Research Grant Recipients

The Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) offers Research Grants to new investigators and investigators with established track records in conducting research in acquired aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. 

2008

AA&MDSIF received nearly twenty applications from researchers around the world, each reviewed and scored by members of our volunteer Medical Advisory Board.  Funding allowed us to select three grants this year, one in aplastic anemia, one in MDS, and one that looks at bone marrow failure disease in general.

Lisa Minter, PhD of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, who lost a young daughter to aplastic anemia and knows all too well the importance of research in this field, has been awarded a grant to study "Evaluating PKC-0 as a therapeutic target in a mouse model of severe aplastic anemia."  Dr. Minter is a new investigator who will speak about her research and other research on aplastic anemia as part of a panel at the Patient and Family Conference the end of July.  Her grant has been supported by the Torry Yahn Research Study. 

The Spielberg Research Grant is supporting the research of Benjamin Braun, MD, PhD of the University of California San Francisco.  Dr. Braun will be conducting research into "Mechanisms and therapy of anemia caused by activating k-ras mutuation."  As one reviewer noted, Dr. Braun’s research is clinically relevant because the effects of k-ras muations on anemia (by whatever mechanism) may be able to be changed.

Thanks to the generosity of several major donors, Jaroslaw Maciejewski, MD, PhD of the Cleveland Clinic will receive a grant to study "Identification of Mutations in C-Cbl as Pathogenetic Factors in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome."  This exciting research will look at the the type and frequency of mutations in the gene c-Cbl in the pathogenesis of some patients with MDS.

2006 and 2007

Earl J. Goldberg Aplastic Anemia Foundation Research Study

Holly Cataldo Research Study

Lindsay Minelli Research Study

Marissa Marie Amuso Research Study
Jack Byrne Research Fund

PNH Research and Support Foundation Research Study