CSHL professor to be honored with AACR Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research Award

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) will honor Christopher R. Vakoc, MD, PhD, assistant professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, with the 35th annual AACR Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research Award at the AACR Annual Meeting 2015, to be held in Philadelphia, April 18-22.

Since 1979, the AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research is awarded to an investigator younger than 40 years of age to recognize his or her meritorious achievements within the field of cancer research.

Vakoc is being recognized for his groundbreaking discoveries in the areas of epigenetics and cancer biology. More specifically, for his research on the basic molecular mechanisms that control leukemias, which revealed an essential connection between epigenetic regulation and oncogenesis. This work subsequently led to the development of potential new therapeutic approaches that are currently being evaluated in early stage clinical trials.

He will present his lecture, "Chromatin Regulators as Cancer Dependencies," Tuesday, April 21, 4:15 p.m. ET, in the Terrace Ballroom II/III of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

"I am grateful to the AACR for this award and recognizing the impact that basic research in epigenetics and cancer biology can have on therapeutics," Vakoc said. "I am excited about the future of my research and the potential to improve the lives of patients battling leukemias and other cancers."

Vakoc has been recognized with numerous other honors, including the "A" Award from Alex's Lemonade Stand, the V Scholar Grant from the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the Forbeck Scholar Award, the Sass Foundation Fellowship, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award for Medical Scientists, and the Sass Foundation for Medical Research Fellow Award.

He joined CSHL in 2008 as a fellow and became a faculty member in 2011 when appointed assistant professor. Vakoc received his bachelor's degree from Penn State University in University Park in 2001 and his doctoral and medical degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, in 2005 and 2007, respectively, where he was also a postdoctoral fellow.