Five MD Anderson researchers were honored with 2025 AACR Scientific Achievement Awards
AACR Scientific Achievement Awards
- AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research: Robert Bast, M.D.
- AACR-Princess Takamatsu Memorial Lectureship: Ronald DePinho, M.D.
- AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship: Christopher Flowers, M.D.
- AACR-Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Cancer Research: Han Liang, Ph.D.
- NextGen Star for the AACR Annual Meeting 2025: Di Zhao, Ph.D.
Robert Bast, M.D.
Professor of Experimental Therapeutics
Impact: Contributed to the care of hundreds of thousands of women worldwide through the discovery of CA-125 as a biomarker for ovarian cancer.
Recognition: Impacting hundreds of young scholars through innovative programs of education and mentoring for physician-scientists, clinician-investigators, fellows, graduate students and research administrators.
Ronald DePinho, M.D.
Professor of Cancer Biology and Fellow of the AACR Academy
Recognition: Uncovering the genetic and biological mechanisms governing cancer, particularly the role of telomere biology in cancer and aging.
Christopher Flowers, M.D.
Division Head of Cancer Medicine and Chair of Lymphoma/Myeloma
Recognition: Leading cohort studies that enhance the understanding of risk models and outcomes for lymphoma patient populations.
Han Liang, Ph.D.
Professor of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Recognition: Advancing cancer genomics through pioneering pan-cancer analyses, contributing to personalized cancer therapies and the broader field of cancer bioinformatics and systems biology.
Di Zhao, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Experimental Radiation Oncology
Recognition: Successfully characterizing several therapeutic targets and combinatorial strategies for advanced prostate cancer.
Timothy Yap, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics and Vice President and Clinical Development Head of Therapeutics Discovery
Recognition: Named editor-in-chief of AACR's peer-reviewed journal, Clinical Cancer Research, and elected to the AACR Board of Directors.