Lieping Chen, Ph.D., co-director of the Cancer Immunology Program at Yale Cancer Center and United Technologies Corporation Professor in Cancer Research and professor of immunobiology, of dermatology and of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, has been presented with the 2017 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize for transformative discoveries in the field of cancer immunology.
Chen is one of five scientists to receive the award this year. Collectively, their work has led to the development of effective immune therapies for several types of cancer. The honorees were recognized at a day-long symposium today at Harvard Medical School. They will share a $500,000 prize.
“The award is a great honor and a wonderful recognition of our work,” Chen said.
The other honorees are James Allison, Ph.D., of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Gordon Freeman, Ph.D., of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School; Tasuku Honjo, M.D., Ph.D., Kyoto University; and Arlene Sharpe, M.D., Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School.
The Warren Alpert Foundation, in association with Harvard Medical School, honors trailblazing scientists whose work has led to the understanding, prevention, treatment or cure of human disease.
“We commend these five scientists. They are indisputable standouts in the field of cancer immunology,” said Bevin Kaplan, director of the Warren Alpert Foundation. “We couldn’t honor more worthy recipients for the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize.”
Each of the honorees contributed to understanding how tumor cells sabotage the body’s immune defenses. The notion that cancer and immunity are closely connected and that a person’s immune defenses can be turned against cancer is at least a century old. However, the definitive proof and demonstration of the steps in this process were outlined through findings made by the five honorees.
About Yale Cancer Center
Yale Cancer Center (YCC) is one of only 49 National Cancer Institute (NCI-designated comprehensive cancer) centers in the nation and the only such center in southern New England. Comprehensive cancer centers play a vital role in the advancement of the NCI’s goal of reducing morbidity and mortality from cancer through scientific research, cancer prevention, and innovative cancer treatment. www.yalecancercenter.org