MD Anderson professor receives 13th annual City of Florence Prize in Molecular Sciences

Peter Friedl, M.D., Ph.D., professor of genitourinary medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has received one of Italy's top scientific awards for his work in imaging and cancer growth, metastasis and therapy response.

Friedl was named a recipient of the 13th annual City of Florence Prize in Molecular Sciences. Previous recipients include such scientific luminaries as AIDS research pioneer Robert C. Gallo. M.D., human genome sequencing expert J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., and Nobel laureates Robert Hubert, Ph.D. and Ada Yonath, Ph.D. Friedl received the award recently in Florence at the Palazzo Vecchio.

"Dr. Friedl's accomplishments are internationally known and this prestigious award only confirms the significance of his work," said Ethan Dmitrovsky, M.D., provost and executive vice president at MD Anderson. "To be recognized along with other scientific leaders is truly an honor and one that reflects the high caliber of research that is daily pursued at MD Anderson."

The City of Florence prize is given for advancements in key technical developments that have provided novel insight into biomedical processes. Friedl has been recognized for his work with advanced microscopy to further understanding of metastasis.

The University of Florence's Center for Magnetic Resonance, which sponsors the award, said in a statement that Friedl was awarded for "developing innovative technologies for dynamic detection of cell processes … his deep experience in the field of microscopy has allowed him to develop a novel method to obtain 3D images of living tissue, making them fluorescent rays with low energy. This technique is ideal for observing the dynamics of the cells in the deep tissues of the tumor."