$150,000 grants serve as a one-year bridge for researchers threatened by federal budget cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

(WASHINGTON, August 19, 2025) – In an effort to counteract federal research funding cuts, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) has substantially expanded its Bridge Grant program – awarding one-year, $150,000 grants to 25 investigators to keep groundbreaking hematology research moving forward at institutions across the country. This year’s Bridge Grant expansion supports five times more researchers than in previous years, reinforcing ASH’s commitment to sustaining innovation and careers in hematology.

The recipients’ research projects range from a basic science study on hematopoietic stem cells that could lead to expanded use of curative stem cell transplantation to exploring new interventions to help identify abnormal uterine bleeding in adolescents.

“It’s an honor to support such a dynamic group of hematology researchers,” said Belinda R. Avalos, MD, ASH President. “While ASH continues to advocate fiercely for robust funding for the National Institutes of Health, the cancellation of study sections and grants has put many investigators in an impossible position. That’s why ASH has invested more than $3.75 million in the Bridge Grant this year to ensure vital research can move forward instead of being stalled.

The ASH Bridge Grant was established in 2012 to help sustain critical blood research amid severe National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding restrictions. The Bridge Grant serves as a lifeline for researchers, supporting investigators with meritorious, but unfunded, NIH grant applications through a one-year grant of $150,000 to awardees.

ASH expanded eligibility for the Bridge Grant earlier this year in response to disruptions to NIH study sections and committed an additional $9 million across ASH’s award funding, adding to the already budgeted more than $12 million in funding for all career stages as part of the Society’s multifaceted initiative to protect hematology research and the care of patients, as well as secure the pipeline of future hematologists. ASH continues to advocate for adequate funding for the NIH as part of its broad #Fight4Hematology campaign.

The ASH Bridge Grant has funded 206 research projects, committing nearly $28 million in awards, since its launch. These projects have advanced the understanding of blood disorders across hematology, including improving therapy for pediatric leukemia, advancing immunotherapy techniques, and measuring the impact of sickle cell disease on cognitive function.

A recent analysis of the program found that nearly 60% of Bridge Grant awardees receive subsequent NIH funding, which is more than double the national average success rate of resubmission funding. As of June 2025, previous awardees have received around $680 million from NIH in the years since receiving funding from ASH through the Bridge Grant.

ASH is launching the new Award for Research Careers in Hematology (ARCH). This new award will be a part of ASH’s increased investment and will build upon the recent changes to the Bridge Grant to expand eligibility. Updates on this and other ASH Awards will be posted on the ASH website.

This year’s awardees include:

Janis Abkowitz, MD, University of Washington, Contributions of aberrant heme-iron trafficking to MDS anemia
Joseph Aslan, PhD, Oregon Health & Science University, Pathway maps of platelet phenotype and function
Leslie Crews, PhD, The Regents of the University of California, San Diego, Core molecular regulators of lipid homeostasis in hematopoietic progenitor cell aging
Agnieszka Czechowicz, MD, Stanford University, Understanding HSC protection in bone marrow conditioning
David Dominguez-Sola, MD, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Discovery of a metabolic escape program advancing targeted therapeutics in Burkitt lymphoma
Michael Elliott, PhD, University of South Alabama, Cytotoxic capacity of antibody-mediated phagocytosis
Steven Josefowicz, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Central innate immune memory in BCG induced tumor immunity: mechanisms and predictors of patient response
Peter Klein, MD, PhD, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Targeting mitophagy through PINK1 splicing in MDS
Ying Liang, MD, PhD, New York Blood Center Enterprises, Sex dimorphism in bone marrow niche and its effect on hematopoietic transplantation
Peisong Ma, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University, GRK5 regulation of GPCR signaling in platelets
Punam Malik, MD, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Role of Fetal Hemoglobin in Hemoglobin-SC form of Sickle Cell Disease
Steven McKenzie, MD, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University, Inflammasome in HIT
Bethany Mundy-Bosse, PhD, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, The impact of TET2 dysfunction on immune surveillance and the development of myeloid disorder
Marvin Nieman, PhD, Case Western Reserve University, The role of protease activated receptors on platelets
Trista North, PhD, Boston Children's Hospital, Biomechanical activation of YAP induces hematopoietic stem cell production
Sarah O'Brien, MD, MSc, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Mobile app technology for identification of abnormal uterine bleeding in early adolescents
Hideyuki Oguro, PhD, University of Connecticut, The role of estrogen receptor signaling in clonal hematopoiesis
Vikram Paralkar, MD, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Regulation of RNA Polymerase I by myeloid transcription factor CEBPA
Seema Patel, PhD, Emory University, Dissecting the germinal center and extrafollicular B cell response to FVIII
Joel Pomerantz, PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Mechanisms of control of lymphocyte activation and proliferation by a critical signaling integrator
Neil Shah, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco, Defining mechanisms of on-target in vitro and clinical resistance to the first highly active allosteric kinase inhibitor
Aristotelis Tsirigos, PhD, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Identify and target epigenetic clones in acute leukemia using combined in silico and in vivo approaches
Edmund Waller, MD, PhD, Emory University, Protective role of indoles derived from the commensal microbiota in GvHD
Marcin Wlodarski, MD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Deciphering the mechanisms of SAMD9L mutations in bone marrow failure
Feng-Chun Yang, MD, PhD, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, The molecular mechanisms underlying PHF6-mutation-mediated hematologic malignancies

