ASCO Congratulates 2026 Special Award Recipients

Allen Lichter Visionary Leader Award

| Images | Name | |---|---| | John D. Carpten, PhD | Dr. Carpten is the director of City of Hope’s National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Director of Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope and chief scientific officer. He also holds the Irell & Manella Cancer Center Director’s Distinguished Chair and the Morgan & Helen Chu Director’s Chair of the Beckman Research Institute. Dr. Carpten provides overall executive leadership and strategic direction for research at City of Hope. He is an internationally recognized expert with extensive expertise in human genetics, cancer genome science, cancer cell biology, functional genomics, precision medicine, and health disparities research. In 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Dr. Carpten as the first African-American chair of the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Advisory Board. |

ASCO-American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Award

| Images | Name | |---|---| | Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, MD, PhD | Dr. Vilar-Sanchez is professor and Chair, ad interim, of the Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is a physician-scientist and medical oncologist specializing in Hereditary Cancer syndromes, with a focus on Lynch Syndrome (LS) and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). His work bridges the gap between molecular discovery and clinical application, aiming to understand colorectal carcinogenesis and develop novel cancer interception strategies. His lab is at the forefront of identifying neoantigens for preventive vaccines and exploring how pharmacological agents, like naproxen, and lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, modulate the immune environment. Through these efforts, Dr. Vilar-Sanchez is transforming cancer prevention into a personalized, proactive discipline for genetically predisposed patients and their families. |

BJ Kennedy Award for Geriatric Oncology Endowed by Dr. Tony and Mrs. Carrie Cheung

| Images | Name | |---|---| | Enrique Soto Pérez de Celis, MD, PhD, FASCO | Dr. Soto is associate professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and associate director for Global Oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. He trained in medical oncology at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition in Mexico and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in geriatric oncology at City of Hope under the mentorship of Dr. Arti Hurria, a pioneer in the field. He went on to establish the first geriatric oncology clinic in Mexico, creating a model of care that has influenced programs across Latin America. His work bridges geriatric and global oncology, focusing on improving outcomes for older adults with cancer in resource-limited settings. Dr. Soto has published more than 220 peer-reviewed articles and in 2025 chaired the ASCO global guideline for geriatric oncology. Recognized by multiple national and international organizations, his career is dedicated to advancing equity and innovation in cancer care for older adults. |

David Karnofsky Science of Oncology Award

| Images | Name | |---|---| | Nancy E. Davidson, MD, FASCO | Dr. Davidson serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Academic Officer and Professor at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center where she holds the Raisbeck Endowed Chair in Collaborative Research; she is also Professor of Medicine at University of Washington School of Medicine. A world-renowned physician-scientist in the field of breast cancer, her research has spanned preclinical studies of the role of epigenetic changes in breast cancer to phase 3 clinical trials to advance clinical care in breast cancer. A major interest is treatment for and mechanisms of resistance in hormone-responsive breast cancer, especially in young women; she has co-authored over 400 papers in the field. She has served as Chair of the Breast Committee for ECOG and co-chair of the Breast Cancer Steering Committee for the NCI National Clinical Trials Network. She previously served as Director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute as well as a founding director of the breast cancer program at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. A past President of ASCO and the American Association for Cancer Research, she is a member of the Association of American Physicians, National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. |

Humanitarian Award

| Images | Name | |---|---| | Michael J. Kelley, MD | Dr. Kelley serves as the executive director of the National Oncology Program for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Overseeing care for approximately 500,000 veterans annually, Dr. Kelley has transformed the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system through the National Precision Oncology Program and VA clinical pathway development. Dr. Kelley launched the VA’s National TeleOncology Service, expanding expert care to over 27,000 veterans, particularly those in rural and underserved areas. His leadership enables a virtual cancer center model that provides comprehensive genetic services and decentralized clinical trials. Dr. Kelley’s career, which began at the National Cancer Institute and continues at Duke University and the Durham VA, includes over 160 peer-reviewed publications. A recipient of the US Public Health Service’s Achievement Award, he remains a dedicated advocate for ensuring all veterans access top-tier, biomarker-driven cancer care. |