ASH News Daily 2017 - Issue 1 - B-18

ASH NEWS DAILY

Page B-18

Saturday, December 9, 2017

minority recruitment initiative

A Career Devoted to Bettering the Quality of Life of
SCD Patients and Promoting Diversity in Hematology

etty S. Pace, MD, of Augusta
University is the first recipient of the ASH Award for
Leadership in Promoting Diversity.
This new award recognizes hematologists who have supported the

development of an inclusive hematology workforce, encouraged the
career development of underrepresented minority trainees, or made
a commitment to inclusiveness
through contributions in support of

the Society's mission. Dr. Pace will
be formally recognized at the Announcement of Awards on Sunday,
December 10, at 1:30 p.m. (Georgia
World Congress Center, Building C,
Level 1, Hall C2-C3).

HELP SHAPE
HEMATOLOGY
HEALTH-CARE
POLICY.
APPLY TO BECOME AN
ASH® CONGRESSIONAL FELLOW!
This fellowship aims to provide education about the policy-making
process, as well as teach fellows about Congress' relationship
with the hematology community. The selected hematologist will
work for a full academic year in a Congressional office on Capitol
Hill and help shape hematology health-care policy.

Stop by ASH Booth #1933
for more information!

Dr. Pace is a prominent national
sickle cell disease (SCD) researcher.
She is the interim chief of pediatric
hematology/oncology, Francis J.
Tedesco Distinguished Chair, and
director of the Pediatric Sickle Cell
Program at Augusta University. She
also serves as
professor of
pediatrics,
biochemistry
and molecular
biology,
and graduate
studies at the
same institution.
Dr.
Pace
started
her
i l l u s t r i o u s Betty S. Pace, MD
career with the goal of becoming
a biochemist to conduct research
related to SCD. During college,
she changed her career goal to becoming a physician since it would
allow her to provide medical care
for children and ultimately to conduct research in a medical context.
She ultimately chose hematology
as a subspecialty after completing
her pediatric residency, in order to
conduct SCD-related research. Dr.
Pace's research is focused on the
molecular control of hemoglobin
expression during hematopoiesis
and is motivated by a personal desire to develop new treatment options for individuals with SCD.
"As a teenager growing up in the
small town of Racine, Wisconsin, I
was exposed to SCD and its devastating effects in the African American community," she states. "The
landmark event in my life was the
death of a close friend during our
middle school years after a severe
stroke complication of SCD."
Over the past two decades, Dr.
Pace's lab has conducted research
to discover pharmacologic agents
that induce fetal hemoglobin as a
strategy to treat SCD. She is proud
of the progress they have made
and explained that, while several
agents have been active in preclinical mouse models and have subsequently been tested in clinical
trials, several others are under development for U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approval.
»» DR. PACE Page B-26

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASH News Daily 2017 - Issue 1