NIH Scientists Who Helped Develop FDA-Approved Cervical Cancer Vaccine Honored

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines;  Sexual Health / STDs;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 26 Oct 2006 - 9:00 PDT

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More than 150 distinguished guests and eminent physicians hosted an award lecture recognizing the two NIH scientists whose research resulted in the clinical development of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine against cervical cancer. The first HPV vaccine was licensed by the FDA in June 2006. The vaccine protects women against strains of a widely transmitted infection of the HPV that causes cervical cancer. Cervical cancer strikes more than 11,000 U.S. women each year, killing more than 3,900. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide after breast cancer, and in developing countries, the leading cause of death by cancer.

The award recipients are Douglas Lowy, M.D., Laboratory Chief and Principal Investigator, Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Division of Basic Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH) and John Schiller, Ph.D., Deputy Chief and Principal Investigator, Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Division of Basic Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH.

Highlights of this event included:

* Award lecture presentation entitled "1st cancer vaccine of the 21st century, an insider perspective from the NIH" by Drs. Lowy and Schiller

* Roundtable discussion and Q&A on the successes and challenges of vaccines with our guest NIH scientists/awardees as well as leading scientists from Mount Sinai Medical Center and Darmouth

The evening featured the award lecture and a wine and cheese reception in the Faculty Dining Room following the lecture, where guests could interact with our distinguished guests from the NIH and additional prominent scientists.

"I'm confident that we'll convert cancer from an early death sentence to a chronic disease with which you can live a long life," said Dr. Waxman, a leading oncologist at Mount Sinai Hospital and a Professor at The Mount Sinai Medical School. The David Workman Memorial Award of the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF) recognizes the application of science for the development of a new treatment for a poorly-treatable form of cancer. Past recipients of the David Workman Memorial Award included Dr. Waun Ki Hong and Dr. Reuben Lotan of MD Anderson Cancer Center of the University of Texas as well as Dr. Michael Grever, Chair, Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University.

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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SWCRF, founded in 1975, is a non-profit organization committed to finding cancer cell-targeted treatments that are minimally toxic to the patient. As collaborations between scientists are key to making these discoveries around the world, the Foundation, through its "Institute Without Walls", funds collaborative research in 50 major medical centers in the U.S., Canada, China, Europe and Israel. The Foundation's goal is to increase our impact in cancer research by growing to 100 research sites by 2010.

Please join us to discuss the cutting-edge work of The Foundation's "Institute Without Walls," which funds promising research around the world and encourages collaboration among scientists. Joint research has yielded important discoveries and has led to the development of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer. Learn more about SWCRF at http://www.waxmancancer.org/.

Speakers

Dennis Charney, M.D.
Dean for Academic and Scientific Affairs for Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Senior Vice President for Health Sciences of The Mount Sinai Medical Center
Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Professor, Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Pharmacology & Biological Chemistry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Peter Palese, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Microbiology, Mount Sinai Medical Center

Rhoda Sperling, M.D.
Vice Chair - Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Mount Sinai Medical Center

Samuel Waxman, M.D.
Albert A. and Vera G. List Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Co-Director, Joint Clinical Center for Cancer Therapy, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, China

Contact: Mount Sinai Press Office
The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine