Fairfax, Va., Aug. 27, 2013 – The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has selected 42 recipients for the 2013 Annual Meeting Abstract Awards. The awardees will receive a total of $34,500 and be honored at ASTRO's 55th Annual Meeting, September 22-25, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
"ASTRO's Annual Meeting continually attracts high-quality scientific abstracts from researchers around the world. Research of this caliber provides valuable knowledge to Annual Meeting attendees who, in turn, can apply the findings to their radiation oncology practices and improve cancer care globally," said ASTRO President Colleen A. F. Lawton, MD, FASTRO. "Congratulations to all of the researchers honored with these awards."
The Resident Clinical/Basic Science Research Abstract Award recognizes the top three resident authors of the leading abstracts in radiation and cancer biology, clinical practice and radiation physics. Award winners will be presented with $1,500 and a trophy at a ceremony on Monday, September 23 at 10:15 a.m. Recipients are either a current resident-in-training or out of training for up to one year and are ASTRO members. The 2013 Resident Clinical/Basic Science Research Abstract Award recipients are:
- Timothy J. Harris, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Radiation and Cancer Biology)
- Michael R. Folkert, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York (Radiation Physics)
- Alireza Fotouhi Ghiam, MD, MS, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto (Clinical Practice)
The Resident Digital Poster Recognition Award honors the three highest rated abstracts by residents who are the lead author and selected for digital poster discussions. Awards are presented for one abstract in each category: radiation and cancer biology, clinical practice and radiation physics. Awardees will be recognized with trophies during their digital poster presentation, Monday, September 23 at 10:15 a.m. The 2013 Resident Digital Poster Recognition Award recipients are:
- Daniel Bracey, MD, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C. (Radiation and Cancer Biology)
- Ann Raldow, MD, Harvard Radiation Oncology Program, Boston (Clinical Practice)
- Mu-Han Lin, PhD, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia (Radiation Physics)
The Resident Poster Viewing Recognition Award recognizes the highest rated, resident-submitted abstracts selected for paper poster presentations. The top three resident authors in each category (radiation and cancer biology, clinical practice and radiation physics) are awarded this recognition. Recipients receive the trophy award during the Poster Viewing Reception on Monday, September 23 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Hall B4, Building B. The 2013 Resident Poster Viewing Recognition Award recipients are:
Clinical Practice
- First place: Emma Holliday, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
- Second place: Naamit Gerber, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
- Third place: Christine Min, MD, New York University Medical Center, New York
Radiation and Cancer Biology
- First place: Carmen A. Perez, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
- Second place: Anthony J. Apicelli III, MD, PhD, Washington University, St. Louis
- Third place: Youssef Zeidan, MD, PhD, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
Radiation Physics
- First place: Junaid Pasha, MD, University of California, Irvine, Calif.
- Second place: Shikui Tang, PhD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Third place: Charles E. Wooten, MD, MS, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.
The Basic Science Abstract Award recognizes up to 10 basic scientists (lead authors) of abstracts selected for presentation at the 2013 Annual Meeting, in the biology or physics categories, with a $1,000 grant and a certificate. Up to five awards are available for junior investigators (must have completed an ACGME-accredited residency or PhD program no more than four years prior to the deadline) and up to five are available for senior investigators (biologists or physicists four to 10 years post PhD or board certification, whichever comes later). Recipients of the 2013 Basic Science Abstract Award are:
Radiation Physics
- Bin Han, PhD, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
- Teo Stanescu, PhD, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto
- Seishin Takao, PhD, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
- Eric L. Williams, PhD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
- Yun Yang, PhD, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.
Radiation and Cancer Biology
- Anita Aiyer, MS, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y.
- Mekhail Anwar, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
- Michael T. Spiotto, MD, PhD, University of Chicago, Chicago
- Gregory R. Vlacich, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.
- Ting Xu, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
The Annual Meeting Scientific Abstract/Travel Award recognizes outstanding abstracts submitted by early career scientists, biologists and physicists. Up to 15 awards of $1,000 each are given (five in each category) to help offset travel expenses to attend ASTRO's Annual Meeting. Awardees are the lead authors of the high-scoring abstracts selected for presentation at the 2013 ASTRO Annual Meeting. The 2013 Annual Meeting Scientific Abstract Award recipients are:
- Scott V. Bratman, MD, PhD, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
- Christopher Chapman, MS, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Avani Dholakia, BS, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore
- Aaron Falchook, MD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- Annemarie Fernandes, MD, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Victor S. Mangona, MD, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Mich.
- Ankit Modh, BS, Albany Medical College, Syosset, N.Y.
- David A. Palma, MD, PhD, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario
- Anupam Rishi, MD, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India
- Roshan Sethi, BS, Harvard Medical School, Boston
- Anand Shah, MD, MPH, Columbia University, New York
- Arshin Sheybani, MD, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
- Terence Sio, MD, MS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
- Christopher L. Tinkle, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
- Ralph Vatner, MD, PhD, New York University Medical Center, New York
The International–U.S. Annual Meeting Scientific Abstract Award provides a $4,000 grant to a radiation oncologist from a developing country (based on the World Bank definition) to attend ASTRO's Annual Meeting and to spend one week at a comprehensive cancer center in the United States. The award fosters continuing medical education, assists in career development and aids in establishing relationships with ASTRO members who may serve as scientific mentors to the award winner. Recipients are the lead author of an abstract selected for presentation at the 2013 ASTRO Annual Meeting and have a letter of support from the chair/mentor of the U.S. institution that will host the awardee at their cancer center. The awardee must submit a written summary of their Annual Meeting participation and the experience garnered at the host cancer center. The recipient of the 2013 International – U.S. Annual Meeting Scientific Abstract Award is:
- Antonio C. Zuliani, MD, PhD, MBA, MS, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
The Annual Meeting Nurse Abstract Award recognizes the top clinical research among radiation oncology nurses with a $1,000 grant and certificate. The recipient is a radiation oncology nurse who is the lead author of an abstract selected for presentation at the 2013 ASTRO Annual Meeting, and the recipient will be honored at the Nurses Luncheon on Saturday, September 21, 2013, 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The 2013 Annual Meeting Nurse Abstract Award recipient is:
- Jean Hamker, RN, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland
For more information about ASTRO's 55th Annual Meeting, visit http://www.astro.org/annualmeeting.
For press registration and media policies for ASTRO's 55th Annual Meeting, visit http://www.astro.org/AMpress.
ABOUT ASTRO
ASTRO is the premier radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologist, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals that specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes two medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics and Practical Radiation Oncology; developed and maintains an extensive patient website, http://www.rtanswers.org; and created the Radiation Oncology Institute, a non-profit foundation to support research and education efforts around the world that enhance and confirm the critical role of radiation therapy in improving cancer treatment. To learn more about ASTRO, visit http://www.astro.org.