Source ForPressRelease.com

DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden has awarded the 2026 DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award to Robert Negrin, MD, Professor of Medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine, in recognition of his achievements in blood cancer research and his commitment to supporting the next generation of scientists. “His groundbreaking research has significantly advanced the treatment of blood cancer and has made a major contribution to a better understanding of the mechanisms of immune-mediated rejection reactions,” emphasized Prof. Marcel van den Brink, MD, PhD, President of the City of Hope Cancer Center in Los Angeles and Chair of the DKMS Medical Council. The award was presented during the Annual Conference of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) in Madrid. DKMS also honored four promising young researchers working on new therapies for blood cancer and diseases of the hematopoietic system. Their projects will be funded by the highly coveted DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2026.



Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is currently one of the most effective treatments for hematological diseases such as leukemia. T cells of the immune system play a dual role in this process: They generate the life-saving graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect by specifically attacking cancer cells, but at the same time cause the potentially fatal graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Robert Negrin, MD, one of the leading scientists in the field of transplant immunology and current president of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), addressed the central question in his research: How can the GvL effect be maximized without risking GvHD?



In pivotal mouse models, Negrin demonstrated that infusing regulatory and conventional T cells in a specific ratio and at a defined time point prevents GvHD, fights cancer, and ensures survival.1 Twenty-five years later, this concept is now on the verge of clinical implementation for patients with blood cancer, with the aim of improving stem cell transplants and making them safer and better tolerated.2,3 “When I saw the first results of our research, I was speechless. Today, I look back on my scientific lifes work and the many extraordinary people who have contributed with gratitude,” Negrin emphasized in his speech at the award ceremony. His commitment to young researchers is also a priority for him: “Ive had the privilege of supporting talented people from all over the world in their scientific and medical training or as they launch their careers – and of learning just as much from them.”



Supporting young researchers: the future of treatment for blood cancer and blood disorders



At the awards ceremony, held under the theme “35 Years of Science at DKMS,” four early-career researchers were also awarded the DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2026, which comes with a prize of 240,000 euros:



• Sandeep Raj, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA),



• Lars Velten, PhD (Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain),



• Satoshi Kaito, MD, PhD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA),



• Zhenyu Dai, MD, PhD (Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, USA).



The promising research projects focus on new treatment options for blood cancer and disorders of the hematopoietic system, including new potential biomarkers for personalizing stem cell therapies for hemoglobinopathies, as well as new and innovative cell therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In addition, there are potential avenues for improving therapies using chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells), both through the further development of the CAR-T cell platform and its production, as well as through strategies to modulate the tumor immune microenvironment to enhance therapeutic efficacy.



“Supporting the next generation of medical and scientific professionals is an investment in the future. Through our network, we facilitate vital personal exchanges,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Johannes Schetelig, Director Clinical Research at DKMS and Head of the Department of Stem Cell Transplantation Unit at University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus in Dresden. “This award makes it clear that tomorrows blood cancer therapy requires excellent research, personal mentors, and international networking – key factors that have shaped DKMS for 35 years.”