NBDF’s newest research fellowship program is named in honor of Dr. Jeanne Marie Lusher, a distinguished clinician and researcher. Dr. Lusher’s tremendous impact on the blood disorders community began in 1961 when she helped to diagnose a young girl with a rare instance of hemophilia. As a researcher, she focused on inhibitor development in factor VIII patients. Along with a colleague, she was the first to identify inhibitors as antibodies to factor VIII in 1966. She authored more than 270 peer-reviewed papers, nine books and more than 60 book chapters. Dr. Lusher also chaired or co-chaired numerous scientific symposia and congresses in US and abroad.

Established by NBDF in 2021, the Jeanne Marie Lusher (JML) Diversity Research Fellowships will provide $52,000 per year for a total of three years to support new clinicians and researchers as well as those who may be in a fellowship program demonstrating interest in basic science and pre-clinical research blood disorders with the exception of thrombophilia.

JML Fellowship aims to increase diversity among benign hematologists by fostering a career-long interest in inherited bleeding/blood disorders (IBDs). It is open to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) who are enrolled in a doctoral program in a biomedical field relevant to inheritable bleeding/blood disorders. The goal of this Fellowship is to identify clinicians from under-represented communities and genders early in their career and establish an interest in IBDs that will sustain them throughout their careers.

Focus

The JML seeks research applicants who are early in their career and interested in the field of inherited blood disorders. The scope of this Fellowship will be broad to include a range of topics from pre-clinical or basic science research to translational science on the biochemical, genetic, or hematologic aspects of inherited bleeding disorders including but not limited to hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, rare factor deficiencies, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia to health inequities faced by the inherited bleeding disorders community, joint disease/orthopedics, women’s health, pain management, or other therapeutics modalities pertaining to bleeding disorders.

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates for the JML Fellowship must be enrolled in a doctoral program in a biomedical research field relevant to bleeding disorders. Fellowship candidates will be 1) BIPOC or individuals from gender, racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the hematologic field and 2) enrolled in a doctoral program (MD/PhD) or a fellowship program (MD or MD/PhD) in a biomedical research field relevant to inherited bleeding/blood disorders. 

  • MD/PhD candidate students may apply in their 2nd year of the PhD portion of their program or beyond
  • MD or MD/PhD hematology fellows may apply in their 1st year of fellowship if actively engaged in a bleeding disorder related research project. 
  • Established investigators or faculty members are ineligible. 

 

The application cycle will not be opened in 2024.

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The JML Fellowship recipient will be expected to spend at least 80% of their working time on the funded research project.

The JML requires letters of intent (LOI) as part of the application process. LOIs should be addressed to “Members of NBDF’s Research Review Committee,” be 1 to 1.5 pages in length, include a brief introduction of the candidate/researcher and ability to meet eligibility criteria, information about his/her mentor, and a brief description of the proposed research project. Letters must be accompanied by a CV (NIH-style biosketch preferred) for both the candidate and his/her mentor and submitted as a single PDF.

LOIs are evaluated by members of NBDF’s Research Review Committee and collectively decide which candidates should be invited to submit a full application. All interested candidates need to submit a ‘Letter of Intent’ (LOI) by the posted deadline.

Inquiries

All other inquiries regarding this or any other of NBDF's research grant programs can be addressed to Samantha Carlson, LMSW, Director of Research scarlson@hemophilia.org.