National, March 26: DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden has awarded the 2026 DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award to Robert Negrin, MD, Professor of Medicine at Stanford School of Medicine, in recognition of his pioneering contributions to blood cancer research and his dedication to mentoring future scientists.
The award was presented at the Annual Conference of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) in Madrid. DKMS also honoured four promising early-career researchers with the prestigious DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2026, supporting innovative work in blood cancer and hematopoietic disorders.
Commenting on the recognition, Marcel van den Brink, MD, PhD, President of the City of Hope Cancer Center and Chair of the DKMS Medical Council, said, “Dr. Negrin’s groundbreaking research has significantly advanced the treatment of blood cancer and deepened our understanding of immune-mediated rejection mechanisms.”
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) remains one of the most effective treatments for hematological diseases such as leukemia. However, immune T cells play a dual role—while enabling the life-saving graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect, they can also trigger graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), a potentially fatal complication.
A global leader in transplant immunology and current president of the American Society of Hematology, Dr. Negrin has focused his research on a critical question: how to maximise the GvL effect while minimising the risks of GvHD.
In landmark preclinical studies, his team demonstrated that administering regulatory and conventional T cells in precise ratios and at defined time points can prevent GvHD while preserving anti-cancer effects. Decades later, this approach is now nearing clinical application, with the potential to significantly improve the safety and efficacy of stem cell transplants.
Reflecting on his journey, Dr. Negrin said, “When I saw the first results of our research, I was speechless. Today, I look back with gratitude at the many extraordinary people who contributed to this work.” He also underscored his commitment to mentorship, adding that supporting young scientists has been a central part of his career.
As part of the ceremony themed “35 Years of Science at DKMS,” four early-career researchers were awarded the DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2026, with total funding of €240,000:
- Sandeep Raj, MD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA
- Lars Velten, PhD – Centre for Genomic Regulation, Spain
- Satoshi Kaito, MD, PhD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA
- Zhenyu Dai, MD, PhD – Stanford School of Medicine, USA
Their research focuses on next-generation therapies for blood cancer and hematopoietic disorders, including novel biomarkers for personalised stem cell therapies in hemoglobinopathies, innovative cell therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and advancements in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies. These projects also explore ways to optimise CAR-T cell production and enhance treatment efficacy by modulating the tumour immune microenvironment.
Emphasising the importance of nurturing scientific talent, Johannes Schetelig, Director Clinical Research at DKMS and Head of the Stem Cell Transplantation Unit at University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, said, “Supporting the next generation of medical and scientific professionals is an investment in the future. This award highlights that tomorrow’s therapies will depend on excellent research, strong mentorship, and global collaboration—principles that have defined DKMS for 35 years.”
