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A. Ward Ford Memorial Research Grant


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Caroline S. Mark

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William B. Mark

History

William B. Mark was an engineer by training who, along with his wife, Caroline, formed the A. Ward Ford Foundation, named in honor of Caroline’s grandfather, Austin Ward Ford, who was a pioneer in the early business machine industry.

After attending an industrial laser conference, Bill Mark became interested in the possible medical use of lasers. With the foundation's medical director, Dr. Ellet Drake, a number of other like-minded individuals, and a generous grant from Caroline and the A. Ward Ford Foundation, the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) was founded with the first annual meeting in 1981. The Society had a unique concept where all interested parties including physicians, nurses and other clinicians, researchers, and industrial and government representatives could meet and share their research and teaching for the benefit of medical care.

Bill Mark died in 1980, but under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Drake, the Society grew and developed into the premier organization it is today.

If Bill Mark was the brains and Ellet Drake the heart of the Society, Caroline Mark was the soul. She was a lady of significant means, which she used wisely and generously, but she was also a lady of intelligence and integrity. She believed in the value of education and the benefit of research, which she supported throughout her lifetime. She gave encouragement and formed many lasting friendships in her continued support of the Society.

Research, education, and the friendship of sharing was the nature of Caroline Mark, and this is, and continues to be, the basis of the Society. The A. Ward Ford Memorial Research Grant is the continued legacy of Bill and Caroline Mark and their contribution to the laser medical field.

Support for this project is provided by the A. Ward Ford Memorial Institute Fund of the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin.


Applications for 2026 grants will open later this fall.

Questions or requests for further information can be directed to:

715-845-9283 | information@aslms.org


2025 Grant Recipient


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Nathaniel M. Fried, PhD

University of North Carolina, Physics and Optical Science

Supporting ASLMS Member: Boris Majaron, PhD

"Infrared Laser Sealing of Vascular Tissues Using a Transparent Laparoscopic Device"

  • 2024 Recipient

    Linyu Ni, PhD

    University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
    Supporting ASLMS Member: Jeffrey S. Orringer, MD
    "
    Interstitial Assessment of Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness Using an Imaging Needle"

    2024 Student Grant Recipients

    Soha Ghanian, MD (with Gerald N. Goldberg, MD)

    University of Arizona
    Supporting ASLMS Member: Gerald N. Goldberg, MD
    "Split-Lesion Open-Label Pilot Study Analysis of Topical Imatinib in Combination with Pulsed Dye Laser for the Management of Hypertrophic Port Wine Stain Birthmarks in Adults"

    Triniti Vanoven, BS, PhD Student

    The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
    Supporting ASLMS Member: Isaac J. Pence, PhD
    "In vivo Raman Spectroscopy to Quantify Vaginal Extracellular Matrix Composition in Patients with Pelvic Organ Prolapse"

    2023 Recipients

    Laisa Negri, PhD
    Massachusetts General Hospital
    "Strategies to Bring Antimicrobial Blue Light to the Bed Side"

    Payal Patel, MD
    Cutaneous Biology Research Center
    "Non-Invasive, Laser-Assisted Measurement Of Intraepidermal Nerve Fiber Density"

    Jasmine Wong
    MedStar Health Research Institute
    "Assessment of the Effectiveness of Early vs. Late Intervention with Fractional Ablative CO2 Laser in the Treatment of Burn Hypertrophic Scars”

    Sara Yumeen, MD
    Rhode Island Hospital
    "Platelet Rich Plasma in Combination with Carbon Dioxide Laser for Infraorbital Rejuvenation: A Split Face Study"

    2022 Recipient

    Peijun Guo, PhD
    Yale University, New Haven, CT
    “Visible-to-Ultraviolet Up-Conversion Films for Antimicrobial and Sterilization Applications”

    2020 Recipient

    Hui Wang, PhD
    Miami University, Oxford, OH
    “Development of Ultrasensitive Fiber-optic Radiometric Thermometry for Guiding Interstitial Laser Thermal Therapy”

    2019 Recipient

    Manu Sharma, PhD
    University of Texas at Austin
    “A Bio-compatible Nano-particle Platform for Treatment of Melanoma by Photo Thermal Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Therapy”

    2018 Recipient

    Istvan Stadler, PhD
    Rochester General Hospital
    “In Vivo Experimental Application of Riboflavin Nanoparticles as a Photodynamic Therapy Compound and its Relevancy for Cancer Treatment”

    2017 Recipient

    Yajie Dong, PhD
    University of Central Florida
    “Flexible Quantum Dot Light Emitting Devices for Photodynamic Therapy and Photobiomodulation”

    2016 Recipient

    Heather K. Hunt, MD
    University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
    “Burn Depth Imaging Analysis via Waveguide-Mediated, Backward-Mode Photoacoustics”

    2014 Recipient

    Jeremy Goverman, MD
    Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, Massachusetts
    “Gene Expression Analysis of Burn Scar Treated with Fractional CO2 Laser”

    2013 Recipient

    Anthony Rossi, MD
    Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center | Juva Skin and Laser Center, New York, New York
    “Laser Ablation of Basal Cell Carcinoma”

    2012 Recipient

    Manu Sharma, PhD, MS, BE
    The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
    "Development of a Multi-Modal Spectroscopic System for Early Skin Cancer Detection"

    2011 Recipient

    Xinyuan Chen, PhD
    Massachusetts General Hospital / Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, MA
    “Improve Flu Vaccine Immunogenicity in the Elderly by Cutaneous Laser Illumination”

    2010 Recipient

    Yu Chen, PhD
    University of Maryland, College Park
    "In Vivo Optical Imaging and Photothermal Therapy of Colorectal Cancer Using Molecular Targeting Nanoparticles"

    2009 Recipient

    Bongsu Jung, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate
    University of California, Riverside
    "ICG Containing Nancapsules for Optical Imaging and Laser Irradiation of Cancerous Cells"

    2007 Recipient

    Juanita Anders, PhD
    Professor, Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics | Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
    "A Laser Based Repair Strategy for Severely Injured Peripheral Nerves"

 

The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. is the world’s largest scientific organization dedicated to promoting research, education and high standards of clinical care in the field of medical laser applications. It provides a forum for the exchange of scientific information and participation in communicating the latest developments in laser medicine and surgery to clinicians, research investigators, government and regulatory agencies, and the public.

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