Lilly and the AACR Work Together To Recognize Breakthrough Research in the Fight Against Cancer
April 16 2007 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Awards Presented for Substantial Contributions to Cancer Research
LOS ANGELES, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Innovative and
collaborative cancer research can be the catalyst to improving
patient outcomes. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the American
Association for Cancer Research (AACR) at the 2007 AACR Annual
Meeting in Los Angeles, Eli Lilly and Company in partnership with
AACR presented two awards, which acknowledge innovation and the
growing importance of interdisciplinary teams working together to
transform research discoveries into clinical practice. "Both the
Team Science Award and the G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award allow us to
recognize individuals and teams who are working to bring meaningful
progress to the future of cancer care," said Richard Gaynor, M.D.,
vice president, cancer research and global oncology platform leader
at Lilly. "Their work is occurring at hospitals, research
organizations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and
government institutions. The breakthroughs delivered by these award
recipients can form the backbone of the next phase of cancer
treatments. At Lilly, we are collaborating with researchers around
the world to identify the best ways to deliver the right medication
at the right dose and the right time for patients. This gives the
medical community and patients more powerful options in the fight
against cancer." The first-ever Team Science Award was presented to
a collaborative 16- member team from the University of Michigan and
Harvard University-Brigham and Women's Hospital. The two
universities worked together to uncover a breakthrough finding -- a
unique change involved in the pathogenesis of prostate cancers --
which has profound clinical and biological implications for
understanding not just prostate cancer but possibly other common
solid tumors. Selected from a pool of nearly 30 applicants, the
Michigan and Harvard team was collectively awarded a prize of
$50,000. In addition to their prize, the institutions will be cited
for their collaboration and contribution to team science. Also
presented was the G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award recognizing an
individual with outstanding recent accomplishments in basic cancer
research. The award was presented to Michael Kastan, M.D., Ph.D.,
cancer center director at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in
Memphis, Tennessee, for his leadership in studying cellular
responses to DNA damage. Lilly and the AACR established the award
in 1961 to honor Dr. G.H.A. Clowes, a former research director at
Lilly and an active member of AACR. Dr. Kastan will be awarded
$30,000 and will deliver a lecture on his research findings during
the 2007 AACR Annual Meeting. "It is an honor to recognize Dr.
Kastan with the Clowes Award and the collaborative team from the
University of Michigan and Harvard University with the Team Science
Award," said Gaynor. "Their work provides meaningful knowledge of
how we may be able to find new and innovative treatments to combat
this deadly disease." About AACR The mission of the American
Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer.
Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's oldest and largest
professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research.
The membership includes more than 24,000 basic, translational, and
clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer
survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 70 other
countries. AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the
cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific
and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research
grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000
participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in
the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel
data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment,
and patient care. AACR publishes five major peer- reviewed
journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular
Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer
Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Its most recent
publication, CR, is a magazine for cancer survivors, patient
advocates, their families, physicians, and scientists. It provides
a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and
perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship, and
advocacy. About Lilly Oncology, a Division of Eli Lilly and Company
For more than four decades, Lilly Oncology has been collaborating
with cancer researchers to deliver innovative treatment choices and
valuable programs to patients and their physicians. Inspired by
courageous patients living with cancer, Lilly Oncology is providing
treatments that are considered global standards of care and
developing a broad portfolio of novel targeted therapies to
accelerate the pace and progress of cancer care. To learn more
about Lilly's commitment to cancer, please visit
http://www.lillyoncology.com/. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly, a
leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing
portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical
products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide
laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific
organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides
answers -- through medicines and information -- for some of the
world's most urgent medical needs. O-LLY (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO)
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO DATASOURCE:
Eli Lilly and Company CONTACT: Christine Van Marter of Eli Lilly
and Company, +1-317-651-1473, or cell, +1-317-554-7923, Web site:
http://www.lillyoncology.com/
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