Positioned at the intersection of research and clinical practice, physician-scientists have a unique opportunity for impact in cancer research — yet they face unique challenges ranging from funding obstacles to complex regulatory requirements.
The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research is proud to support many physician-scientists through our grant programs, and we’re thrilled that five of our grantees are among the newest elected members of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI). Membership in the ASCI, which comprises more than 3,000 physician-scientists representing all medical specialties, is granted based on exceptional scholarly achievement in biomedical research.
“Clinician scientists offer a critical bridge between the lab and the patient. ASCI membership is recognition of the impact that these Mark Foundation-supported physician investigators have made on our field and for our patients,” said Mark Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee chair Ross Levine, MD. “Supporting the research of physician-scientists at every stage of their careers helps keep cancer patient outcomes at the forefront and enables the translation of scientific discovery to the clinic.”
Please join us in celebrating these five outstanding Mark Foundation grantees!
Jorge Henao-Mejia, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania
The Mark Foundation Center for Immunotherapy, Immune Signaling, and Radiation at the University of Pennsylvania
As a Mark Foundation for Cancer Research Penn Center Team, Dr. Henao-Mejia is working to better understand and modulate signaling pathways activated in cancer and immune cells in patients treated with radiation therapy.
Tobias Janowitz, MD, PhD, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Endeavor Award: Host Response to Cancer
Dr. Janowitz’s Endeavor Award focused on understanding the body’s systemic response to cancer, including its effects on the neuroendocrine system, immune system, and microbiome, to develop models for predicting disease outcomes and treatment response.
Robert Jenq, MD, City of Hope
Endeavor Award: An International, Multicenter Study to Investigate and Validate Microbiome Configurations and Effectors in CD19-Targeted CAR T Cell Efficacy and Toxicity
As part of a research team spanning two countries and six hospitals, Dr. Jenq worked to expand our knowledge of how the gut microbiome influences CAR T-cell therapy outcomes in order to improve the efficacy and safety of this immunotherapy.
Robbie Majzner, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Cancer Grand Challenges Award: NexTGen: Next Generation T Cell Therapies for Childhood Cancers
As part of the Cancer Grand Challenges NexTGen team, which The Mark Foundation supports alongside Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Majzner is working toward targeted T-cell therapies for pediatric solid tumors.
Daniel Wahl, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Emerging Leader Award: Defining and Interrupting Microenvironment-Driven Metabolic Activity in Brain Cancer
A 2025 Emerging Leader Award recipient, Dr. Wahl is working to uncover the complex pathways that allow brain tumors to grow and identify vulnerabilities that could lead to new and more effective treatments.