DRS. RODGER MCEVER AND JAMES BUSSEL RECEIVE THE 2023 HENRY M. STRATTON MEDAL
The Henry M. Stratton Medal is named after the late Henry Maurice Stratton, co-founder of Grune & Stratton, the medical publishing house that first published ASH’s flagship journal, Blood. The prize honors two senior investigators whose contributions to both basic and clinical/translational hematology research are well recognized and have taken place over a period of several years.
Rodger McEver, MD, recipient of the Henry M. Stratton Medal for basic science, is being recognized for his pivotal discovery and characterization of P-selectin and its ligand, PSGL-1, which play crucial roles in bridging the processes of blood clotting and inflammation. Over a career spanning more than 40 years, he has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, obtained over 30 patents, and received extensive NIH support, including a MERIT award. Although he has emphasized the importance of accepting the honor with a “a full measure of humility given the accomplishments of previous recipients,” Dr. McEver has achieved one of the rarest feats among physician scientists, with research extending from the initial discovery of a molecule (i.e., P-selectin) to systematic studies of its structure and function, to its ultimate validation as a key drug target (crizanlizumab).
Dr. McEver, who is now a Distinguished Career Scientist at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), spent the early years of his career focused on developing the first generation of antiplatelet monoclonal antibodies, with his work in this arena leading to the identification and cloning of P-selectin and the subsequent discovery of the mechanisms by which flowing leukocytes and platelets adhere to endothelial cells during inflammation. These initial studies also laid the groundwork for pivotal studies on hemostasis, immune surveillance, and hematopoiesis. By 1992, Dr. McEver and his team had discovered the major ligand for P-selectin on leukocytes; shortly thereafter, they demonstrated that high-affinity binding depends on specific O-linked glycosylation and tyrosine sulfation of a small N-terminal segment of PSGL-1.
In addition to these scholarly pursuits, Dr. McEver cofounded Selexys Pharmaceuticals to advance the development of crizanlizumab for sickle cell disease. At OMRF he served as the chair of the Cardiovascular Biology Research Program from 2007-2017 and as vice president of research from 2017 to 2023. He was co-director of the MD/PhD program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center for 12 years. He is a committed ASH member who has served on several committees, including the Committee on Investment and Audit, and was co-chair of the Scientific Program in 2008. Dr. McEver has also received the Regents’ Award for Superior Accomplishment in Research from the University of Oklahoma, an International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis Investigator Recognition Award, and the Edward and Thelma Gaylord Prize for Scientific Achievement. With work that has had such an impressive impact on the field of hematology, it can be hard to imagine a different career path for Dr. McEver, who had first considered becoming a historian — until he wrote his first historical research paper: “As a student, I loved history. I still do. But I learned that writing a compelling narrative based on examining diverse primary historical materials is very difficult! I retreated to science and medicine.”
When asked what advice he would give to someone else considering hematology as a career, he offered the following: “If you are a physician interested in clinical practice, seek an intensive training program that emphasizes evidence-based medicine. If you are a student or postdoc interested in laboratory research, pick a mentor with high standards who has your welfare in mind. The personal chemistry must be good. For students especially, the research environment is more important than the research subject. Many areas of biology provide solid foundations for research in hematology.”
James Bussel, MD, recipient of the Henry M. Stratton Medal for translational/clinical science, is being honored for his invaluable contributions to the development of agents that increase platelet counts in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and other conditions. His achievements include the groundbreaking discovery that giving intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) to mothers can raise platelet counts in cases of fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) —a treatment now used around the world. Dr. Bussel has increased the understanding of how IVIG treatment prevents platelet destruction in ITP, and his work has played a pivotal role in the development of several medications used to treat thrombocytopenic conditions. As professor emeritus of pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical School, Dr. Bussel continues to be one of the most prominent investigators in the field of pediatric and adult ITP, having written 242 articles, 142 reviews, and 42 chapters to date.
Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of Dr. Bussel’s career, however, has been his extensive work with other researchers and clinicians across the globe. His talent and the ease with which he approaches collaboration have stimulated the development of international consortia for research on ITP and national and international patient support groups that not only disseminate knowledge but encourage participation in research. These efforts have led to the creation of large data banks and have spawned numerous clinical trials. Although he trained as a pediatrician, Dr. Bussel’s research has also included adult populations, and this unique approach has increased the speed with which innovative ITP therapies are studied and approved for children.
In collaboration with basic science investigators, Dr. Bussel demonstrated that the SYK kinase inhibitor fostamatinib increases platelet counts in animal models of ITP by inhibiting platelet phagocytosis. This effect was observed in almost all patients included in his initial phase I/II studies in 2009, prompting two large, blinded, placebo-controlled international trials, which were published in 2019 and led to the approval of fostamatinib for the treatment of ITP.
Beyond sustaining grants from major funding agencies including NIH, he has won several prestigious awards, including the King Faisal International Prize for Medicine in 2012, which has often been considered the “Arab Nobel Prize in Medicine.” On several occasions, Dr. Bussel has joined the Platelet Disorders Support Association (PDSA), ASH, patients with ITP, and their caregivers to meet with members of Congress on Capitol Hill and the heads of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Hematology and Oncology Products to discuss the unmet needs and burden of disease among those with ITP. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, the PDSA Board of Directors has established an ITP Young Investigator Award in his name. When asked to offer a bit of advice to these young investigators and those considering the field, he urged aspiring hematologists to “follow your gut, take advantage of the opportunities presented to you, and contact the people who can help you achieve your goals, even if they rank much higher than you.”
Dr. Bussel has also been an active ASH member, having served as an abstract reviewer, chaired the education session on platelets, and spoken during several education sessions. He also helped to grow the now-established pre-ASH annual meeting breakfast session run by PDSA. Although he cited numerous mentors who have left an indelible mark on his career and shaped his approach to research and practice — including Drs. William Dement, Bill Speck, John Riley, Margaret Hilgartner, Bob McMillan, Ralph Nachman, and Albert von dem Borne — Dr. Bussel recognized without hesitation the one physician-scientist who has had the most outstanding impact on his career: his wife, Charlotte Cunningham-Rundles, MD.
Drs. McEver and Bussel will accept the 2023 Henry M. Stratton Medal at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday in Hall A of the San Diego Convention Center.
