Conquer Cancer Foundation Board of Directors Chair Dr. Thomas G. Roberts Jr.
The Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO (CCF) presented more than $6.3 million in grants and awards to 247 promising oncology researchers at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting. CCF and ASCO congratulate the recipients on their contributions to the field of oncology and offer their profound thanks to the generous organizations that supported these awards.
To see the complete lists of grant and award recipients, visit conquer.org/grants-awards/ grant-award-recipients.
Advanced Clinical Research Award in Breast Cancer
THE ADVANCED Clinical Research Award (ACRA) funds investigators in their 4th to 9th year of faculty appointment who are committed to clinical cancer research in an area not currently funded. This year’s recipient is Mohamed E. Abazeed, MD, PhD, of The Cleveland Clinic. The ACRA is supported by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.
Career Development Award
THE CAREER Development Award (CDA) is a 3-year, $200,000 grant that provides funding to clinical investigators who have received their initial faculty appointment to establish an independent clinical cancer research program. This year’s CDA recipients are:
Recipients of the 2017 Career Development Award
- Melissa K. Accordino, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center
- Mark M. Awad, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Kim A. Reiss Binder, MD, University of Pennsylvania
- Scott V. Bratman, MD, PhD, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
- Adi Diab, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Jacqueline S. Garcia, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Alfred L. Garfall, MD, University of Pennsylvania
- Jaime Libes, MD, MPH, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
- Jennifer L. McQuade, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Adrian G. Sacher, MD, MMSc, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.
CDAs are supported by AbbVie, Inc.; the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation; Amgen; Astellas; AstraZeneca; Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.; the Breast Cancer Research Foundation; Conquer Cancer Foundation Mission Endowment; Genentech BioOncology™; Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC; Lilly; the Melanoma Research Alliance; Michael’s Mission; and Takeda Oncology.
Young Investigator Award
THE YOUNG Investigator Award (YIA) is a 1-year, $50,000 grant that provides funding to promising investigators to encourage and promote quality research in clinical oncology. This year, 69 researchers received YIAs, including 9 endowed YIAs which honor the legacies of those for whom the awards are named. The endowments enable the Conquer Cancer Foundation to support these grants in perpetuity. The nine endowed YIA recipients are:
- Sarah A. Buckley, MD, University of Washington, Anna Braglia Endowed Young Investigator Award in Cancer Supportive Care (supported by HELSINN)
- Philip Poorvu, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Åke Bertil Eriksson Endowed Young Investigator Award (supported by Aaron and Barbro Sasson)
- Stephen Schleicher, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Fred J. Ansfield, MD, Endowed Young Investigator Award (supported by ASCO)
- David Oh, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco, Harry F. Bisel, MD, Endowed Young Investigator Award (supported by ASCO)
- Benjamin J. Drapkin, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Jane C. Wright, MD, Endowed Young Investigator Award (supported by ASCO)
- Kalyan Banda, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Young Investigator Award in memory of Sally Gordon (supported by Anonymous)
- Joshua Walker, MD, PhD, Oregon Health & Science University, Young Investigator Award in memory of Sally Gordon (supported by Anonymous)
- Joshua M. Donaldson, MD, Johns Hopkins University, Young Investigator Award in memory of Evelyn H. Lauder (supported by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation)
- Nicholas J. Short, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Young Investigator Award in Memory of John R. Durant, MD (supported by Celgene).
Recipients of the 2017 Young Investigator Award at the ASCO Annual Meeting
YIAs are supported by Anonymous; Anonymous; AbbVie, Inc.; the American Association for Cancer Research; Amgen; ASCO; ASCO Clinical Practice Committee & State Affiliate Council; AstraZeneca; Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; the Breast Cancer Research Foundation; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celgene Corporation; Eisai Inc.; the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology; Gateway for Cancer Research; Genomic Health, Inc.; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; HELSINN; Janssen Oncology; the Journal of Clinical Oncology; Kelly Cares Foundation; the Kidney Cancer Association; Miodrag Kukrika, MD; The John and Elizabeth Leonard Family Foundation; Lilly; the Lung Cancer Alliance; Merck & Co., Inc.; Michiana Hematology Oncology; Novartis Oncology; Greg Parekh/ New Rhein Healthcare, LLC; Pfizer Oncology; William D. Piety Living Trust; The Norman & Ruth Rales Foundation; Thomas G. Roberts, Jr, MD; and Susan M. DaSilva; Aaron and Barbro Sasson; The Scopus Foundation; Strike 3 Foundation; Takeda Oncology; Shawn C. Tomasello; the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation; The WWWW Foundation Inc. (QuadW) and The Sarcoma Fund of the QuadW Foundation of Communities Foundation of Texas; and Dr. Robin Zon and Family.
Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Research Fellowship
THE GIANNI Bonadonna Breast Cancer Research Fellowship funds an early-career investigator who is committed to conducting breast cancer research. This year’s recipient is Ana C. Garrido-Castro, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Research Fellowship is supported by a grant from GlaxoSmithKline Oncology.
International Development and Education Award
THE INTERNATIONAL Development and Education Award (IDEA) and IDEA Palliative Care (IDEA-PC) provide support for early-career oncologists in low- and middle-income countries to further their knowledge and careers and establish strong long-term relationships with leading ASCO members who serve as scientific mentors. This year’s 20 IDEA and 4 IDEA-PC awardees attended the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting and visited their mentor’s institution, where they gained knowledge and skills to share with their peers back home.
The 2017 IDEA is supported by Amgen and Takeda Oncology. The 2017 IDEA-PC is supported by CRDF Global, the National Cancer Institute, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Recipients of the 2017 International Innovation Grant
International Innovation Grant
THE INTERNATIONAL Innovation Grant is a 1-year grant of up to $20,000 that provides research funding in support of novel and innovative projects that can have a significant impact on cancer control in low- and middle-income countries. This year’s recipients are:
- AMEROM (Medical Association of Clinical Oncology of Peru), Peru
- American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon
- Centro Oncológico Estatal ISSEMYM, Mexico
- College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nigeria.
The 2017 International Innovation Grant is supported by ASCO International Affairs.
Medical Student Rotation for Underrepresented Populations
THE MEDICAL Student Rotation (MSR) for Underrepresented Populations provides 8- to 10-week clinical or clinical research oncology rotations for U.S. medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine who are interested in pursuing oncology as a career. This year, three medical students were selected:
- Gerard Holder, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Katia Perez, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
- Maria Torres, Mayo Clinic.
The MSR for Underrepresented Populations is supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eisai Inc., and Lilly.
Resident Travel Award for Underrepresented Populations Recipients
Resident Travel Award for Underrepresented Populations
THE RESIDENT Travel Award (RTA) for Underrepresented Populations provides financial support for residents from underrepresented populations to attend the ASCO Annual Meeting. This year, 11 residents were selected:
- Betty Abban, MD, Meharry Medical College
- Abiodun Adefurin, MBBS, Meharry Medical College
- Susanna Awoyode, MBBS, MS, Meharry Medical College
- Oumoul Barry, MD, Mercy Medical Center
- Eden Biltibo, MD, Meharry Medical College
- Frederick Doamekpor, MD, Morehouse School of Medicine
- Lionel Aurelien Kankeu Fonkoua, MD, Penn State College of Medicine
- Victoria Lopez, MD, Morehouse School of Medicine
- Nkem Nweze, MD, Einstein Medical Center
- Maureen Offiah, MD, University of Mississippi
- Emififen Udejiofor, MD, Morehouse School of Medicine.
The RTA is supported by Amgen, the Conquer Cancer Foundation, and Janssen Oncology.
Merit Awards for High-Quality Research
AFTER RECOGNIZING 65 symposia-specific CCF Merit Award recipients in 2017, the Conquer Cancer Foundation distributed 123 Merit Awards to oncology fellows who submitted high-quality research for presentation at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting and 5 additional Special Merit Awards for the highest-ranking abstracts in select categories. The 2017 Special Merit Award recipients are:
- Michal Zapotocky, MD, PhD, The Hospital for Sick Children, Bradley Stuart Beller Endowed Merit Award (supported by Friends and Family of Dr. and Mrs. Ronald Beller)
- Mette S. van Ramshorst, MD, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Allen S. Lichter, MD, Endowed Merit Award
- Po-Ju Lin, PhD, MPH, RD, University of Rochester Medical Center, Pain and Symptom Management Special Merit Award
- James Edward Bates, MD, University of Florida, Brigid Leventhal Special Merit Award
- Todd Gibson, PhD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, James B. Nachman Endowed ASCO Junior Faculty Award in Pediatric Oncology (supported by Friends and Family of Dr. James B. Nachman).
Recipients of 2017 Special Merit Awards
Merit Awards are supported by Amgen; AstraZeneca; Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Inc.; Janssen Oncology; the Kidney Cancer Association; Lilly; Merck & Co., Inc.; Novartis Oncology; Mr. Jackson G. Simpson; and Takeda Oncology.
Long-Term International Fellowship
THE LONG-TERM International Fellowship (LIFe) provides early-career oncologists in low- to middle-income countries the support and resources needed to advance their training by deepening their relationship with a mentor from the United States, Canada, or Europe, and their institution. This year’s recipient is Susmita Sharma, MD, of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bir Hospital, Nepal.
The LIFe is supported by Conquer Cancer Foundation Mission Endowment.
All recipient lists are up to date as of June 9, 2017. ■
© 2017. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
