Researchers, patient advocates, and global oncology community leaders dedicated to enhancing cancer prevention, treatment, and patient care will be honored with ASCO’s highest honor, its Special Awards, during the 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting. Among this year’s awardees are a lung cancer luminary who introduced innovative new therapies for its treatment and prevention and a pivotal pioneer in breast cancer research whose work has improved the quality of life for millions of people with the disease.
“The exceptional accomplishments of each of our awardees reflect their exemplary dedication to furthering cancer research and serving as a beacon of hope to the cancer community,” said Peter Paul Yu, MD, FACP, FASCO, Immediate Past President of ASCO and Chair of the Special Awards Selection Committee. “It is our honor to recognize their enduring contributions with ASCO’s most prestigious awards.”
The 2016 Special Awards Honorees are:
Paul A. Bunn, Jr, MD: David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture
Presented during the Opening Session, Saturday, June 4, 9:30 AM
Paul A. Bunn, Jr, MD
First presented in 1970, the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture honors Dr. Karnofsky by recognizing an oncologist who has made outstanding contributions to cancer research, diagnosis, and/or treatment.
Dr. Bunn is a Distinguished Professor of Medicine and the James Dudley Endowed Professor of Lung Cancer at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is the principal investigator of the SPORE in Lung Cancer grant at the University of Colorado, which aims to support translational research in lung cancer. He has has dedicated his career to identifying novel diagnostics and treatment strategies for lung cancer and improving the outcomes of patients with lung cancer.
William G. Kaelin, Jr, MD: Science of Oncology Award and Lecture
Presented during the Plenary Session, Sunday, June 5, 1:00 PM
William G. Kaelin, Jr, MD
Created in 2005, the Science of Oncology Award and Lecture is presented annually in recognition of a recipient’s outstanding contributions to basic or translational research in cancer.
Dr. Kaelin is Professor of Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, and a Senior Physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He has dedicated years of research to understanding how mutations in tumor-suppressor genes affect cancer development. His work on the VHL protein was instrumental for the subsequent successful development of VEGF inhibitors to treat kidney cancer.
Ethan Dmitrovsky, MD: ASCO–American Cancer Society (ACS) Award and Lecture
Presented on Monday, June 6, 3:00 PM
Ethan Dmitrovsky, MD
First presented in 1993, the ASCO-ACS Award and Lecture recognizes significant contributions to cancer prevention and control research or practice.
Dr. Dmitrovsky is Provost and Executive Vice President of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is being recognized for his groundbreaking work in retinoid differentiation therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Pierre Soubeyran, MD, PhD: B.J. Kennedy Award and Lecture for Scientific Excellence in Geriatric Oncology
Presented on Monday, June 6, 9:45 AM
Pierre Soubeyran, MD, PhD
Created in 2007 in honor of B.J. Kennedy, MD, this award and lectureship recognizes an ASCO member who has made outstanding contributions to the research, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in the elderly and to the understanding of geriatric oncology among fellows and junior faculty.
Dr. Soubeyran has dedicated his career to helping older patients with cancer. From designing trials for non-Hodgkin lymphoma to implementing screening methods, he has championed the care of older patients in the United States and in his home country of France. His work has been critical to the development of geriatric oncology at both the clinical and research levels.
David H. Johnson, MD: Distinguished Achievement Award
Presented during the President’s Dinner, Friday, June 3
David H. Johnson, MD
Created in 2009, the Distinguished Achievement Award recognizes leadership or mentorship by a scientist, practitioner, or researcher in any subspecialty of oncology that has benefited ASCO members and/or their patients.
Dr. Johnson is Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at The University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Johnson has had a decades-long career in internal medicine and oncology, and he currently mentors the next generation of physicians at UT so that they are able to make a profound impact in medicine.
Philip C. Hoffman, MD: Excellence in Teaching Award
Presented during the President’s Dinner, Friday, June 3
Philip C. Hoffman, MD
First awarded in 2014, the Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes an ASCO member who has had a demonstrable impact on his or her trainees and who has inspired and shaped trainees’ practice of cancer medicine.
Dr. Hoffman is a Professor of Medicine in the Section of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. He was one of the original Masters of the Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators at Pritzker and has been honored as a favorite faculty member 25 times by graduating medical students.
C. Kent Osborne, MD: Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Award and Lecture
Presented on Saturday, June 4, 4:45 PM
C. Kent Osborne, MD
First presented in 2007 and named in honor of cancer research pioneer
Gianni Bonadonna, MD, this award recognizes an active clinical and/or translational researcher with a distinguished record of accomplishments in advancing the field of breast cancer and with exceptional mentoring abilities.
