During this evening’s Opening Plenary Session of the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer, four leading scientists were celebrated for their contributions to the field of thoracic oncology. These annual awards not only honor the recipients for their lifelong achievements and dedication to the profession; they also pay tribute to the lung cancer legends for which the awards are named.
2024 Distinguished Service Award Recipients
Adi F. Gazdar IASLC Merit Award
Kwun Fong, MBBS, PhD, FRACP
The Adi F. Gazdar IASLC Merit Award recognizes and honors Dr. Gazdar’s lifelong dedication to lung cancer research through his pioneering work in molecular pathology. This year’s recipient, Prof. Fong, is Clinical Manager of the Pulmonary Malignancy Unit at the Prince Charles Hospital and the University of Queensland Thoracic Research Center, Brisbane, Australia.
As a physician-researcher, Prof. Fong’s contribution to lung cancer research spans basic and applied science, clinical research, and knowledge translation. Prof. Fong has spearheaded clinical research into lung cancer screening in Australia and energetically encourages and mentors the next generation of lung cancer researchers and clinicians.
Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award
Claudia Henschke, MD, PhD
The Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award recognizes an IASLC scientist for a lifetime achievement in the prevention of thoracic malignancies. Dr. Henschke, Professor of Radiology and Director of the Early Lung and Cardiac Action Program at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, is known for her work on the early detection of lung cancer through lung cancer screening.
Dr. Henschke’s most recent efforts include an artificial intelligence-based project with the goal of using AI to triage CT scans into two categories: scans that require a radiologist to review and scans the AI system has reviewed and found no significant change compared to a previous scan, therefore not requiring further radiologic review.
If approved, this would be the first medical imaging application of its kind and could significantly reduce the burden on radiologists involved in screening programs.
Mary J. Matthews Pathology/Translational Research Award
Erik Thunnissen, MD, PhD
The Mary J. Matthews Pathology/Translational Research Award recognizes an IASLC scientist for a lifetime achievement in pathology and translational research of thoracic malignancies.
Prof. Thunnissen, a Pulmonary Pathologist at Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, is known for his work in histopathology and molecular pathology, with emphasis on robustness, reproducibility and quality assurance in pathology diagnosis and molecular testing. He has co-led several reproducibility studies on lung adenocarcinoma subtype diagnosis, including recently on the criteria for invasion.
Paul A. Bunn, Jr. Scientific Award
Julie Brahmer, MD, MSc, FASCO
The Paul A. Bunn, Jr. Scientific Award—named for the longtime executive director of the IASLC—recognizes an IASLC scientist for a lifetime achievement of scientific contributions to thoracic cancer research. Dr. Brahmer, the Marilyn Meyerhoff Professor of Thoracic Oncology and Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, is credited as a driving force for immunotherapy in lung cancer. She was the first to include a cohort of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in an immunotherapy trial, transforming NSCLC research.
