Washington University professor to receive AACR-CRI Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) will present Robert D. Schreiber, Ph.D., Alumni Endowed Professor of Pathology and Immunology, Professor of Molecular Microbiology, and Director of the Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., with the second annual AACR-CRI Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology at the AACR Annual Meeting 2014, to be held in San Diego, Calif., April 5-9.

Schreiber, who is currently a senior editor of AACR's newest journal, Cancer Immunology Research, and associate director of CRI's scientific advisory council, will give his lecture, "Cancer Immunoediting: Applying Mechanistic Insights to Cancer Immunotherapy," Wednesday, April 9, 10 a.m. PT, in Ballroom A-D in the San Diego Convention Center.

Schreiber is being recognized for his pioneering contributions to the field of cancer immunology, which have helped establish a clearer understanding of the immune system's role in tumor progression. His important discoveries include the identification of IFNγ as a key cytokine in antitumor immunity and the development of the cancer immunoediting concept, which integrates the host protective and tumor promoting functions of the immune system and provides a framework for the design of cancer immunotherapies. Recently, Schreiber and colleagues showed that genomics approaches could be used to define tumor specific antigens, a result that paves the way for development of personalized cancer immunotherapies.

"I am tremendously honored to receive this recognition from AACR and CRI. This award is particularly meaningful to me because it bears the name of Lloyd J. Old, who so significantly influenced the course of my career by getting me interested in the field of cancer immunology," said Schreiber. "It is indeed a very exciting time to be working in this area of research and to see some of that work translated by others into novel and effective cancer immunotherapies. I am grateful to the large number of talented young investigators who contributed their efforts to the development of our research program over the years and to the many colleagues, both at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and elsewhere, who provided indispensable advice and support for our efforts."

The AACR-CRI Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology was established in 2013 in honor of the late Lloyd J. Old, M.D., who is considered the "Father of Modern Tumor Immunology." Old's outstanding research in the field of cancer immunology, as well as his decades of leadership in fostering the field, had a widespread influence on cancer research. The award is intended to recognize an active cancer immunologist who, like Old, has done outstanding and innovative research in cancer immunology that has had a far-reaching impact on the field.

Schreiber is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a past member of the board of scientific advisors at the National Cancer Institute. Other accolades include election in 1996 as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the 2001 William B. Coley Award from CRI, and the 2007 Charles Rodolphe Brupbacher Prize for Cancer Research.

Schreiber received his doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo and completed his postdoctoral training at the Scripps Institute in La Jolla, Calif., where he served on the faculty before joining Washington University.

Source: American Association for Cancer Research