Luminary Awards Honor GI Experts, Patient Advocate

OncLive^® and The Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, have recognized 4 gastrointestinal (GI) physician-scientists and a prominent patient advocate, naming them as 2022 Luminary Awards in GI Cancers.

The Luminary Awards in GI Cancers celebrate highly accomplished individuals for their lifetime achievements in finding cures and improving the lives of those affected by this group of cancers. This year’s winners have dedicated their careers to bettering the GI cancers community through research and advocacy.

“We are honored to work with The Ruesch Center to celebrate the individuals who have made such remarkable developments in the lives of patients with gastrointestinal cancers,” Robert M. Goldsmith, vice president, sales for MJH Life Sciences^®, the parent company of OncLive^®. “The winners of the 2022 Luminary Awards are very deserving, and we are grateful for their dedication to the field.”

The 2022 Luminary Award winners are:

• Douglas B. Evans, MD, of Froedtert & The Medical College, Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center
• Alan P. Venook, MD, of University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Joel Tepper, MD, of University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
• David Tuveson, MD, PhD, of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cancer Center
• Jim Palma of Target Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes the development of lifesaving treatment protocols for rare cancers by funding innovative research, fostering collaborations, and raising awareness among scientists, clinicians, and patients

Venook, the Madden Family Distinguished Professorship in Medical Oncology and Translational Research at UCSF and the 2019 Giants of Cancer Care^® award winner in the GI cancers category, is an expert in clinical trial design. His research focuses on treating patients with liver tumors with targeted approaches, including infusional chemotherapy and biological agents. Over the course of his career, Venook has shared his expertise in clinical trial methodology and drug development with academic, industry and National Cancer Institute collaborators.

“I am both gratified and humbled by this wonderful honor, as it is in recognition of years of seeking the balance between caring for patients and trying to advance the field for all,” Venook stated in a news release. “Cancer care and cancer research require a team approach and this work would not have been possible without our patients and their families, not to mention my talented and dedicated colleagues at UCSF and around the world. But we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

OncLive^® and The Ruesch Center will host a reception recognizing the award winners on November 17, 2022, at the Westin Georgetown in Washington, DC, in conjunction with the 13th Annual Ruesch Center Symposium.

“Our 13th annual symposium will highlight how our science has progressed despite a pandemic,” John L. Marshall, MD, director of The Ruesch Center for the Cure of GI Cancers, said in the news release. “With increased funding and increased scientific focus from the best brains in the business, we are making significant progress.”

Reference

UCSF Cancer Specialist Recognized with Luminary Award for Gastrointestinal Cancers. News release. University of California San Francisco. November 14, 2022. Accessed November 16, 2022. https://bit.ly/3Ezon28