MD Anderson announces 2023 class of Andrew Sabin Family Fellows

HOUSTON ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has named 10 early career faculty members to the 2023 class of Andrew Sabin Family Fellows. Established by philanthropist Andrew Sabin through a generous  $30 million endowment in 2015, the Sabin Family Fellowship program nurtures brilliant rising clinicians and scientists to deliver cancer breakthroughs.

Each Sabin Family Fellow will receive $100,000 over two years. This funding frees researchers to pursue novel or high-risk, high-reward scientific endeavors early in their careers when federal and private funding opportunities often are limited.

“The Sabin Family Fellows embody the bold hope we have for the future of cancer research,” said Sabin, a senior member of the
MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors. “Their innovative ideas, relentless pursuit of knowledge and tireless commitment to patient care is inspiring. I believe their work will improve cancer prevention, care and outcomes for cancer patients everywhere.”

Finalists were selected through a rigorous external peer review process. A panel of 37 internationally renowned experts — chaired by Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., director of scientific programs at MD Anderson’s James P. Allison Institute, as appointed by Giulio Draetta, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president and chief scientific officer — participated in the review of the applications. The 2023 class of Sabin Family includes:

Basic/Translational Scientists

• Kristen Pauken, Ph.D., assistant professor, Immunology

• Jihye Yun, Ph.D., assistant professor, Genetics

Clinical Researchers

• Joseph Arthur, M.D., associate professor, Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine

• Qingqing Ding, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, Pathology

• Carl Gay, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology

Physician-Scientists

• Robert Jenq, M.D., deputy department chair and associate professor, Genomic Medicine, and associate professor, Stem Cell Transplantation

• Pavan Bachireddy, M.D., assistant professor, Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancy and Lymphoma & Myeloma, and scientific director, Evolution of Cancer, Leukemia and Immunity Post Stem Cell Transplant (ECLIPSE)

• Tina Cascone, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology

Population/Quantitative Scientists

• Anil Korkut, Ph.D., assistant professor, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology and regular member, Quantitative Sciences

• Nidhi Sahni, Ph.D., associate professor, Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis and regular member, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Since the fellowship was established, 72 Sabin Family Fellows have been named for their distinction and innovation in their respective fields. The work of the Sabin Family Fellows spans the cancer care continuum, from basic science to translational research to survivorship, and is already impacting the lives of patients at MD Anderson.

“We greatly appreciate the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation’s continued support for  MD Anderson’s mission to end cancer,” said President Peter WT Pisters, M.D. “By investing in our young talent and their novel ideas, this generous partnership accelerates crucial cancer breakthroughs and advances practice-changing care for cancer patients around the world. Together, we are Making Cancer History®.”