Peter Paul Yu, MD, FACP, FASCO, Immediate Past President of ASCO and Chair of the Special Awards Selection Committee, announced the recipients of this year’s special awards. “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 Dr. Yu.
Peter Paul Yu, MD, FACP, FASCO
The 2016 Special Awards Honorees are:
David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture
Recipient: Paul A. Bunn, Jr, MD
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. Paul A. Bunn, Jr, MD, 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. Dr. Bunn has dedicated his career to identifying novel diagnostics and treatment strategies for lung cancer and improving the outcomes of patients with lung cancer.
Science of Oncology Award and Lecture
Recipient: William G. Kaelin, Jr, MD
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. William G. Kaelin, Jr, MD, is Professor of Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, and Senior Physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Kaelin 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 successful development of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors in kidney cancer.
ASCO-American Cancer Society Award and Lecture
Ethan Dmitrovsky, MD
Recipient: Ethan Dmitrovsky, MD
First presented in 1993, the ASCO-ACS Award and Lecture recognizes significant contributions to cancer prevention and control research or practice. Ethan Dmitrovsky, MD, is the 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.
B. J. Kennedy Award and Lecture for Scientific Excellence in Geriatric Oncology
Pierre Soubeyran, MD, PhD
Recipient: 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. Pierre Soubeyran, MD, PhD, has dedicated his career to helping older patients with cancer. From designing trials for non-Hodgkin lymphoma to implementing screening methods, Dr. Soubeyran 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.
Distinguished Achievement Award
David H. Johnson, MD
Recipient: 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. David H. Johnson, MD, is Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT). Dr. Johnson has had a decades-long career in internal medicine and oncology and currently mentors the next generation of physicians at UT.
Excellence in Teaching Award
Philip C. Hoffman, MD
Recipient: 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. Philip C. Hoffman, MD, is 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.
Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Award and Lecture
C. Kent Osborne, MD
Recipient: C. Kent Osborne, MD
First presented in 2007 and named in honor of cancer research pioneer Gianni Bonadonna, 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. C. Kent Osborne, MD, is Professor of Medicine and Molecular and Cellular Biology and 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.
Humanitarian Award
Quyen Chu, MD, MBA, FACS
Recipient: 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. Quyen Chu, MD, MBA, FACS, is Chief of Surgical Oncology and the Charles Knight, Sr. Endowed Professor of Surgery at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. 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.
Partners in Progress Award
Susan G. Braun, MA, FASCO
Recipient: 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. Susan G. Braun, MA, FASCO, 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.
Pediatric Oncology Award and Lecture
Susan L. Cohn, MD
Recipient: 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. Susan L. Cohn, MD, is a pediatric oncologist in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago who is passionate about improving outcomes for children with cancer. 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.
Special Recognition Award
Waun Ki Hong, MD, FACP, DMSc (Hon) Photo by Business Wire.
Recipient: Waun Ki Hong, MD, FACP, DMSc (Hon)
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 to clinical oncology. Waun Ki Hong, MD, FACP, DMSc (Hon), 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. ■
The ASCO Special Awards acknowledge the generous support of the American Cancer Society for the ASCO-American Cancer Society 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.
