Helen M. Ranney Clinical and Translational Science Medal

This medal (formerly the Henry M. Stratton Medal) is named after the late Helen M. Ranney, MD, a recipient of the Martin Luther King Medical Achievement Award, the first woman to chair a department of medicine at a major academic institution, and the first female president of ASH. The medal honors a senior investigator with a years-long and well-recognized history of contributions to clinical/translational hematology research. Both the nominee and nominator for this award must be ASH members. Nominees should be 51 years or older at the nomination deadline.

If you know someone who meets the criteria for this award, please complete and submit a nomination form.

Key Dates

Nomination DeadlineJuly 15, 2026
Award Notification for RecipientsMarch 2027
Presentation of AwardDecember 2027

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Both nominees and nominators must be members of ASH. Not an ASH member? Apply today.
  • Nominees of all nationalities and all countries of residence are eligible; however, all nomination materials must be submitted in English.
  • Nominees should be 51 years or older at the nomination deadline.

Exclusion

  • Self-nominations and posthumous nominations will not be accepted.
  • Past recipients are not eligible for the same award.
  • Recipients may only receive one honorific award per year.
  • Voting members of the ASH Executive Committee and the ASH Awards Committee are ineligible for an honorific award during their tenure.

Additional Guidance

Before getting started, please review the Honorific Award Nomination Guidance document, which provides detailed information about each award and guidance on crafting an effective nomination letter.

The following documents are required in order to submit a nomination package:

  • A completed nomination form
  • A copy of the nominee's current CV or a copy of the nominee's NIH biosketch (preferred) annotated with “Contributions to Science,” if available
  • A two-page letter of nomination summarizing the nominee's contributions to hematology, explaining how those contributions have advanced the field, and describing why the nominee deserves the specific honorific award (please refer to the Honorific Award Nomination Guidance document for recommendations on writing an effective nomination letter)
  • Optional: One additional two-page letter of support will be accepted but is not required; multiple people are allowed to sign one letter.

Award Recipients

Helen M. Ranney Medal Recipients (Formerly the Henry M. Stratton Medal)

The Pioneer Behind the Award Name

Helen M. Ranney

A pioneering physician-scientist in the study of hemoglobinopathies, Helen M. Ranney, MD, (1925-2013) was recognized as a foremost authority in defining the molecular heterogeneity of sickle cell syndromes. Her work was instrumental in shifting the prevailing paradigm from a monolithic view of sickle cell anemia to a more nuanced understanding of its genetic and phenotypic complexities. Her investigations into variant hemoglobin directly informed diagnostic strategies and therapeutic approaches that remain foundational to the current management of inherited anemias.

 

Dr. Ranney was also a transformative figure for gender equity in academic medicine. Following World War II, Dr. Ranney completed her residency and postdoctoral work at Columbia University, where she was one of only five women in a class of 120. She later became the first woman in the U.S. to chair a department of medicine at a major academic institution, the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Ranney was also the first female president of both the Association of American Physicians and ASH. Additionally, she received the Martin Luther King Medical Achievement Award in 1972 and was elected to the National Academy of Science in 1973. 

 

To learn more about Dr. Ranney, please read her profile in The Hematologist.

Questions?

For assistance or more information about the Helen M. Ranney Medal, please contact the Awards Department at awards@hematology.org.