John Byrd, MD, Receives 2025 Blood Cancer United Excellence in Scientific Service Award

Thanks to decades of scientific progress, more people diagnosed with blood cancer today are being cured, and those who cannot be cured are living longer, fuller lives with more targeted, less toxic treatments. On December 7, 2025, Blood Cancer United^®, formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, recognized five leaders whose groundbreaking work has driven these advancements. Among them was John Byrd, MD, director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, who received the 2025 Excellence in Scientific Service Award.

For more than 75 years, Blood Cancer United has helped accelerate discovery by investing over $2 billion in blood cancer research. That investment becomes transformative when paired with visionary scientists like Dr. Byrd, whose work continues to shape the future of care for patients worldwide.

The Excellence in Scientific Service Award honors scientists who have made a profound impact on the field and shown exceptional commitment to Blood Cancer United’s mission. This year, Dr. Byrd was recognized for his pioneering contributions that have changed the standard of care for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Dr. Byrd joined UPMC Hillman as its director in November 2025 and also serves as associate vice chancellor for cancer affairs at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Throughout his career, he has led groundbreaking research that helped develop targeted therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, replacing decades-old chemotherapy with treatments that are more effective and far less toxic.

His leadership also extends beyond his own laboratory. Dr. Byrd serves as chief medical officer of the Beat AML^® Master Clinical Trial, a precision medicine effort that is redefining treatment for AML. He has volunteered with Beat AML for more than a decade and contributes strategically to Blood Cancer United’s mission as a member of the Advisory Council for the Therapy Acceleration Program, the organization’s venture philanthropy initiative. Byrd earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology, oncology, and bone marrow transplantation at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He completed his translational laboratory training at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and runs a highly translational lab that focuses on chronic lymphocytic leukemia and drug development for blood cancers. Dr. Byrd has played a role in the development of several therapeutics, holds 23 patents, and serves on the advisory boards of seven therapeutics companies, two of which he founded.