Biomedical Research News

We are pleased to share the recent article from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, "Training Tomorrow’s Leaders: Graduate Education at GSK", highlighting the work of the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSK). Established nearly twenty years ago, GSK offers a unique environment that brings together outstanding students and world-class scientists to advance discoveries in cancer research. The Foundation remains proud to support this community of emerging scientists as they pursue innovative approaches to understanding and treating cancer. “Opportunities like those provided by GSK empower students to take bold steps in cancer science,” said Mr. Gerstner. “Their curiosity and dedication continue to inspire me, and I take tremendous pride in the discoveries they make about today’s most pressing biological and clinical challenges.”

Memorial Sloan Kettering has announced the 2025 Cohort of the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Physician Scholars Program, honoring four Gerstner Scholars: Brinda Alagesan, MD, PhD, Phillip Choi, MD, PhD, Alexander Goglia, MD, PhD, and Quinlan Sievers, MD, PhD. Established in 2021, the program supports outstanding early-career physician-scientists working to advance translational cancer research. This year also marks the graduation of the program’s inaugural 2022 cohort, with 11 physician-scholars supported to date. Congratulations to the classes of 2025 and 2028!

Zhi “Zack” Zheng, who is scheduled to receive his PhD from the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSK) later this year, has received the 2025 Chairman’s Prize. The prestigious award, established by Louis V. Gerstner Jr., is presented each year to recognize an outstanding first-author publication penned by a GSK student. This year's prize was awarded to Zheng for his research on the function of a protein called SPO11, which creates double-strand breaks in DNA. When they occur, double-strand breaks can lead to genomic instability and cell death. The new system for studying SPO11 activity in the test tube opens the door to answering fundamental questions about the mechanism and control of recombination and will provide new insight into human reproductive health and disease. “This valuable hands-on experience inspired me to study the molecular basis underlying biological processes using biochemical and biophysical tools,” said Zheng. “GSK offered everything I was looking for in a graduate program- a flexible and comprehensive curriculum as well as the chance to work with a group of active and intelligent scientists working across different fields

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has announced the 17th cohort of Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Scholars, honoring four outstanding early-career physician-scientists: Osama Al Dalahmah, MD, PhD; Dominique Bailey, MD, MSEd; Giuseppe Cullaro, MD; and Joel Gabre, MD. Established in 2008, the program supports clinician-investigators conducting innovative translational research to improve human health. 2022 scholar Jennifer Small-Saunders, MD, PhD, has been also received the 2025 Gerstner Merit Award, which provides an additional year of funding to scholars demonstrating exceptional research progress. Since its inception, the program has named 72 scholars and awarded 11 Merit Awards.

We’re pleased to share that the Gerstner Scholars Program in AI Translation at Mayo Clinic has officially launched its new website. The program supports early and mid-career investigators working to accelerate the development and clinical application of artificial intelligence in medicine. The site highlights the program’s unique structure, the inaugural cohort of 10 scholars, and the translational research they are pursuing across diverse areas of clinical care.By supporting promising talent at the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare, the Gerstner Scholars Program aims to help unlock AI’s full potential to improve patient outcomes. Visit the new website to learn more about the program’s goals, scholars, and vision for the future of AI in medicine.