NMDP/Be The Match and the CIBMTR, leaders in Cell Therapy research, provide the award to support future leaders and accelerate progress in cell and gene therapy development.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., October 2, 2023 – The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match, a leader in cell therapy research and educational support for future leaders, announced that Edward Owusu Kwarteng, Ph.D., BSc, MSc, received the ASH-CIBMTR-ASTCT Career Development Award, part of the ASH Minority Hematology Fellow Award (MHFA) program. This award is exclusively for clinical and translational researchers who plan to practice hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy clinical patient care.
The CIBMTR is a research collaboration between the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match® and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). The award is part of a program to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the next generation of medical professionals.
“NMDP/Be The Match is proud to provide Dr. Kwarteng mentorship and support research with ASH and the CIBMTR that will positively impact patients and expand representation in our field,” said Stephen Spellman, Vice President, Research, NMDP/Be The Match. “We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion in our field are essential to innovation and advancing of cell and gene therapies.”
Dr. Kwarteng works as a postdoctoral researcher in stem cells and metabolism for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, He focuses on the fundamental question of how glycolysis operates in vivo in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and other cells. His work has the potential to drive breakthroughs in the metabolism field, for HSCs and any cell type. A native of Ghana, Dr. Owusu Kwarteng earned his bachelor’s degree in laboratory technology from the University of Cape Coast and his masters in systems and synthetic biology at the University of Paris, France. He joined Dr. Krista Heinonen’s lab at INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier in Laval, Quebec, Canada, where he earned his Ph.D. in immunology and virology.
“Along with our partner organizations, the CIBMTR is committed to supporting the career development of our next generation, who are advancing cellular therapies and expanding access to life-saving care. In so doing, we believe we can successfully build a more diverse workforce in this field,” said Jeffery Auletta, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Director, CIBMTR NMDP.
The award enrolls Dr. Kwarteng in the American Society for Transplant and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) Leadership and the ASTCT Clinical Research Training courses and includes membership on the ASTCT Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. Kwarteng receives registration for the 2023 Tandem Meetings: Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR. Additionally, Dr. Kwarteng will be invited to present research findings during the Promoting Minorities in Hematology event at the ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition.
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