Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology;
Eminent Scholar, Georgia Research Alliance;
Investigator, Emory Center for AIDS Research;
Vaccine Center Director
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
For unparalleled scientific contributions to immunology and vaccinology including the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of T-cell exhaustion and T-cell memory formation and differentiation following antigen exposure. He is also being honored for his seminal demonstration that persistent viral exposure can result in PD-1-mediated T-cell exhaustion, and that anti-PD-1 antibodies are able to rescue normal T-cell function. His pioneering research has since been expanded to countless studies within the cancer research field dedicated to determining the cellular mechanisms by which T cells function. It has served as a vital catalyst to the ongoing emergence of immune-based therapies for the treatment of patients with cancer and various chronic diseases worldwide.
This award acknowledges an individual whose outstanding personal innovation in science and whose position as a thought leader in fields relevant to cancer research has the potential to inspire creative thinking and new directions in cancer research. The recipient is selected by the AACR president. To learn more please visit the press release.
View Past Recipients.