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) (hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. Since 1958, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. Join the #Fight4Hematology by visiting hematology.org/fight4hematology.

The ASH Foundation (hematology.org/foundation) supports progress in hematology through charitable funding for research, career development, education, and quality care. Every donation directly supports ASH-sponsored programs, including the #Fight4Hematology.

Contact:
Claire Whetzel, 202-629-5085
cwhetzel@hematology.org

This year’s awardees include:

Janis Abkowitz, MD, University of Washington, Contributions of aberrant heme-iron trafficking to MDS anemia
Joseph Aslan, PhD, Oregon Health & Science University, Pathway maps of platelet phenotype and function
Leslie Crews, PhD, The Regents of the University of California, San Diego, Core molecular regulators of lipid homeostasis in hematopoietic progenitor cell aging
Agnieszka Czechowicz, MD, Stanford University, Understanding HSC protection in bone marrow conditioning
David Dominguez-Sola, MD, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Discovery of a metabolic escape program advancing targeted therapeutics in Burkitt lymphoma
Michael Elliott, PhD, University of South Alabama, Cytotoxic capacity of antibody-mediated phagocytosis
Steven Josefowicz, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Central innate immune memory in BCG induced tumor immunity: mechanisms and predictors of patient response
Peter Klein, MD, PhD, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Targeting mitophagy through PINK1 splicing in MDS
Ying Liang, MD, PhD, New York Blood Center Enterprises, Sex dimorphism in bone marrow niche and its effect on hematopoietic transplantation
Peisong Ma, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University, GRK5 regulation of GPCR signaling in platelets
Punam Malik, MD, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Role of Fetal Hemoglobin in Hemoglobin-SC form of Sickle Cell Disease
Steven McKenzie, MD, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University, Inflammasome in HIT
Bethany Mundy-Bosse, PhD, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, The impact of TET2 dysfunction on immune surveillance and the development of myeloid disorder
Marvin Nieman, PhD, Case Western Reserve University, The role of protease activated receptors on platelets
Trista North, PhD, Boston Children's Hospital, Biomechanical activation of YAP induces hematopoietic stem cell production
Sarah O'Brien, MD, MSc, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Mobile app technology for identification of abnormal uterine bleeding in early adolescents
Hideyuki Oguro, PhD, University of Connecticut, The role of estrogen receptor signaling in clonal hematopoiesis
Vikram Paralkar, MD, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Regulation of RNA Polymerase I by myeloid transcription factor CEBPA
Seema Patel, PhD, Emory University, Dissecting the germinal center and extrafollicular B cell response to FVIII
Joel Pomerantz, PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Mechanisms of control of lymphocyte activation and proliferation by a critical signaling integrator
Neil Shah, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco, Defining mechanisms of on-target in vitro and clinical resistance to the first highly active allosteric kinase inhibitor
Aristotelis Tsirigos, PhD, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Identify and target epigenetic clones in acute leukemia using combined in silico and in vivo approaches
Edmund Waller, MD, PhD, Emory University, Protective role of indoles derived from the commensal microbiota in GvHD
Marcin Wlodarski, MD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Deciphering the mechanisms of SAMD9L mutations in bone marrow failure
Feng-Chun Yang, MD, PhD, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, The molecular mechanisms underlying PHF6-mutation-mediated hematologic malignancies

ASH Bridge Grant Expansion Funds 25 Promising Biomedical Research Projects