COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) announces the following awards, honors, grants and more that were recently given to the organization, teams or individuals: Poirier elected to 2025 class of AAAS Fellows Michael Poirier, PhD, professor in the Department of Physics at Ohio State and member of the Cancer Biology Program at the OSUCCC – James, is among four Ohio State scientists elected to the 2025 class of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows. The new Fellows will be honored at a forum on May 29 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Poirier was elected for distinguished contributions to the fields of gene regulation and chromatin biology, particularly for biophysical studies of pioneer transcription factors and chromatin dynamics. At the OSUCCC – James, his research focuses on the regulation of gene expression and cell differentiation by pioneer transcription factors and epigenetic factors. AAAS is one of the world’s largest general scientific societies and publisher of the Science family of journals. Fellows are recognized for their achievements across disciplines – from research, teaching and technology, to administration in academia, industry and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public. Rosko delivers prestigious lecture at UK Myeloma Society Spring Day  Ashley Rosko, MD, professor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State and member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, delivered the prestigious Michael Morley Lecture at the UK Myeloma Society Spring Day 2026 held on March 19 in London.  Taking place in the spring and autumn of each year, the event brings United Kingdom and international experts together to explore current practice, emerging evidence and practical approaches to holistic care for people with plasma cell disorders. The Michael Morley Lecture was established through a fund set up by the family of a man who died of myeloma in 1999 after an eight-year battle with the disease. Dr. Rosko’s lecture was titled “How to Assess Frailty in the Real World and Its Impact on Clinical Practice.” At the OSUCCC – James, she focuses on caring for patients with multiple myeloma and plasma cell disorders, with a special emphasis on improving outcomes for aging patients with cancer. She also serves as medical director of the Oncogeriatrics Program and co-directs the multidisciplinary Cancer and Aging Resiliency (CARE) Clinic.   Devarakonda selected as chair-elect for ASCO’s IDEA Steering Group  Srinivas Devarakonda, MD, associate professor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State, was selected to serve as chair-elect of the International Development and Education Award (IDEA) Steering Group for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for the 2026–2027 term. The IDEA program helps advance global oncology by supporting early-career oncologists from low- and middle-income countries through mentorship, education and professional development opportunities. Following his year as chair-elect, Dr. Devarakonda will become chair for 2027-2028 and past chair for 2028-2029, contributing to the program’s growth and impact over a three-year leadership term. At Ohio State, Dr. Devarakonda specializes in treating patients with plasma cell dyscrasias, including multiple myeloma, amyloidosis and Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. Fishel is co-recipient of national award for contributions to cancer research and treatment Richard Fishel, PhD, professor in the Department of Surgery at Ohio State and co-leader of the Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program at the OSUCCC – James, is a co-recipient of the 18th Weinman Award, a national honor given by the University of Hawaii Cancer Center to scientists whose research and innovations have impacted cancer understanding and treatment. Dr. Fishel will share the award with Richard Kolodner, PhD, of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the University of California San Diego for their groundbreaking discovery of the genes responsible for mismatch DNA repair whose alterations cause Lynch syndrome, a hereditary disorder that predisposes to several types of cancer, including colorectal and endometrial cancers. Their discovery has enabled the identification of patients at high risk for these malignancies. Weinman Award recipients are selected by a committee that examines nominations from directors of National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers and by previous awardees who are seminal leaders in cancer research and treatment, including seven Nobel laureates. The award will be presented at the annual Weinman Symposium in Honolulu, where Drs. Fishel and Kolodner will deliver separate keynote addresses in January 2027. At the OSUCCC – James, Dr. Fishel’s research interests include DNA repair and genomic instability in cancer development, the biophysical chemistry of DNA repair, and the development of single-molecule imaging and tracking to understand mechanisms of human disease. Merlin to serve on multi-disciplinary working group for NIH HEAL Initiative®  Jessica Merlin, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Research Excellence in Supportive Care (CREST) at the OSUCCC – James, has been invited to serve as a committee member of the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative® Multi-Disciplinary Working Group (MDWG) from July 2026-July 2030. The HEAL Initiative accelerates scientific solutions to the overdose epidemic, including opioid and stimulant use disorders, polysubstance use and the crisis of chronic pain. HEAL supports basic, translational, clinical and implementation-science research, focusing on the most promising and rapidly translatable solutions to this public health emergency. The initiative is led by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in collaboration with multiple NIH institutes, centers and offices. The HEAL MDWG is a fact-finding body of experts outside the NIH who provide input to guide the initiative.  Dr. Merlin is a professor in the Division of Palliative Medicine at Ohio State and a member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, where her internationally acclaimed research in supportive care focuses on the intersection of pain and substance use in individuals with serious illnesses, particularly cancer.  Mayerson appointed chair of AAOS Advocacy Council Joel Mayerson, MD, professor and director of the Division of Musculoskeletal Oncology in the Department of Orthopaedics at Ohio State, has been appointed chair of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Advocacy Council. The AAOS is the world’s largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. Dr. Mayerson, who also is medical director of perioperative services and medical director of sarcoma services at the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, has been active with the AAOS for nearly two decades, most recently completing his Board of Councilors leadership role and three-year term on the AAOS Board of Directors. As chair of the Advocacy Council, he has leadership capacity within all the AAOS national advocacy committees, including the Office of Government Relations and the Political Action Committee. These groups advocate on behalf of patient-access issues to improve the healthcare system for the benefit of patients and physicians. At Ohio State, Dr. Mayerson’s research focuses on outcomes in orthopedic oncology surgery and innovative surgical techniques that improve patient care. He has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and he has delivered over 125 international, national and regional presentations.    College of Medicine nationally recognized for NIH-funded research in Blue Ridge rankings The Ohio State University College of Medicine (COM) has earned its highest-ever overall position in the annual Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, which are based on funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and are widely regarded as a measure of scientific vitality and research standards among medical and health sciences schools.  Overall, the COM ranked No. 35 among medical schools nationwide, and 12 of its departments ranked in the top 30. Many COM faculty conduct cancer research as members of the OSUCCC – James. The Blue Ridge Institute compiles the analysis of institutions, departments and investigators based on funding they receive from the NIH, the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world. Written by Bob Hecker Media Contact: Mary Ellen Fiorino, MaryEllen.Fiorino@osumc.edu