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 DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden has awarded the 2026 DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award to Robert Negrin, MD, Professor of Medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine, in recognition of his achievements in blood cancer research and his commitment to supporting the next generation of scientists. “His groundbreaking research has significantly advanced the treatment of blood cancer and has made a major contribution to a better understanding of the mechanisms of immune-mediated rejection reactions,” emphasized Prof. Marcel van den Brink, MD, PhD, president of the City of Hope Cancer Center in Los Angeles and Chair of the DKMS Medical Council. The award was presented during the Annual Conference of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) in Madrid. DKMS also honoured four promising young researchers working on new therapies for blood cancer and diseases of the hematopoietic system. Their projects will be funded by the highly coveted DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2026.
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is currently one of the most effective treatments for haematological diseases such as leukaemia. T cells of the immune system play a dual role in this process: They generate the life-saving graft-versus-leukaemia (GvL) effect by specifically attacking cancer cells, but at the same time cause the potentially fatal graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Robert Negrin, MD, one of the leading scientists in the field of transplant immunology and current president of the American Society of Haematology (ASH), addressed the central question in his research: How can the GvL effect be maximized without risking GvHD?
In pivotal mouse models, Negrin demonstrated that infusing regulatory and conventional T cells in a specific ratio and at a defined time point prevents GvHD, fights cancer, and ensures survival. Twenty-five years later, this concept is now on the verge of clinical implementation for patients with blood cancer, with the aim of improving stem cell transplants and making them safer and better tolerated. “When I saw the first results of our research, I was speechless. Today, I look back on my scientific life’s work and the many extraordinary people who have contributed with gratitude,” Negrin emphasized in his speech at the award ceremony. His commitment to young researchers is also a priority for him: “I’ve had the privilege of supporting talented people from all over the world in their scientific and medical training or as they launch their careers – and of learning just as much from them.”
Supporting young researchers: the future of treatment for blood cancer and blood disorders
At the awards ceremony, held under the theme “35 Years of Science at DKMS,” four early-career researchers were also awarded the DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2026, which comes with a prize of 240,000 euros:
· Sandeep Raj, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA),
· Lars Velten, PhD (Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain),
· Satoshi Kaito, MD, PhD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA),
· Zhenyu Dai, MD, PhD (Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, USA).
The promising research projects focus on new treatment options for blood cancer and disorders of the hematopoietic system, including new potential biomarkers for personalizing stem cell therapies for haemoglobinopathies, as well as new and innovative cell therapies for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). In addition, there are potential avenues for improving therapies using chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells), both through the further development of the CAR-T cell platform and its production, as well as through strategies to modulate the tumour immune microenvironment to enhance therapeutic efficacy.
“Supporting the next generation of medical and scientific professionals is an investment in the future. Through our network, we facilitate vital personal exchanges,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Johannes Schetelig, director clinical research at DKMS and Head of the Department of Stem Cell Transplantation Unit at University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus in Dresden. “This award makes it clear that tomorrow’s blood cancer therapy requires excellent research, personal mentors, and international networking – key factors that have shaped DKMS for 35 years.”
DKMS is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the lives of patients with blood cancer and blood disorders. It was founded in Germany in 1991 by Dr. Peter Harf and has since worked to ensure that more and more patients receive a life-saving stem cell donation. More than 13 million potential donors are registered with DKMS, and to date, the organization has facilitated more than 130,000 blood stem cell donations.
DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden has presented the DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award annually to honor outstanding scientific work by renowned physicians in the field of stem cell donation and transplantation since 2001.The award is named after the late wife of DKMS founder Peter Harf and mother of Katharina Harf, Chair of the DKMS Foundation Board. Mechtild Harf suffered from leukemia and a bone marrow transplant was the only treatment option. However, no suitable donor was found in her family. The mother of two passed away in 1991.
With the DKMS John Hansen Research Grant, up to four young scientists are given the opportunity each year to advance their research projects in the field of stem cell transplantation and cell therapy for blood cancer. The grant awards recipients 240,000 Euro over a period of three years.
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