2014 Giants of Cancer Care® Inductee James P. Allison, Ph.D., Awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
October 18 2018 - 12:14PM
Business Wire
The Nobel Prize recognizes individuals whose
discoveries benefit humankind.
OncLive®, the leading digital provider of resources and
information to oncology professionals, is pleased to announce that
2014 Giants of Cancer Care® inductee, James P. Allison,
Ph.D., was recognized with the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology
or Medicine for his research that led to the use of immune
checkpoint inhibitors to treat cancer.
“Congratulations to Dr. Allison on this amazing and
well-deserved achievement,” said Michael J. Hennessy Jr, president
of MJH Associates, parent company of OncLive®. “Dr. Allison’s
breakthroughs have completely changed the way oncologists treat
cancer.”
Allison’s work has led him to discover a protein called CTLA-4,
which slows down T cells. T cells send the body’s immune system
into battle, specifically when fighting cancer. Allison tinkered
with T cells until he developed a class of drugs called immune
checkpoint inhibitors that “disable the brakes” on T cells so they
can be stimulated into better fighting cancer tumors.
“Dr. Allison really exemplifies what it means to be a Giant of
Cancer Care®,” said Robert Goldsmith, vice president of OncLive®.
“We couldn’t be prouder of him and his discoveries that have led to
the development of a revolution in cancer treatment.”
Allison received his doctorate in 1973 at the University of
Texas, Austin. Currently, he serves as chair of the Department of
Immunology, the Vivian L. Smith Distinguished Chair in Immunology,
director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and
executive director of the Immunotherapy Platform at the University
of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Earlier in his career, he was a
postdoctoral fellow at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation
and a faculty member at the University of Texas System Cancer
Center; University of California, Berkeley; and Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Center. He was also an investigator at the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute and a professor at MD Anderson. Allison
has received numerous awards, including the Lasker-Debakey Clinical
Medical Research Award, ASCO’s Science of Oncology Award and the
Pezcoller Foundation–AACR International Award for Cancer
Research.
Since 1901 the Nobel Prize award has recognized outstanding
scientists who have made the most important discoveries for the
benefit of humankind. Allison will split the $1 million prize with
fellow scientist Tasuku Honjo, M.D., PhD. The two were jointly
awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their
discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune
regulation.
About OncLive®
A digital platform of resources for practicing oncologists,
OncLive® offers oncology professionals information they can use to
help provide the best patient care. OncLive.com is the official
website for the MJH Associates, Inc., Oncology Specialty Group,
which publishes OncologyLive®, Oncology Nursing News® and more. MJH
Associates Inc. is a full-service health care communications
company offering education, research and medical media, including
curetoday.com and CURE® magazine, the largest U.S. consumer
publication focused entirely on cancer. Combining science and
humanity to make cancer understandable, CURE® reaches patients,
cancer centers and advocacy groups.
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OncLive® Media:Alexandra Ventura,
609-716-7777, ext. 121aventura@mjhassoc.comorJohn Patricolo,
609-325-4630jpatricolo@mjhassoc.com