Nominations for the 2009 Award are now open.
Submission deadline: 4:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Daylight Savings Time on Friday, July 31, 2009.
The Award and Lecture
The 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 and 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.
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 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.
Nominations must be submitted online at https://proposalcentral.altum.com/, no later than 4:00 p.m. United States Eastern Daylight Savings Time on Friday, July 31, 2009. Paper nominations will not be accepted. 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
Nominations must be completed online using the proposalCENTRAL website. Full nomination instructions and program guidelines are available through the link below and on the proposalCENTRAL website.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions 
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 recipient of the 8th Annual AACR-Prevent Cancer Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research will be announced in Fall 2009.
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
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2008 Recipient
Frank L. Meyskens, Jr., M.D.
Director, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Associate Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences,
College of Health Sciences
Professor of Medicine and Biological Chemistry
University of California
Irvine, CA
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Dr. Frank L. Meyskens, Jr. is recognized for his innumerable contributions to the fields of cancer prevention and control over the last 30 years. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed laboratory and clinical manuscripts on this topic.
Dr. Meyskens was among the first to recognize the potential of retinoids as preventive and therapeutic agents, and he led the development of topical all-trans-retinoic acid for the chemoprevention of CIN through pilot and Phase I, II and III trials. His positive Phase III study of retinol in chronic myelogenous leukemia promoted the idea that retinoids could affect the natural history of this preneoplastic condition, pre-saging the successful development of all-trans retinoic acid's for acute promyelocytic leukemia.
In parallel with these activities focused on retinoids, Dr. Meyskens, along with his colleague Dr. Ann Kennedy, has been responsible for the clinical development of the Bowman-Birk Inhibitor (BBIC) as a chemopreventive agent for oral leukoplakia. The promising results of a Phase IIa trial were reported in Clinical Cancer Research in 2000, and he is currently completing a randomized Phase IIb trial of BBIC in oral leukoplakia patients.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of his accomplishments in cancer prevention and control to date was his leadership in the development of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) as a chemoprevention agent in humans. Dr. Meyskens was the Principal Investigator of a large Phase IIb trial of DFMO plus sulindac versus placebo in patients with prior colorectal adenomas that was transitioned to a Phase III study in 2004. The results of that trial demonstrated a remarkable 70% reduction in the risk of adenoma recurrence, and a 90% reduction in the risk of recurrence of an advanced adenoma. Thus, this trial demonstrated the highest level of efficacy seen in a clinical chemoprevention trial to date and established the clinical premise for combinatorial approaches to chemoprevention. Extending this work beyond those at risk for colorectal neoplasia, Dr. Meyskens also served as a senior member of the team which conducted a unique trial to measure the effect of DFMO on prostatic tissue in men at familial risk. The results were recently published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention showing reduction in prostate volume and PSA levels, as well as changes in other parameters.
In addition, Dr. Meyskens has re-examined the scientific basis for the etiology of melanoma. Based on 15 years of detailed laboratory work, he proposed a new conceptual framework for melanoma etiology, prevention, and treatment. Most recently, he has provided a major, new insight into the non-UVR causation of melanoma with suggestions for potential preventive strategies.
Of particular note, Dr. Meyskens has published many seminal "thought" papers that have moved the field of cancer prevention forward. Perhaps, the most influential and important papers in the past decade considered the many challenges associated with the identification and development of markers as predictors of preventive effectiveness.
Dr. Frank L. Meyskens has excelled in both the basic and clinical science of cancer chemoprevention, thereby greatly enhancing its legitimacy and its translational potential to affect meaningful reductions in the burden of cancer worldwide.