Kim Vanuytsel, PhD, Receives 2024 Scholar Award from the American Society of Hematology
Kim Vanuytsel, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, is one of 36 recipients of the American Society of Hematology’s (ASH) 2024 Scholar Awards. She is one of nine investigators recognized as Basic/Translational Research Junior Faculty Scholars. The award supports early career scientists dedicated to careers in hematology research as they establish themselves as independent investigators. She will receive $150,000 for her research project, “Improving transplantation outcomes through manipulation of hematopoietic stem cell repopulating potential.”
Vanuytsel is a stem cell biologist with expertise in developmental hematopoiesis (the blood cell production process), sickle cell disease and hematopoietic stem cell biology. Her research is focused on developing tools and resources to better understand important concepts in hematopoietic development with the goal of translating this knowledge into the realization of the immense potential that induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and hematopoietic stem cells hold for disease modeling and regenerative medicine.
“The ASH Scholar Award offers crucial support, resources and mentorship to emerging scholars during their transition from training to establishing independent careers as investigators in hematology. Through this award, ASH recognizes their remarkable contributions and acknowledges their potential to transform the field,” said ASH President Mohandas Narla, DSc, of New York Blood Center Enterprises. “For decades, ASH has paved the way for fellows and early career faculty to have a lasting impact on hematology. We congratulate this year’s recipients and are excited to see how they improve the lives of individuals living with blood disorders.”
Originally from Belgium, Vanuytsel obtained her PhD from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven in Belgium), developing a disease model for Fanconi anemia using human pluripotent stem cells. She then joined the laboratory of George Murphy, PhD, at the Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at BU and Boston Medical Center (BMC) for her post-doctoral work.
As a member of BMC’s Center of Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease, Vanuytsel is committed to finding better solutions for its large and diverse sickle cell disease patient population. Leading a research lab physically embedded within the CReM, her goal is to focus on issues at the intersection of stem cell biology, cell therapies and sickle cell disease. Her experience in these diverse but complimentary research fields, has equipped her with a unique perspective and skillset to make meaningful contributions to emerging cell therapies for sickle cell disease patients, and the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a whole.
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. ASH is the world’s largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. For more than 60 years, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training and advocacy in hematology.