Two Dana-Farber Hematologists Receive Top Honors From the American Society of Hematology

The American Society of Hematology is recognizing 11 distinguished hematologists with its most prestigious awards and named lectures, honoring transformative contributions that have advanced research, patient care, and education in blood disorders. Two of this year’s honorees are from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD, and Scott A. Armstrong, MD, PhD.

“ASH is proud to honor hematologists whose vision, leadership, and commitment to patients have driven substantial progress in the field,” said Robert Negrin, MD, ASH President. “Their work has improved the lives of individuals worldwide living with blood diseases by advancing treatment options, improving outcomes, and raising the standard of care.”

Benjamin L. Ebert awarded the Janet Rowley Basic Science Medal

Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has been awarded the Janet Rowley Basic Science Medal by the American Society of Hematology (ASH), one of the Society’s highest honors recognizing long-standing excellence and impact in hematology research.

Named for Janet Rowley, MD, a pioneering leukemia researcher and recipient of both the National Medal of Science and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Janet Rowley Basic Science Medal honors a senior investigator whose work has made major and sustained contributions to basic hematology over the course of at least two decades.

A physician-scientist, Dr. Ebert is being recognized for transformative discoveries that have deepened understanding of blood cancers and pre-cancers and led to meaningful advances in patient care. His research uncovered how thalidomide, lenalidomide, and related drugs work in multiple myeloma and a subtype of myelodysplastic syndrome, helping lay the foundation for a new class of therapies that use targeted protein degradation through molecular glues.

Dr. Ebert also led efforts to identify and characterize RPS14 as a key driver of a subtype of myelodysplastic syndrome. In addition, he helped define the genetics and clinical importance of clonal hematopoiesis, showing that it is not only a common pre-cancer state associated with blood cancers, but also linked to cardiovascular and inflammatory disease. His discoveries have helped reshape the field and have directly informed new approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Scott A. Armstrong awarded the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize

Scott Armstrong, MD, PhD, senior vice president for Drug Discovery and Chief Research Strategy Officer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has been awarded the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize by the American Society of Hematology (ASH), one of the Society’s premier honors recognizing research achievements that have fundamentally changed the field of hematology.

Established in 1992, the lectureship is named for the late Nobel Prize laureate and former ASH President E. Donnall Thomas, MD. The E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize recognizes pioneering discoveries in hematology that have driven a major advance or reshaped understanding in the field.

Dr. Armstrong is being recognized for transformative contributions to the understanding and treatment of leukemia. His seminal research showed that MLL (KMT2A)-rearranged leukemias have a distinct gene expression signature and helped define the cells of origin and epigenetic mechanisms that drive the development of multiple leukemia subtypes.

His work also enabled the identification of new therapeutic strategies for KMT2A-rearranged, NUP98-rearranged, and NPM1-mutant leukemias, including menin inhibitors, a targeted therapy that blocks genetic signals that promote cancer growth. Dr. Armstrong’s extensive research directly contributed to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of menin inhibitors for KMT2A-rearranged and NPM1-mutant leukemias, establishing a new class of cancer therapies and broadening treatment options for many patients.

The awards will be presented during the 2026 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, to be held December 12-15, 2026 in New Orleans, LA.