The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has announced the recipients of the 2026 ESMO Society Awards, recognizing four outstanding oncology professionals whose contributions have advanced cancer research, enhanced clinical care, and strengthened the global oncology community.
ESMO Award 2026: Rebecca Fitzgerald
The ESMO Award 2026 will be presented to Rebecca Fitzgerald, MACantab, MD, Director of the Early Cancer Institute at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, in recognition of her pioneering work in cancer prevention and early detection, areas that have become central priorities of modern oncology practice. Her work has improved the identification of people at risk of esophageal cancer, advancing efforts to detect the disease at an earlier, more treatable stage. Her research has also helped shape cancer screening and prevention strategies in the UK and across Europe.
ESMO Award for Translational Research: Dan A. Landau
Dan A. Landau, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Systems and Computational Biomedicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and Core Faculty Member of the New York Genome Center, has been awarded this year’s ESMO Award for Translational Research, in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of cancer evolution and his development of innovative genomic and computational approaches that have advanced the translation of cancer research into clinical applications.
ESMO Women for Oncology Award: Pilar Garrido
The 2026 recipient of the ESMO Women for Oncology Award is Pilar Garrido, MD, PhD, of the University Hospital Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain, for her outstanding contributions to lung cancer research and care, and her longstanding commitment to advancing women in oncology through leadership, mentorship, and advocacy for gender equity; raising awareness of gender gaps in leadership and academic careers; and promoting opportunities for women in oncology.
ESMO Lifetime Achievement Award: Antoni Ribas
Antoni Ribas, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, will receive the ESMO Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 for his pioneering contributions to cancer immunotherapy and translational cancer research, which have transformed the treatment of melanoma and helped shape the modern era of precision oncology.
The award lectures will be delivered during the Opening session of the ESMO Congress 2026 on Friday, October 23.
