HOUSTON Dr. Malcolm Brenner, director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, a joint program of Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and The Methodist Hospital, will be presented with the 2011 American Society of Hematology Mentor Award at the society’s annual meeting in December.

The award recognizes individuals whose contributions have made a significant and positive impact on their mentees’ careers, resulting in advanced research and patient care in the field of hematology.

“Dr. Brenner is an internationally-recognized leader in gene therapy and adoptive immunotherapy who has made pivotal contributions to these fields since the early 1990s,” said Dr. Donald B. Kohn, professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics, and pediatrics – hematology/oncology at the University of California in Los Angeles, who nominated Brenner for the award. “Complementing Malcolm’s exceptional ability to translate preclinical findings into successful clinical trials is his commitment to mentoring trainees and junior faculty so they can begin to acquire the same skills that propelled his career over the past two decades.”

In letters of support, two of his mentees, Dr. Helen Heslop, professor of medicine and pediatrics – hematology/oncology, and director of the Adult Stem Cell Transplant Program at The Methodist Hospital and Dr. Peggy Goodell, director of the Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, both senior faculty members at BCM and accomplished researchers, attested to his outstanding mentorship.

A former trainee and now colleague of Brenner, Heslop said, “Malcolm’s mentoring efforts are remarkably broad in scope and he provides assistance and advice not only to trainees and investigators at this institution and previous trainees but to numerous other investigators in his field.”

Goodell, who was recruited to BCM by Brenner, said, “He has combined superior intellectual leadership, a commitment to career guidance and a fundamental respect for people to create a research environment where investigators at all stages of development can flourish.”

Brenner has served as director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy since 1998. He is a professor of medicine and of pediatrics – hematology and oncology at BCM, a member of the NCI-designated Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at BCM, as well as the Texas Children’s Cancer Center.

He will receive a $5,000 honorarium and plaque at the annual meeting.

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Thoughtful and rich with advice, The Mentor’s Guide explores the critical process of mentoring and presents practical tools for facilitating the experience from beginning to end. Now managers, teachers, and leaders from any career, professional, or educational setting can successfully navigate the learning journey by using the hands-on worksheets and exercises in this unique resource.

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