Samantha Regan, PhD presented with a $20,000 research grant from Uplifting Athletes and the ARRE Foundation
Dr. Samantha Regan is among 10 rare disease researchers to be awarded a grant at Uplifting Athletes’ Young Investigator Draft on Feb. 1 at Lincoln Financial Field
Uplifting Athletes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the rare disease community, has announced that Samantha Regan, PhD, a researcher at the University of Michigan, will receive a $20,000 research grant as a member of Uplifting Athletes’ 2025 Young Investigator Draft Class. This research grant is co-funded by Uplifting Athletes and the ARRE Foundation.
Dr. Regan is among a group of 10 researchers who 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.
Dr. Regan’s research project is focused on ASXL3, the gene that causes a disorder known as Bainbridge-Ropers Syndrome. Her project, titled “H2A monoubiquitination as a biomarker and mechanistic driver of Bainbridge Ropers Syndrome Neuropathology,” aims to advance the scientific understanding of the ASXL3 protein in new ways that will enhance the ability to model this disorder in animals and better understand the mechanism in action, moving our community closer to building critical pre-clinical tools and searching for therapeutic targets. Dr. Regan says, “I’m so excited to be working with the ASXL community!”
“Dr. Regan is a passionate young investigator who is deeply committed to exploring the complexities of ASXL genes and the disorders linked to them,” says Amanda Johnson, Executive Director of the ARRE Foundation. “We are thrilled to help support her research under the mentorship of a Dr. Stephanie Bielas, one of the leading scientists in the ASXL research community.”
Uplifting Athletes is a nonprofit organization that unites student-athletes nationwide and professional athlete ambassadors with their local rare disease communities. Together, they raise awareness, inspire hope, and generate 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 recognized by Uplifting Athletes as a priority partner, with grants equally co-funded by Uplifting Athletes and the nominating organization. Dr. Regan was nominated by the ARRE 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 the ARRE Foundation: The ARRE Foundation was established in 2018 as a parent-led patient advocacy organization dedicated improving the quality of life for families living with ASXL-related disorders through research and education. For more information, please visit www.arrefoundation.org.
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 to positively impact the rare disease community through driving action, awareness, and funding research. To learn more about Uplifting Athletes, visit www.upliftingathletes.org.