Dr. Osborne is Professor of Medicine and Molecular and Cellular Biology and the Director of the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine. His research on hormone pathways involved in breast cancer has been instrumental in identifying fulvestrant as the most potent endocrine therapy. His pioneering research on the mechanisms of resistance to targeted endocrine therapies has greatly affected the lives of many patients with breast cancer.
Quyen Chu, MD, MBA, FACS: Humanitarian Award
Presented during the Opening Session, Saturday, June 4, 9:30 AM
Quyen Chu, MD, MBA, FACS
First presented in 2011, the Humanitarian Award recognizes an oncologist who personifies ASCO’s mission and values by going above and beyond the call of duty in providing outstanding patient care through innovative means or exceptional service or leadership.
Dr. Chu is Chief of Surgical Oncology and the Charles Knight, Sr. Endowed Professor of Surgery at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. His simple but profound belief that proper treatment for all patients with cancer will produce similar outcomes of care has led Dr. Chu to countries such as Vietnam, Iraq, and Nicaragua in hopes of improving cancer care for patients in low-income countries.
Susan G. Braun, MA, FASCO: Partners in Progress Award
Presented on Sunday, June 5, 11:30 AM
Susan G. Braun, MA, FASCO
First awarded in 2003, the Partners in Progress Award recognizes a person involved in patient advocacy activities that have increased public awareness about cancer, its causes, cures, or treatment, or activities that result in additional support either legislatively or fiscally for cancer research, treatment, prevention, or care.
Ms. Braun is Chief Executive Officer of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. She is being recognized for her service in leadership roles at several major cancer nonprofit organizations throughout the past 20 years.
Susan L. Cohn, MD: Pediatric Oncology Award and Lecture
Presented on Sunday, June 5, 11:30 AM
Susan L. Cohn, MD
First presented in 2002, the Pediatric Oncology Award recognizes the career and achievements of an individual who has contributed outstanding laboratory, clinical, or epidemiologic scientific work of major importance to the field of pediatric oncology.
Dr. Cohn is a Pediatric Oncologist in the Department of Pediatrics at The University of Chicago who is passionate about improving outcomes for children with cancer, especially patients with neuroblastoma. She is being recognized for her leadership in the development of a series of risk-based clinical trials to improve treatment for low- and intermediate-risk neuroblastoma and survival for high-risk patients.
Waun Ki Hong, MD, FACP, DMSc (Hon): Special Recognition Award
Presented during the President’s Dinner, Friday, June 3
Waun Ki Hong, MD, FACP, DMSc
Created in 1992, the Special Recognition Award honors an individual whose research and innovations have had a transforming and lasting effect in the areas of clinical oncology, cancer research, clinical trials, or patient advocacy activities or who has demonstrated outstanding long-term service to ASCO and/or clinical oncology.
Dr. Hong is a pioneer in oncology, advocating for chemoprevention of epithelial cancers and emphasizing the importance of personalized cancer therapy. Dr. Hong’s expertise spans more than 36 years of translational and clinical research. His recent achievements include the development of biopsy-mandated, personalized, targeted therapy for lung cancer based on genetic abnormalities in tumor tissue.
Fellows of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO)
Presented during the Opening Session, Saturday, June 4, 9:30 AM
The Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO) distinction recognizes ASCO members for their extraordinary volunteer service, dedication, and commitment to ASCO. Their efforts benefit ASCO, the specialty of oncology, and, most importantly, patients with cancer. The 2016 recipients of this distinction are:
- Ethan M. Basch, MD, MSc
- Susan L. Cohn, MD
- Mary L. Disis, MD
- Gini F. Fleming, MD
- Jennifer J. Griggs, MD, MPH
- Dawn L. Hershman, MD
- Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP
- Joseph O. Jacobson, MD
- Rogerio Lilenbaum, MD
- David R. Spriggs, MD
- Alan P. Venook, MD
- Victor G. Vogel, MD, MHS
- Sandra L. Wong, MD, MS
The ASCO Special Awards acknowledge the generous support of the American Cancer Society for the ASCO-ACS Award and Lecture; the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine and The John A. Hartford Foundation for the B.J. Kennedy Award and Lecture for Scientific Excellence in Geriatric Oncology; and GlaxoSmithKline Oncology for the Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Award and Lecture. ■
© 2016. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
