New Grant Encourages Protected Research Time for Medical Fellows

(WASHINGTON, July 8, 2008) – The American Society of Hematology (ASH) is proud to announce the first recipients of the ASH Research Training Award for Fellows, a new program that encourages junior researchers to pursue careers in academic hematology by supporting protected time to conduct research during their fellowship training.

A report on the state of U.S. hematology training programs published in Blood in 2004 indicates that many programs find it difficult to provide meaningful protected time for fellows to do research. Currently, research training accounts for less than 50 percent of the total educational experience in most programs.

"Some of the field's most promising junior researchers have been selected for this award. By providing increased opportunities to perform research during training, these researchers develop and fine-tune the skills that may potentially lead them to making substantial medical breakthroughs in the future," said ASH President Kenneth Kaushansky, MD, of the University of California - San Diego School of Medicine.

The 2008 Research Training Award for Fellows recipients are:

Dale Bixby MD, PhD, University of Michigan
Jonathan Gerber, MD, Johns Hopkins University
Nicole Hasbrouck, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Troy Lund, MD, PhD, University of Minnesota
Stephanie Massaro, MD, MPH, Yale University

This program provides grants of $50,000 for a one-year period to third- and fourth-year trainees.

To arrange an interview with a Research Training Award for Fellows recipient, please contact Becka Livesay, ASH Communications Assistant, at 202-776-0544 or rlivesay@hematology.org.

The American Society of Hematology (www.hematology.org) is the world's largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders. Its mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems, by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology.

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