Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) announces the following awards and appointments:
Lisa DeAngelis, MD, Physician-In-Chief, Chief Medical Officer, and Scott M. and Lisa G. Stuart Chair has been recognized by the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) with the creation of a new endowed award in her name. The SNO Excellence in Education Award has been established to honor Dr. DeAngelis’ leadership within the neuro-oncology field and the tremendous role she has played in developing the next generation of physicians and scientists. The award will recognize inspiring mentors who have made a difference in the lives of their trainees by demonstrating excellence in neuro-oncology education.
Hikmat Al- Ahmadie, MD, pathologist, was named Scientific Director of the MSK Biobank, a strategic translational research initiative designed to enhance our scientific capabilities. Biobank samples are a vital tool for basic and clinical research that provide valuable insights into cancer biology and disease-specific biomarkers.
Andrea Schietinger, PhD, immunologist from Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI), received the 2023 AACR-Irving Weinstein Foundation Distinguished Lectureship Award. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) recognized Dr. Schietinger for her unparalleled scientific contributions to the field of immunology. The prestigious lectureship is selected annually by the AACR President. The award acknowledges an individual for their outstanding personal innovation in science and whose position as a thought leader has the potential to inspire creative thinking and new directions in cancer research. The date of Dr. Schietinger’s lectureship will be announced prior to the AACR Annual Meeting 2023.
Eytan Stein, MD, Chief, Leukemia Service; Director, Program for Drug Development in Leukemia, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, was appointed Chief of the Leukemia Service in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies. As a clinical researcher and leader in the field, Dr. Stein has developed early-phase clinical trials of novel compounds that target the genetic and epigenetic basis of myeloid malignancies. Dr. Stein joined MSK as a Medical Oncology/Hematology Fellow in 2010, became MSK faculty in 2013, and was appointed the founding Director of the Program for Drug Development in Leukemia in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies in 2019.
Raajit Rampal, MD, PhD, hematologic oncologist, was named a Myeloproliferative Neoplasm (MPN) Hero by CURE Media Group’s MRN Heroes Recognition Program. Dr. Rampel was recognized for his commitment to improving the outcomes of people affected by blood cancers, giving hope to patients in the MPN community by explaining that there is highly collaborative work underway to advance the science of MPN understanding, care, and treatment.
Saad Usmani, MD, MBS, FACP, Chief, Myeloma Service, was awarded the 2022 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)-Career Development Program (CDP) Scholar in Clinical Research Achievement Award. The CDP Achievement Award recognizes awardees in each subcategory – Scholar or Scholar in Clinical Research, Special Fellow, and Fellow – who have published significant findings and are on a clear trajectory to become leaders in blood cancer research and/or treatment. Awardees will receive a grant that will provide funding for two to five years.
Ricardo Otazo, PhD, MSc, BSc, Chief, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Physics, was awarded the Distinguished Investigator award by the Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research. The Academy is an advocacy organization committed to advancing research in medical imagining to promote the health and well-being of patients. This award recognizes individuals for their accomplishments in imaging research.
Luis Diaz Jr., MD, Head of the Division of Solid Tumor Oncology in the Department of Medicine and Grayer Family Chair, received the Precision Medicine World Conference (PMWC) Pioneer Award. The Pioneer Award recognizes venerable individuals whose foresight and groundbreaking contributions to Precision Medicine propelled the movement in earlier years, allowing it to gain momentum to evolve into the standard of care that is becoming today. Dr. Diaz assisted in pioneering the application of circulating tumor DNA as a cancer diagnostic and strategy for monitoring emergence of therapeutic resistance in the blood.
Jason Lewis, PhD, radiochemist, Emily Tow Chair in Oncology, Vice Chair for Research, Department of Radiology, Chief, Radiochemistry and Imaging Sciences Service, and Director of the Radiochemistry and Molecular Imaging Probe core facility, Michael Morris, MD, medical oncologist, Prostate Cancer Section Head and GU Oncology, Lisa Bodei, MD, PhD, nuclear medicine physician and Director of Targeted Radionuclide Therapy, received the PCF TACTICAL award for their Novel Theranostic Agents for Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer project. The award provides up to $10 million over three years to support large-scale research projects led by qualified teams of academic scientist that specifically address the development of 21st century therapies for lethal forms of prostate cancer.
Jason Klein, Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer was the recipient of the 2022 Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of the year award by the Chief Investment Officer Magazine. Mr. Klein was recognized for his work in driving change and enhancing institutional fund performance. CIO has used this awards program to highlight truly innovative approaches to the challenges of institutional asset ownership and asset management
Hans-Guido Wendel, MD, Member and Professor of Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, was a recipient of the 2022 CURE Follicular Lymphoma (FL) award by the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation for his project Engaging the Inhibitory BTLA Receptor for the treatment of FL. The CURE FL awards grant program harnesses top clinical scientists and researchers from around the world, with the most innovative and exciting research projects, which seek to accelerate the development of new and improved treatments towards a cure for FL. Each grantee will receive a research grant of up $500K over two years.