FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2019
MILWAUKEE – The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is pleased to announce the recipients of three 2019 Fellowship Awards, which support the next generation of cancer immunotherapy and tumor immunology experts through dedicated funding of novel research.
This year’s awards include the SITC-Amgen Cancer Immunotherapy in Hematologic Malignancies Fellowship Award (a one-year, $100,000 award), the SITC-AstraZeneca Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer (Early Stage NSCLC) Clinical Fellowship Award (a one-year, $100,000 award) and SITC's Holbrook Kohrt, MD, PhD Cancer Immunotherapy Translational Memorial Fellowship Award (sponsored by Genentech) (a one-year, $100,000 award).
The SITC Fellowships, established through the society’s Forward Fund to support efficient translation of immunotherapeutic strategies from the bench to the patient’s bedside, has committed more than $2 million in Fellowship Award opportunities to deserving young investigators since 2014.
“SITC is pleased to support the research of these next generation leaders within the cancer immunotherapy field,” said SITC President Mario Sznol, MD. “Thanks to the generous support of our industry partners, together we are helping turn today’s cancer immunotherapy research into tomorrow’s cure.”
The 2019 SITC Fellowship Award recipients are:
SITC-Amgen Cancer Immunotherapy in Hematologic Malignancies Fellowship Award
Awardee: May Daher, MD
Institution: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Project Title: “CIS checkpoint deletion in cord blood derived iC9.CAR19.IL-15 NK cells to treat B-cell hematologic malignancies”
Award Amount: $100,000 (one year)
SITC-AstraZeneca Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer (Early Stage NSCLC) Clinical Fellowship Award
Awardee: Chen Zhao, MD
Institution: National Institutes of Health
Project Title: “Investigating microbiota-immune interaction in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer”
Award Amount: $100,000 (one year)
SITC's Holbrook Kohrt, MD, PhD Cancer Immunotherapy Translational Memorial Fellowship Award (sponsored by Genentech)
Awardee: Yimin (Victor) Du, PhD
Institution: The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Project Title: “Fine-Tuning Natural Killer Cells to Target T-Cell Resistant Tumors”
Award Amount: $100,000 (one year)
“Every year, my colleagues and I are encouraged by the impressive quality of candidates who apply to SITC Fellowship opportunities, and this year was no different,” said SITC Awards Committee Chair Mary L. Disis, MD, FACP. “We trust the work of Drs. Daher, Zhao and Du will help move the field forward and position these young investigators as the next generation of cancer immunotherapy experts.”
This year’s SITC Named Fellowship Awards were made possible through the generosity of Amgen, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP and Genentech, Inc. The award recipients will be honored during a ceremony at the society’s 34th Annual Meeting on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.
To learn more about current and past SITC Fellowship Award recipients, visit the society’s website, SITC Cancer Immunotherapy CONNECT.
About SITC
Established in 1984, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is a nonprofit organization of medical professionals dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the development, science and application of cancer immunotherapy and tumor immunology. SITC is comprised of influential basic and translational scientists, practitioners, health care professionals, government leaders and industry professionals around the globe. Through educational initiatives that foster scientific exchange and collaboration among leaders in the field, SITC aims to one day make the word “cure” a reality for cancer patients everywhere. Learn more about SITC, our educational offerings and other resources at www.sitcancer.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
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