John W. Hanna, MD, PhD, to Receive 2026 Outstanding Investigator Award

The 2026 recipient of the ASIP Outstanding Investigator Award is Dr. John W. Hanna, Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA) and Associate Pathologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA).

The ASIP Outstanding Investigator Award recognizes mid-career investigators with demonstrated excellence in experimental pathology research, including impactful achievements related to research, teaching, mentorship, leadership in the field of pathology, and contributions to the Society.

Dr. Hanna completed his BS in biological sciences from Stanford University (Stanford, CA). He then completed both his PhD in cell and developmental biology and his MD from Harvard University (Boston, MA) in 2006 and 2009, respectively. Dr. Hanna trained in anatomic pathology and dermatopathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Hanna was appointed to Instructor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School in 2013. He was then promoted to Assistant Professor in 2016 and to his current position as Associate Professor in 2021.

Dr. Hanna’s laboratory studies the basic mechanisms of protein degradation by the proteasome, which is the large molecular machine that destroys proteins and which is a well-established drug target for multiple myeloma. His lab’s discovery of the inhibitory mechanism of PI31, an endogenous protein that inhibits proteasomes, solved a 30-year mystery in the field and suggested a new rational approach to develop proteasome inhibitors. Working with Brigham and Women’s Ignite Program, Dr. Hanna has developed a series of potent and specific proteasome inhibitors that operate differently from established drugs, and which are highly effective in killing multiple myeloma cells in culture. These new inhibitors have the potential to supplant current drugs and to expand the use of proteasome inhibitors into new oncologic applications.

In his letter of nomination, Dr. Daniel Finley (Professor of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School) shared the impact of Dr. Hanna’s research: “Since 2021, [Dr. Hanna’s] lab has made three discoveries in succession which have answered some of the oldest and most conceptually challenging questions in the proteasome field. These discoveries have resulted in seven senior/corresponding author original research papers, (five in Nature Molecular & Structural Biology alone), three invited reviews, and one U.S. patent application.”

Dr. Hanna’s contributions have been recognized by the NIH, which awarded him a highly selective and prestigious Early Independence Award, an R01-equivalent grant, in 2014. He has since parleyed the Early Independence Award into two R01s from NIGMS to support his ongoing studies. In addition, Dr. Hanna has received major research funding from the Bertarelli Foundation to support his more translational work in tumor pathobiology.

In his nomination letter, Dr. Jon C. Aster (Deputy Chair of Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Ramzi S. Cotran Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School) discussed Dr. Hanna’s impact as a mentor: “In his role as BBS Advisor, [Dr. Hanna] is the primary mentor each year for several first-year PhD students as they begin their training and search for a thesis lab. He has also become a go-to mentor for junior physician-scientists in Pathology as they begin their journey towards becoming independent investigators.” Dr. Aster continues, “On the teaching side, [Dr. Hanna] has been active in several courses, including the introductory Cell Biology course for first-year PhD students, which he has taught in since 2015.”

Dr. Hanna received the highly competitive Brigham President’s Scholar Award, which supports investigators who have made outstanding contributions to their field and have exceptional potential. He has been invited to present his work in numerous lectures, including at major national and international meetings, additionally recognizing his contributions and stature in the field.

In her letter of support, Dr. Mel B. Feany (Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School and Senior Neuropathologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital) comments on Dr. Hanna’s clinical practice: “To ensure a close connection between his basic science studies and human disease, [Dr. Hanna] has maintained a clinical practice in dermatopathology where he practices with a high level of accomplishment and publishes regularly.” She continues on: “In a series of particularly impactful studies, he has discovered and molecularly characterized novel tumor types, with a focus on adnexal tumors. John’s translational dermatopathology work has been published in a total of 19 papers in well regarded clinical journals and formed the basis for his research award from the Bertarelli Foundation.”

In his laboratory, Dr. Hanna has mentored student and postdoctoral trainees successfully, including to multiple first-author publications. He has similarly mentored numerous residents and fellows when on the dermatopathology service and has engaged them in published clinical dermatopathology research. From the formal didactic perspective, Dr. Hanna has consistently lectured to graduate students, MD, PhD students, residents, clinical fellows and research fellows. He has also contributed to medical and graduate student education by serving on multiple dissertation and honors committees including for the ASIP and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).

Dr. Hanna is a current member of the ASIP Council, serving as Secretary-Treasurer. He previously served on the ASIP Meritorious Awards Committee and received both the ASIP Cotran Early Career Investigator Award (2019) and Fred Sanfilippo-ASIP Visiting Lectureship (2021).

Dr. Hanna will receive the 2026 ASIP Outstanding Investigator Award during Pathobiology 2026.