Deerfield names Danielle Kirkey, M.D., as 2026 winner of the ASH Peter Steelman Scholar Award

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Deerfield Management and the Deerfield Foundation today announced the 2026 recipient of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Peter Steelman Scholar Award prior to Deerfield’s fourth annual Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Summit. Deerfield’s AML Summit convenes industry experts, leaders, and partners across healthcare to further research on this devastating cancer of the bone marrow and blood.

This year, on behalf of her exemplary academic achievements and contributions to AML research, Deerfield honors Danielle Kirkey, M.D., as the recipient of the ASH Peter Steelman Scholar Award.

Dr. Kirkey is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Seattle Children’s and Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Dr. Kirkey’s research focuses on immunotherapeutic targeting of leukemia-restricted antigens in pediatric AML, most notably CLEC2A in KMT2A-rearranged disease, alongside work on PRAME, MSLN, and CD276 (B7-H3) using CAR-T cell and antibody-drug conjugate strategies. She currently serves as Principal Investigator for an upcoming CLEC2A CAR-T cell trial for relapsed/refractory AML, building on research funded by NIH, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Hyundai Hope on Wheels, among others.

“Congratulations to Dr. Danielle Kirkey, whose work on the biology of KMT2A-rearranged AML reflects exactly the kind of early-career research this award was created to support,” said Ross L. Levine, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Chair of the AML Summit. “Peter Steelman believed deeply in investing in the next generation of scientists, and we’re proud to carry that mission forward in his name.”

This year’s AML Summit keynote speaker will be Margaret “Peggy” Goodell, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Director of the Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center at Baylor College of Medicine.  Dr. Goodell will discuss her lab’s work on the epigenetic regulation of hematopoietic stem cells and how age-related mutations, including in DNMT3A, drive the clonal expansion that can precede AML.

“I’m honored to join this year’s AML Summit and to share our lab’s work on how aging stem cells acquire the mutations that can set the stage for leukemia,” said Dr. Goodell. “Bringing together researchers and investors who are this committed to the field is exactly how we accelerate progress for patients.”

The AML Summit will be held on Thursday, October 15, 2026 at Deerfield affiliate Cure^®, a premier healthcare innovation ecosystem headquartered in New York City, and will showcase innovative clinical initiatives and cutting-edge research in AML. Featured speakers will include:

• Margaret “Peggy” Goodell, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine
• Amit Verma, M.D., Chair, Department of Oncology, and Deputy Director, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center; Co-founder, Stelexis Biosciences; Co-founder, Roshon Therapeutics
• Zuzana Tothova, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School, Investigator, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Associate Member, Broad Institute
• Eytan Stein, M.D., Chief of the Leukemia Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Adolfo Ferrando, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Director, Therapeutic Area Genetics-Oncology, Regeneron Genetics Center at Regeneron
• Martin Vogelbaum, Managing Partner, Inning One Ventures
• David Steensma, M.D., FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Ajax Therapeutics
• Rafael Bejar, M.D., Ph.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine, UC San Diego School of Medicine; Director, MDS Center of Excellence
• Thomas G. Roberts, Jr. M.D., Managing Member at Farallon Capital Management
• Clifford Hudis, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.S.C.O., Chief Executive Officer, American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Joe Pearlberg, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President, Scientific Affairs, Deerfield Management
• Ross Levine, M.D. Chief Scientific Officer, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

About AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer that occurs when bone marrow generates immature white blood cells that do not develop normally. Types of AML are defined by the maturity of cancer cells at diagnosis and the degree of their abnormalities. AML is the most common acute leukemia in adults. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2026, approximately 22,720 Americans will be diagnosed with AML and 11,500 will die from the disease.

About the ASH Peter Steelman Scholar Award

Designed by Deerfield Management and Deerfield Foundation in collaboration with the American Society of Hematology (ASH), the ASH Peter Steelman Scholar Award supports exceptional academic research efforts focused on AML and is part of the ASH Scholar Award program. For many researchers, the period between the completion of training and the establishment of an independent career can be a perilous and uncertain time. Since 1985, the ASH Scholar Award program has helped ease this difficult transition by providing support during that critical period required for the completion of training and achievement of status as an independent investigator.

Recipients of the ASH Peter Steelman Scholar Award receive an extensive benefits package from the Deerfield Foundation, including full funding for participation in the ASH Annual Meeting; an annual invitation to and research presentation opportunity at Deerfield Management’s AML Summit; and the opportunity for ongoing collaboration with Deerfield.

Named in honor of former Deerfield Partner Peter Steelman, the ASH Peter Steelman Scholar award commemorates Peter’s lasting impact as a dedicated team member and a compassionate individual who embraced everyone with acceptance and kindness. During his tenure at Deerfield, Peter was instrumental in the creation of Deerfield’s academic network, which today spans more than 20 of the country’s most prestigious institutions. Peter will always be missed and forever remembered.

About the Deerfield Foundation

An affiliate of Deerfield Management, the Deerfield Foundation is a New York City-based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to strive to improve health, accelerate innovation and promote human equity. Since its inception in 2007, the Foundation has formed numerous partnerships and invested in the advancement of children’s health, from clinics in the South Bronx to Nepal. Funds are provided through employee contributions and directly from Deerfield’s profits.

About Deerfield Management

Deerfield is an investment management firm committed to advancing healthcare through investment, intelligence, and philanthropy. The Deerfield ecosystem is headquartered at Cure^®, a premier healthcare innovation campus in New York City, and includes Deerfield Discovery and Development (3DC), the firm’s internal research & development engine, and Deerfield Intelligence, the firm’s data, technology, and artificial intelligence arm. Deerfield works across the healthcare ecosystem to connect people, capital, ideas, and technology in bold, collaborative, and inclusive ways. For more information, please visit www.deerfield.com.

Deerfield contact:

Julianna Santamaria, Manager, Deerfield Foundation

jsantamaria@deerfieldfoundation.com

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SOURCE Deerfield Management Company, L.P.