Cure HHT Announces Palmer Family Fund Travel Award Recipients for 16th HHT International Scientific Conference

Forty-six emerging investigators will receive travel support to present and participate at the global HHT scientific gathering in Cape Cod

MONKTON, MD, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Cure HHT is proud to announce the recipients of the Palmer Family Fund for Young Investigator Travel Awards for its 16th HHT International Scientific Conference, presented this year by Diagonal Therapeutics. The conference will bring together leading clinicians, researchers, industry partners, and patient advocates in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, from October 12–16, 2026.

The Palmer Family Fund awards help promising young investigators from around the world attend the conference, share their findings and build relationships with established leaders in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia research and care.

The 2026 award recipients are:

• Andrej Shoykhet, Leiden University Medical Center — Netherlands
Non-invasive Functional Ultrasound Imaging Identifies Vascular Alterations Following Endothelial SMAD4 Depletion

• Anirban Ray, Tulane University — United States
Endothelial FOXO1 Modulation Attenuates Pathological Angiogenesis in Endoglin-Deficient HHT Mice

• Elaine Kim, University of California, San Francisco — United States
Sex-Based Disparities in the Diagnosis of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: A Retrospective Analysis

• Eleanor Steiner, University of North Carolina — United States
Pulmonary AVM Recanalization Rates in Pediatric HHT

• Elisavet Koutala, Leiden University Medical Center — Netherlands
Assessing ALK1-BMPR2 Bispecific Antibody Agonist Therapy in HHT Mice Using Super-Resolution Ultrasound Imaging

• Finn Timmermans, Leiden University Medical Center — Netherlands
Endothelial SMAD1/5 Deficiency Causes Early Pericyte Dysfunction and Neurovascular Uncoupling without Vascular Dilation Relevant to Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia

• Jan Pieter van Veen, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein — Netherlands
Grade of Pulmonary Right-To-Left Shunting on TTCE: Confirmation of Risk of Cerebral Complications?

• Joline Michiels, KU Leuven — Belgium
Staphylococcus Aureus Infections in Patients with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

• Ons Mamai, University of California, San Francisco — United States
PTPN14 Stabilizes Nuclear SMAD4 To Maintain Arterial Endothelial Cell Identity and Suppress Arteriovenous Malformations

• Sartaaj Walia, University of California, San Francisco — United States
Comparison of Ferumoxytol-Enhanced MRI with Gadolinium-Enhanced MRI For the Detection of Brain Arteriovenous Malformations: Initial Results

• Yue Qi, Stanford University — United States
Identification of Modifier Genes Contributing to Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Patients

In addition to the Palmer Family Fund award recipients, 31 additional travel grants were made possible through the generous support of the Grace Nolan Foundation, Cure HHT and, for the first time, Cure HHT Canada. Together, these investments will help 46 investigators overcome the financial barriers that can prevent early-career researchers from attending international scientific meetings and presenting their work to the broader HHT community.

“The breadth of topics represented by this year’s applicants is incredibly encouraging, and so is the growing number of talented young investigators choosing to devote their work to HHT,” said Marianne Clancy, Chief Executive Officer of Cure HHT. “Their interest reflects the momentum building across this field and gives us tremendous confidence in the future of HHT research and care. We are excited to welcome them to Cape Cod this fall, hear about their work and help connect them with the global experts and collaborators who can carry these ideas forward.”

Cure HHT’s HHT International Scientific Conference is the largest global gathering dedicated exclusively to advancing the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of HHT. Held every two years, the conference creates a collaborative environment where emerging research can be shared, challenged and translated into meaningful progress for patients and families.

Supporting young investigators is central to the conference’s long-term impact. By helping early-career scientists and clinicians enter the HHT field, present new ideas and establish international collaborations, these travel awards strengthen the pipeline of experts working toward better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

Valaree Machen
Cure HHT
marcomms@curehht.org
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