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2009 Recipient
Mark W. Schiffman, M.D., M.P.H.
Senior Investigator
Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology Branch
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD
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Dr. Schiffman delivered his Award lecture entitled, "Biomarkers and cancer prevention: Cautionary lessons from the study of human papillomavirus and cervical cancer," at the 8th Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, Houston, TX. The Award ceremony and Lecture were held on Monday, December 7, 2009, from 5:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
The Award and Lecture
AACR and the Prevent Cancer Foundation are pleased to co-sponsor this major international Award in recognition of outstanding cancer prevention research. The AACR-Prevent Cancer Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research is given to a scientist residing in any country in the world for his or her seminal contributions to the field of cancer prevention. Such investigations must have been conducted in basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, or behavioral science in cancer prevention research. Further, these studies must have had not only a major impact on the field, but must also have stimulated new directions in this important area.
The recipient of the Award will receive a $5,000 honorarium, present a 50-minute lecture at the 8th Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research. The Conference will be held December 6-9, 2009, at the Hilton Americas, Houston, TX, and be given support for the winner and guest to attend the conference.
Eligibility
- All cancer researchers who are affiliated with any institution involved in cancer research, cancer medicine, or cancer-related biomedical science anywhere in the world. Such institutions include those in academia, industry, or government may be nominated for the Award.
- The Award will be presented to an individual investigator.
- Institutions or organizations are not eligible for the Award.
- Candidates must currently maintain an active research program, have a record of recent publications, and be able to present the Award lecture at the Conference.
Nomination Process
Nominations for the 2010 Award will open in May 2010.
Nominations may be made by any scientist, whether an AACR member or nonmember, who is now or has been affiliated with any institution involved in cancer research, cancer medicine, or cancer-related biomedical science. Candidates may not nominate themselves.
The following materials must be submitted:
Nomination Letter, which must:
- be addressed to the Selection Committee; be written in English; and not exceed 1,000 words;
- specify the AACR Award for which the candidate is being nominated;
- describe the candidate's seminal contributions to the field of cancer prevention, with the publications supporting these accomplishments directly referenced within the letter.
Candidate's CV. The candidate's curriculum vitae in English, including a complete list of the candidate's publications.
Summary Statement. A statement, no more than 50 words, summarizing the candidate's research accomplishments for which he or she is being nominated.
Preferred file formats are *.doc. The candidate's CV may be submitted in a .pdf file. Your nomination is not considered fully submitted until you receive a confirmation e-mail from the AACR; confirmations will be sent within two business days.
Nominators are asked to maintain the confidentiality of the nomination process and to refrain from informing the candidate about the nomination.
There is no restriction on the number of candidates that may be nominated by any individual scientist. There is no restriction on the number of nominators that may write nomination letters or that may sign a single nomination letter on behalf of a candidate.
Nomination Instructions
Will be made available May 2010.
Selection
Candidates will be considered by a Committee of international cancer leaders appointed by the President of the AACR. After careful deliberations by the Award Committee, its recommendations will be forwarded to the Executive Committee of the AACR for final consideration and decision. Selection of the Award winner will be made on the basis of the candidate's seminal contributions to the field of cancer prevention. No regard will be given to age, race, gender, nationality, geographic location, or religious or political views.
The Prevent Cancer Foundation
The Prevent Cancer Foundation is a national, non-profit health foundation with a single mission: the prevention and early detection of cancer through scientific research and education. The Foundation focuses its energies and resources on those cancers-including lung, breast, prostate, colorectal, cervical, skin and testicular-that can be prevented through lifestyle changes or early detection followed by prompt treatment. In addition to funding and recognizing excellence in research, the Foundation's public education programs have provided life-saving information about cancer to thousands of men, women, and children. The Prevent Cancer Foundation has made major contributions to the ongoing programs of the AACR and, therefore, has been named a "Champion of the AACR."
Questions?
Monique P. Eversley, Program Associate
monique.eversley@aacr.org
American Association for Cancer Research
17th Floor, 615 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404
(267) 646-0576
SPOTLIGHT
2009 Recipient
Mark W. Schiffman, M.D., M.P.H.
Senior Investigator, Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology Branch
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD
Dr. Mark W. Schiffman is recognized for his outstanding research on the mechanisms of cervical carcinogenesis based on a model of infection with the human papillomaviruses (HPV). His work has changed cervical cancer screening and prevention in the U.S. and internationally.
Dr. Schiffman has been responsible for creating and directing one of the top research units worldwide on the human papillomaviruses (HPV) and cervical cancer. His research is an example of interdisciplinary science involving collaborations between molecular biologists, virologists, geneticists, vaccinologists, diagnosticians, clinicians, epidemiologists, and public health scientists to understand the causes of cervical cancer and reduce its burden as the second leading cause of cancer among women worldwide.
He has directed two cohort studies on the natural history of HPV - a 24,000-women cohort in Portland, OR and a 10,000-women cohort in Guanacaste, Costa Rica - which have contributed directly to a new paradigm of cervical carcinogenesis, namely that HPV, as a highly common sexually-transmitted infection, is the necessary etiologic agent in the development of cervical cancer and its immediate precursor lesion, collectively known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).
In the early 1990's, Dr. Schiffman first proposed that cervical cancer does not progress along a pathology model of stepwise progression from CIN1 to CIN2 to CIN3 to cancer but rather along a simple, causal schema composed of four reliably measured stages: HPV acquisition, HPV persistence (versus clearance), progression to precancer, and invasion. This conceptual model, radical at the time, now has gained firm empirical support and is widely accepted as the correct cervical carcinogenesis model.
Dr. Schiffman's seminal work on clinical HPV DNA testing as a more sensitive and reliable screening test than cervical cytology led to the FDA approval of commercial HPV test. As a direct consequence of his work, HPV DNA testing has been adopted by many national policy groups, such as the American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP), American Cancer Society, and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as an adjunctive test with cytology in women 30 and older and as a triage for equivocal cytology. Dr. Schiffman co-wrote the interim guidelines for ASCCP for use of HPV DNA testing in clinical practice and served on the working committee for updated guidelines in 2006.
Dr. Schiffman continues to be involved in a broad range of critical research topics in cervical cancer epidemiology and prevention. He is importantly serving as co-investigator on an independent, NCI-directed clinical trial of an NCI-developed prophylactic HPV vaccine involving 7,500 women in a high risk area of Costa Rica that undoubtedly will provide unique insights regarding immunologic responses necessary for disease prevention.
Dr. Schiffman received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and his M.P.H. in Epidemiology from The John Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. He began his research career as a Staff Fellow with the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Schiffman has been an investigator in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics of the NCI since 1983 and a Public Health Service Commissioned Officer from 1986 until he switched into the Civil Service in 2008. Currently, Dr. Schiffman serves as Senior Investigator, Clinical Genetics Branch for the National Cancer Institute.
Throughout his memorable career Dr. Schiffman has received several accolades and awards from prestigious organizations, including a Fulbright Scholarship to study preventive medicine in Africa, The American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Lifetime Achievement Award (2008); American Cancer Society Medal of Honor in Clinical Research (2007); and the DHHS Secretary's Distinguished Service Award (2006).