kottilil, Shyamasundaran University of Maryland School of Medicine Internal Medicine
Krupnick, Alexander S. University of Virginia School of Medicine Surgery
Kundu, Mondira St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Pathology
Kurtis, Jonathan David Brown University Medical School Pathology
Lam, Wilbur A. Emory University School of Medicine Pediatrics
Liu, George Y. Cedars Sinai Medical Center Pediatrics
Lovly, Christine M. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Medical Oncology
Machado, Roberto University of Illinois at Chicago Internal Medicine
Majeti, Ravindra Stanford University School of Medicine Internal Medicine
Mody, Lona University of Michigan Medical School Aging
Musunuru, Kiran University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Cardiovascular Medicine
Muthukumar, Thangamani Weill Cornell Medical College Nephrology
Pandrea, Ivona University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pathology
Parikh, Samir M. Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Medicine
Patel, Manesh R. Duke University School of Medicine Cardiovascular Disease
Perencevich, Eli N. University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Internal Medicine
Phipatanakul, Wanda Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital Pediatrics
Ramalingam, Suresh Sakkarai Emory University School of Medicine Medical Oncology
Richards, John Brent McGill University Faculty of Medicine Epidemiology
Sampson, John H. Duke University Medical Center Neurosurgery
Sarantopoulos, Stefanie Duke University School of Medicine Medicine
Schaaf, Christian P. Baylor College of Medicine Medical Genetics
Schimmer, Aaron David University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Internal Medicine
Seeley, William Ward University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine Neurology
Sipkins, Dorothy Duke University Medical Center Cancer Biology
Steinman, Michael A. University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine Geriatrics
Wang, Liewei Mayo Clinic Cancer Biology
White, Douglas Blakemore University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Critical Care Medicine
Wolf, Matthew Joseph University of Virginia School of Medicine Internal Medicine
Yang, Xiangdong William University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine Psychiatry