PHILADELPHIA— 10 researchers will each receive an unrestricted grant for medical research at Uplifting Athletes’ Young Investigator Draft on February 1, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Uplifting Athletes is a nonprofit organization that impacts the rare disease community through connections to sports and engaging athletes to generate awareness, inspire hope, and raise funds to support the approximately 1 in 10 Americans impacted by rare diseases. Over $1 million in grants have been awarded throughout the program’s history.
The Young Investigator Draft is inspired by the NFL Draft but shifts the focus from selecting potential talent on the football field to recognizing the next generation of promising young medical researchers in rare diseases. It is one of several signature initiatives created by Uplifting Athletes to raise awareness and research funding for rare diseases, which affect approximately 30 million individuals in the United States.
“It is an honor to partner with 10 patient advocacy organizations to advance rare disease research, and we are overjoyed to celebrate the 2025 Draft class,” said Brett Brackett, President of Uplifting Athletes. “These 10 incredible researchers represent so much promise for tomorrow, and we are honored to have them on our team.”
Grant submissions for the Young Investigator Draft are evaluated by an expert panel of scientific advisors prior to the selection of each year’s Draft Class. Every researcher is nominated by a patient advocacy organization (PAO) recognized by Uplifting Athletes as a priority partner, with grants equally co-funded by Uplifting Athletes and the nominating PAO.
The 2025 Young Investigator Draft class includes:
Researcher: Dr. Helen Reed
Category of Research: Rare Blood Disorders, Rare Genetic Disorders
Institution: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children’s Hospital
Nominated and Co-Funded by: Team Telomere
Researcher: Dr. Samual Ahmadi
Category of Research: Rare Genetic Disorders
Institution: Washington University in St Louis
Nominated and Co-Funded by: Be a Tiger Foundation
Researcher: Dr. Allisandra Rha
Category of Research: Rare Muscular & Neurological Diseases, Rare Genetic Disorders
Institution: Children’s Hospital of Orange County
Nominated and Co-Funded by: National Tay Sachs & Allied Diseases Association
Researcher: Jaye Gardiner, PhD
Category of Research: Rare Cancers
Institution: Fox Chase Cancer Center
Nominated and Co-Funded by: Pancreatic Cancer Cure Foundation
Researcher: Dr. Joseph Zinski
Category of Research: Rare Autoimmune Diseases
Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Nominated and Co-Funded by: Castleman Disease Collaborative Network
Researcher: Dr. Ingrid Vallee
Category of Research: Rare Muscular & Neurological Diseases, Rare Genetic Disorders
Institution: Scripps Research
Nominated and Co-Funded by: Rory Belle Foundation
Researcher: Dr. Thomas Dupas
Category of Research: Rare Genetic Disorders
Institution: Azrieli Research Center of Sainte-Justine University Hospital; Université de Montréal
Nominated and Co-Funded by: TBRS Community
Researcher: Dr. Samantha Regan
Category of Research: Rare Muscular & Neurological Diseases, Rare Genetic Disorders
Institution: University of Michigan
Nominated and Co-Funded by: ASXL Rare Research Endowment Foundation
Researcher: Dr. Charles Kuntz
Category of Research: Rare Genetic Disorders
Institution: Purdue University
Nominated and Co-Funded by: Association for Creatine Deficiencies
Researcher: Dr. Yanning Zuo
Category of Research: Rare Muscular & Neurological Diseases, Rare Genetic Disorders
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Nominated and Co-Funded by: Project 8p Foundation
The 2025 Young Investigator Draft audience will include student-athlete leaders from Uplifting Athletes’ collegiate chapters across the country, notable professional athletes, biopharmaceutical representatives, healthcare professionals, and those directly impacted by rare diseases and their families. The Young Investigator Draft is family-friendly, and VIP tickets include a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Eagles’ stadium.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the Uplifting Athletes 2025 Young Investigator Draft, please visit https://charity.pledgeit.org/YID2025.
About Uplifting Athletes
Uplifting Athletes is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 that harnesses the power of sport to build a community that invests in the lives of the more than 30 million people impacted by rare diseases in America. Since its inception, Uplifting Athletes has raised more than $11 million by engaging athletes in order to positively impact the rare disease community through driving action, awareness, and funding research.