Young researchers in search of treatments and cures for rare diseases received $140,000 in unrestricted grants at last week’s Uplifting Athletes Young Investigator Draft Presented by CSL Behring.
The 2021 grant recipients include:
Researcher: Peter M.J. Quinn, PhD
Field of Study: Genetics
Institution: Columbia University
Nominated by: Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation
Researcher: Sarah Sheppard, MD, PhD
Field of Study: Genetics
Institution: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Nominated by: Lymphangiomatosis & Gorham’s Disease Alliance
Researcher: Timothy Hines, PhD
Field of Study: Neuroscience
Institution: The Jackson Laboratory
Nominated by: Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association
Researcher: Qinglan Ling, PhD
Field of Study: Genetics
Institution: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Nominated by: Cure SURF1 Foundation
Researcher: Adele Mossa, PhD
Field of Study: Neuroscience
Institution: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Nominated by: DDX3X Foundation
Researcher: Neha Nagpal, PhD
Field of Study: Genetics
Institution: Boston Children’s Hospital
Nominated by: Team Telomere
Researcher: Ukpong Eyo, PhD
Field of Study: Neuroscience
Institution: University of Virginia
Nominated by: SLC6A1 Connect
The seven winning scientists were announced by NFL players who support Uplifting Athletes’ mission to harness the power of sports to raise awareness about rare diseases. Presenters included Ryan Bates (Penn State/Buffalo Bills), Shaun Bradley (Temple/Philadelphia Eagles), Joe Charlton (South Carolina/Carolina Panthers), Brandon Copeland (Penn/Atlanta Falcons), John Lovett (Princeton/Green Bay Packers), Riley Dixon (Syracuse/New York Giants), and Trace McSorley (Penn State/Baltimore Ravens).
“Our Young Investigator Draft shines a spotlight on the critical need for rare disease research and honors researchers who are making an impact,” said Uplifting Athletes Executive Director Rob Long, who survived a rare brain cancer. “We believe these all-star scientists deserve to be lauded with the same excitement and fanfare afforded to college and professional athletes, many of whom partner closely with us to leverage their own platforms to support our mission.”
The Young Investigator Draft is inspired by the NFL Draft, but shifts the focus from the selection of emerging talent on the football field to recognizing the next generation of promising researchers. The draft is one of several signature initiatives created by Uplifting Athletes to raise awareness and research funding for rare diseases. This year’s celebration was held virtually and streamed live across Uplifting Athletes’ social media channels.
Grant submissions for the Young Investigator Draft were thoroughly evaluated by an expert panel of scientific advisors, and advanced through two stages of review prior to final selection. Each of the 2021 grant recipients was nominated by a patient advocacy organization recognized by Uplifting Athletes as a priority partner for this year’s draft, with grants equally co-funded by Uplifting Athletes and the nominating group.
Since its inception in 2018, the Young Investigator Draft has awarded more than $440,000 in grant funding to 25 rare disease researchers across North America. CSL Behring has served as the event’s title sponsor since year one.
“CSL Behring is proud to continue supporting this unique program that builds enthusiasm for the next generation of biotech leaders and the promise of their research,” said Kevin Kovaleski, Vice President, Global Commercial Development, Transplant, CSL Behring. “As a values-based organization, we are really encouraged by this year’s Underrepresented Researchers in Medicine initiative to improve inclusion in medical research.”
The 2021 draft marked the first to highlight Uplifting Athletes’ Underrepresented Researchers in Medicine (URM) initiative. The URM initiative aims to provide opportunities for rare disease researchers from diverse backgrounds, and to celebrate and fund their work through the draft.
