PHILADELPHIA – Victoria’s Secret, Pelotonia, and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) today announced the recipients of The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers 2022 Meritorious Awards, In Partnership with Pelotonia & AACR . These new scientific achievement awards are intended to recognize five influential female researchers who have made pioneering contributions to the fundamental understanding and/or treatment of breast or any form of gynecologic cancer. The awards will be presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2022, which will be held April 8-13 in New Orleans.
“We have long supported cancer research, but this particular program – accelerating innovation in cancer research for women, by women – is a tangible way we’re bringing to life our brand’s vision of being a leading advocate for women,” said Christy Tostevin, senior vice president of communications and community relations, Victoria’s Secret. “We are exceptionally proud to share the fund’s inaugural award with five outstanding women who have been leading this critically important work for decades, and are inspiring the next generation of women leaders in cancer.”
"The opportunity provided to women in cancer research by The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancers is about so much more than just funding,” said Doug Ulman, chief executive officer, Pelotonia. “The five, extraordinary leaders receiving the inaugural award will be given a platform to share about their work to save and improve the lives of women on a global stage, and help develop the next generation of research talent through thoughtful mentorship and collaboration."
The five meritorious award recipients are:
Joan S. Brugge, PhD, FAACR ( Photo )
Louise Foote Pfeiffer Professor of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School; Co-Director, Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Susan M. Domchek, MD ( Photo )
Executive Director, Basser Center for BRCA and Basser Professor in Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Karen H. Lu, MD ( Photo )
Professor and Chair, Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine; J. Taylor Wharton Distinguished Chair in Gynecologic Oncology; Co-Director, MD Anderson Clinical Cancer Genetics Program; Director, High Risk Ovarian Cancer Screening Clinic; Director, Uterine Cancer Research Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Lisa A. Newman, MD, MPH ( Photo )
Chief, Section of Breast Surgery, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center; Leader, Multidisciplinary Breast Oncology Programs, New York-Presbyterian David H. Koch Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
Martine J. Piccart, MD, PhD, FAACR ( Photo )
Honorary Professor of Oncology, Université Libre de Bruxelles; Scientific Director, Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium
Each awardee will receive a $100,000 honorarium and will be invited to serve as an active participant and mentor in a broader women’s cancers grant program, which will include multi-year research grants for both established and early-stage investigators. This grant program will be funded by The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers and administered by the AACR and Pelotonia.
“We are thrilled to recognize these five remarkable female researchers at this year’s AACR Annual Meeting,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer, AACR. “Drs. Brugge, Domchek, Lu, Newman, and Piccart have made seminal contributions to our progress against breast and gynecologic cancers. Collectively, their research has deepened our understanding of these diseases, improved cancer prevention and screening techniques, led to improvements in medical and surgical treatments, and saved countless lives worldwide.”
The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers 2022 Meritorious Awards, In Partnership with Pelotonia & AACR, reflect the broader commitment of these organizations to supporting the professional advancement of female cancer researchers; to consistently investing in innovative approaches to the understanding, prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of women’s cancers; and to improving and saving the lives of women around the world.