Erica Sparkenbaugh, PhD, assistant professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology, and Robert Lee, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the department of biochemistry and biophysics, have been selected to receive Scholar Awards from the American Society of Hematology’s (ASH).
The prestigious ASH Scholar Awards provide financial support to fellows and junior faculty with dedicated careers in hematology research, as they transition from training programs to careers as independent investigators. Sparkenbaugh received a $125,000 award to support her research into the mechanisms of thrombin generation and end-organ failure in sickle cell disease. Lee received a $100,000 award to support his project investigating how low platelet counts and platelet transfusion impact bleeding and thrombosis in the context of anti-platelet therapy. Both are members of the UNC Blood Research Center.
The ASH Scholar Awards are made possible through support from the ASH Foundation as well as from the corporate community, individual donors, and funds committed by the Society. The program funds hematologists in the United States and Canada who conduct basic, translational, and clinical research that furthers the understanding and treatment of blood disorders.
“For many scientists, attaining early funding for their research is a turning point, not only providing financial support but also showing that ASH believes in their potential to make impactful discoveries,” said 2020 ASH President Stephanie Lee, MD, MPH, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. “For more than 30 years now, ASH has been supporting fellows and early career faculty with Scholar Awards. Recipients of these prestigious awards have gone on to distinguished careers, receiving more than $1 billion from various funding institutions and becoming leaders in our field. Congratulations to all the awardees.”
The American Society of Hematology is the world’s largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood.