Howard C. Crawford, PhD Scientific Director, Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center | Chief Scientific Officer, Sky Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee
Scientific Advisory Committee
Each year, Sky Foundation conducts a structured, multi-phase grant review process designed to ensure fairness and scientific excellence. After the annual application deadline, external reviewers are assigned so that each submission receives multiple independent evaluations—no reviewer may assess a proposal from their own institution. The Scientific Advisory Committee then meets to discuss top-ranked proposals and selects three finalists from six leading candidates. A detailed summary of the review process and finalist projects is prepared by the SAC liaison, Samantha Kasselman, and presented to the Sky Foundation Governing Board, which makes the final funding decisions. Any SAC member applying for a grant is fully recused from all discussions and evaluations to maintain transparency and integrity throughout the process.
Asfar S. Azmi, PhD Professor of Oncology | Director of Pancreas Cancer Research, Karmanos Cancer Institute | Wayne State University
Lindeberger Comprehensive Cancer Center University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kirsten L. Bryant, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology
Eileen S. Carpenter, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Gastroenterology & Hepatology — University of Michigan | Clinician-Scientist, Pancreatic Disease Overview Dr.
Stephanie K. Dougan, PhD Associate Professor of Immunology, Harvard Medical School | Investigator, Cancer Immunology & Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
David S. Kwon, MD, FACS, FSSO Board-Certified Surgeon | Fellowship-Trained Surgical Oncologist | Clinical Director, Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center
SAC Grants Coordinator | Sky Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee Overview As the Grants Coordinator for Sky Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Committee
Liaison to the Board | Sky Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee Overview Samantha (Sammy) Kasselman earned her Bachelor of Science in