MARCH 29, 2021, NEW YORK – Ludwig San Diego Member Don Cleveland and George Demetri, co-director of the Ludwig Center at Harvard, have been named Fellows of the Academy of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Class of 2021. Election to the Academy, the AACR notes, recognizes and honors “distinguished scientists whose scientific contributions have propelled significant innovation and progress against cancer.” Nominees are elected through an annual peer review process conducted by existing members of the AACR Academy and ratified by the AACR Academy Steering Committee and AACR Executive Committee.
Cleveland was recognized by the Academy for his “celebrated discovery of the revolutionary DNA-based drug treatment ASO (antisense oligonucleotide), and for pioneering research contributions to defining the molecular mechanisms responsible for governing chromosomal movement, cell cycle control, centromere identity, and genome evolution in cancer.”
Demetri was honored for his “central contributions to the development of novel treatments and personalized cancer care regimens for sarcoma patients, which have led to FDA and worldwide regulatory approval of various targeted therapies, including imatinib, pazopanib, and sunitinib, medications that have significantly altered the standard of care for sarcoma patients and those affected by gastrointestinal stromal tumors.”
The news release from which this summary is derived can be found here.