ASGCT Press Release

ASGT Names Outstanding New Investigators

SAN DIEGO-The American Society of Gene Therapy recently honored three researchers as Outstanding New Investigators in the field of gene therapy.

The 2009 recipients are:

• Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD, medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, for research on reprogramming the body's T cells to fight cancer
• Barbara Savoldo, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, for work on T cell therapies for Hodgkin’s disease and certain lymphomas
• Tatiana Segura, PhD, assistant professor at University of California, Los Angeles, for advancements in nonviral gene delivery

“The strength of science is measured by its future,” said ASGT Advisory Council Chair Donald B. Kohn, MD. “This award recognizes the most promising new investigators and their contributions to the field.”

This year’s winners represent an array of focuses in cell and gene therapy, a diversity ASGT leaders said demonstrates the multifaceted advancements in gene therapy science.

The Outstanding New Investigator award is an annual feature of the ASGT Annual Meeting and recognizes contributions from researchers in their first seven years of a career. Recipients are invited to present at a special symposium and receive a $1,000 award.

The American Society of Gene Therapy (ASGT) 12th Annual Meeting is the world’s largest scientific meeting surrounding the latest developments in gene and cell therapy, attended by nearly 2,000 researchers from around the world and featuring 60 scientific presentations.

The American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) is a professional non-profit medical and scientific organization dedicated to the understanding, development and application of genetic and cellular therapies and the promotion of professional and public education in the field. For more information on ASGCT, visit its website, www.asgct.org.

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