The Incyte Ingenuity Awards in GVHD^TM

Dr Catherine Lee is an Associate Professor, Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and serves as Associate Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She is a medical oncologist with clinical expertise in blood and marrow transplantation and cellular therapy. Dr Lee dedicates her clinical and research efforts to treating late complications of blood and marrow transplantation, with a particular focus on chronic GVHD. Her research portfolio includes design of clinical trials to mitigate cGVHD and other late effects of stem cell transplantation, implementing interventions to improve access to high-quality post-transplant care, and optimizing quality of life.

Marti Cowden is a community volunteer, caregiver and mother. She serves as the Executive Vice President of the Meredith A. Cowden Foundation, a non-profit organization that bears her daughter’s name. Marti co-founded the Meredith A. Cowden Foundation with her husband while being a full-time caregiver to Meredith, who was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia in 2001. The organization works to increase education and support for patients, as well as promote research and novel treatments for GVHD. Marti plays a key role in managing the Foundation's daily operations, fundraising efforts and strategic planning. Marti has held a variety of roles throughout her diverse career, from travel agent to President of a local women’s service organization. She continues to provide support for Meredith’s chronic GVHD and is an admirable advocate in the GVHD community. Marti's efforts have made the Meredith A. Cowden Foundation's GVHD National Symposium a leading event for sharing the latest advances in chronic GVHD treatment and management.

Dr Pooja Khandelwal is a member of the Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and serves as Associate Professor in the UC Department of Pediatrics. She graduated from Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, India, completed her residency at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, and completed her fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Dr Khandelwal is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist specializing in bone marrow transplantation for hemoglobinopathies, malignancies and metabolic disorders. She also runs a multidisciplinary clinic focused on taking care of children with chronic GVHD. Her research interests focus on restoring and maintaining intestinal homeostasis in patients during the peri-transplant period. Her goal is to reduce the incidence of GVHD by using a variety of approaches, such as administration of specific nutritional compounds and modification of the intestinal microbiome. Dr Khandelwal and her organization were also recipients of the 2022 Incyte Ingenuity Awards in GVHD. Learn more about her award-winning project.

Susan Stewart is the Founder and Executive Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Information Network (BMT InfoNet). BMT InfoNet is a not-for-profit organization that provides information and support services to bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cell and cord blood transplant (hematopoietic cell transplant) recipients before, during and after treatment. At BMT InfoNet, Stewart oversees all operations, and as a transplant survivor herself, she brings great insight and perspective to her work. She is widely considered a vital resource to the entire transplant community. Stewart also authored Bone Marrow and Blood Stem Cell Transplants: A Guide for Patients; Autologous Stem Cell Transplants: A Handbook for Patients; Graft-versus-Host Disease: What to Know, What to Do; and CAR T-Cell Therapy: What to Expect Before, During and After – all of which are used extensively by transplant centers throughout the U.S. and Canada to educate patients. Stewart holds a degree in Sociology/Urban Affairs from Northwestern University.

Jodi Nelc is a GVHD patient advocate and former caregiver to her youngest daughter, Victoria, who was diagnosed with very severe aplastic anemia (VSAA) and developed GVHD following a bone marrow transplant. Jodi was a dedicated caregiver to her daughter throughout her years battling GVHD, which fueled her compassion for the many GVHD patients seeking support and answers to establish Facebook support groups dedicated to these patients and their caregivers. Since Victoria’s passing in 2014, Jodi has continued her important work, directly impacting the lives of thousands of patients and families. Jodi has established public forums and groups dedicated to late-stage GVHD, caregivers, and women’s and men’s sexual health post-BMT with GVHD, among many others. Jodi holds dual bachelor's degrees in marketing and management, with minors in International Studies and Computer Information Systems. She is the inaugural recipient of the National GVHD Patient Advocate Award bestowed on her by the Meredith A. Cowden Foundation.