Director of Molecular Diagnostics receives AMP 2013 Leadership Award

Jan A. Nowak, PhD, MD, has been awarded the Association for Molecular Pathology 2013 Leadership Award. This is the highest honor that AMP gives exclusively to one of its members - one who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the accomplishment of the mission and vision of AMP. Jan Nowak is Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Illinois, where he serves as an Attending Physician. He is also Clinical Assistant Professor of Pathology, at the University of Chicago. He is certified by in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology (American Board of Pathology) and holds specialty certification in Molecular Genetic Pathology (American Board of Pathology and the American Board of Medical Genetics).

"Jan Nowak is admired by many for his thoughtful approach, dedication, professional excellence, and gracious wisdom," said Iris Schrijver, MD, Chair, AMP Nominating Committee and Immediate Past President. "We are extremely fortunate to have Jan as a leader in our organization, as an advocate for our field, and as a mentor and friend. It is a privilege and honor to announce his selection for this award."

Jan Nowak has served in an impressive number of leadership roles within AMP which include (but are not limited to) Web Library Editor, Member of the Training and Education Committee, the Publications Committee, and the Professional Relations Committee, and Chair of the Clinical Practice Committee, the PRC Subcommittee on CPT Coding, the Nominating Committee and the Economic Affairs Committee.

Dr. Nowak may be best known, however, for his service as 2009 President of AMP. During his term he led AMP through lively deliberations when the gene patent suit was filed. Dr. Nowak's advocacy was instrumental in positioning AMP-member laboratories as front-line experts during the H1N1 outbreak. He emphasized that these laboratories were able to validate virus detection assays swiftly, because they were Laboratory Developed Tests and because the virus sequence was not patented.

"The AMP Leadership Award is a highly prestigious award and honor for an AMP member to receive. We are so pleased to honor and thank Jan Nowak with this formal symbol of our appreciation for his exceptional past and current contributions to AMP," said Jennifer L. Hunt, MD, MEd, AMP President.