Announcing ASH-AMFDP Award Recipients
Application Process Open for Visitor Training Program
ASH Directions
UP FRONT
ASH Joins Medical Groups in Expressing Concern Over Immigration Executive Order
President Donald Trump ’ s executive order of January 27 , which suspended “ issuance of visas and other immigration benefits ” to nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries , spurred a vigorous national debate and drew a swift response from scientific and medical specialty organizations .
On February 1 , the American Society of Hematology ( ASH ) – along with six other hematology and oncology societies – issued a statement ( hematology . org / Newsroom / Press-Releases / 2017 / 7076 . aspx ) expressing “ deep concern ” about this executive order and urged the Administration to consider the negative impact it will have on the nation ’ s ability to attract the world ’ s best scientific and clinical talent .
In addition , as a member of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies ( CMSS ), ASH joined more than 30 other groups in supporting the CMSS Position on International Collaboration in Medicine ( cmss . org / new / cmss-position-oninternational-collaboration-in-medicine ).
ASH also joined more than 50 medical groups in signing on to the Association of American Medical Colleges ’ February 1 letter to President Trump and was one of a dozen signatories to the American College of Physicians ’ February 8 letter to Secretary of Homeland Security the Hon . John F . Kelly on this same issue . Both letters can be found in the “ Testimony and Correspondence ” section of ASH ’ s website ( hematology . org / Advocacy / Testimony . aspx ).
Announcing ASH-AMFDP Award Recipients
ASH has selected Justin Taylor , MD , from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , and Roger Belizaire , MD , PhD , from Brigham and Women ’ s Hospital , to participate in the ASH- Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program ( ASH-AMFDP ).
Designed to increase the number of underrepresented minority scholars in the field of hematology with academic and research appointments , the ASH-AMFDP is a component of the ASH Minority Recruitment Initiative , which is supported by the ASH Foundation . The ASH- AMFDP provides four-year research awards , including an annual stipend of up to $ 75,000 and an annual research grant of $ 30,000 , for a total of $ 420,000 over the course of the program . Drs . Taylor and Belizaire will spend at least 70 percent of their ASH-AMFDP-funded research under the mentorship of senior faculty at their respective institutions .
Both awardees will study biological and mechanistic effects of genetic mutations that could potentially be harnessed as therapeutic targets for hematologic malignancies . They will begin their projects in July 2017 .
Application Process Open for Visitor Training Program
Deadline Approaching for ASH Program for Hematologists in Latin America
The Latin American Training Program ( LATP ) is accepting applications until March 10 , 2017 . LATP provides funding for hematologists or hematology-related health-care professionals in Latin America to receive up to 12 weeks of training in one of the following areas :
• Flow Cytometry and Molecular Biology Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto , Brazil
• Adult Stem Cell Transplantation Hospital Maciel in Montevideo , Uruguay
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Coagulopathies Instituto Estadual de Hematologia ( HEMORIO ) in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
The Visitor Training Program ( VTP ) provides funding for hematologists or hematology-related health-care professionals in the developing world to receive training on a specific topic or technique for up to 12 weeks . Training is carried out in the clinic or laboratory of an ASH member under his or her supervision and mentorship .
According to Lekidelu Taddesse-Heath , MD , from Howard University , who mentored past awardee John Kuadzi , MD , from the University of Ghana , the benefits of the program are farreaching . Dr . Kuadzi spent seven weeks training with Dr . Taddesse-Heath , gaining knowledge on how to perform and interpret peripheral smears and bone marrow aspirates , which he used to develop a curriculum to train students at his own institution . Of the experience , Dr . Taddesse-Heath remarked :
“ I have witnessed the remarkable educational value of the VTP program and the great potential for hematology capacity building in developing countries . I personally found the program very rewarding . I highly recommend it for those who are considering serving as a host .”
Visit hematology . org / Awards / Career- Training / 436 . aspx for application information . Mentors are also encouraged to apply . The application deadline is April 10 , 2017 .
• Thrombosis and Hemostasis Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile in Santiago , Chile
• Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation ( Chile ) Hospital Dr . Luis Calvo Mackenna in Santiago , Chile
• Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation ( Mexico ) National Institute of Pediatrics Mexico DF , Mexico
Upon completion of the training , participants return to their home institutions to implement the skills and knowledge they have learned , ultimately helping advance hematology patient care across the region .
Visit hematology . org / Awards / Career-Training / 3061 . aspx for application information . ●
12 ASH Clinical News March 2017