News Release
Sushant Kumar
Sushant Kumar, PhD

Sushant Kumar, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in Hematology and Oncology, has been recognized as one of nine emerging scientists for the 2022 Young Investigator Draft Class by Uplifting Athletes, a nonprofit organization that funds collaborative basic bench research in order to positively impact treatments and potential cures for the rare disease community. The Young Investigator Draft, inspired by the NFL Draft, recognizes the next generation of promising young medical researchers in the rare disease space. Kumar was nominated by the Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation and is the recipient of a $20,000 unrestricted grant prize for rare disease research. He joined the laboratory of Daria V. Babushok, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of Hematology and Oncology, to conduct his postdoctoral research on rare bone marrow failure disorders. His long-term goal is to become an independent investigator and to apply his research training to solve the challenging scientific problems in rare immune diseases.

 


Elle Lett
Elle Lett, PhD Photo Credit: Hannah Yoon

Elle Lett, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow and medical student, won the 2021 Rising Black Scientists Award for a post-graduate scholar by Cell Press and Cell Signaling Technology. For the award, Cell asked emerging Black scientists to share the experiences that sparked their interest in life sciences, their vision, and goals, and how they want to contribute to a more inclusive scientific community. Lett was chosen by a selection committee of Cell Press editors and an academic advisory board comprised of scientists and scholars who all recognized her potential and were moved by her insightful essay. Read Lett’s story here.

Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.

The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $550 million awarded in the 2022 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of “firsts” in medicine, Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries and innovations that have shaped modern medicine, including recent breakthroughs such as CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities stretch from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. These include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.

Penn Medicine is an $11.1 billion enterprise powered by more than 49,000 talented faculty and staff.

Share This Page: