Justin Taylor, M.D., an assistant professor with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Miller School of Medicine in the Division of Hematology, is among an elite group of 17 early-career physician scientists who will receive more than $8.4 million in grants to advance their clinical research.

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s 2021 Clinical Scientist Development Awards provide grants of $495,000 over three years to advance the recipients’ research and support their transition to independent clinical research careers. Dr. Taylor, who is also a member of the Cancer Epigenetics Program, was recognized for his research, “Investigating Mechanisms of Resistance to Non- Covalent BTK Inhibition in Patients with B-Cell Malignancies.”

“We are studying a new generation of drug that inhibits Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) in a different manner than the currently approved BTK inhibitors. This new generation inhibitor is more selective for BTK and can overcome one of the main resistance mechanisms to the older generation of inhibitors,” Dr. Taylor said. “This means they are likely to be more effective and have fewer side effects. So far, they look really promising in clinical trials that are currently in Phase 1 and Phase 2.”

Since receiving the award, Dr. Taylor and colleagues have published their initial findings in the New England Journal of Medicine based on research funded by the award.