SEATTLE — April 14, 2009 — Cancer epidemiologist John Potter, M.D., Ph.D., a member and senior adviser at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, has been selected to receive the 18th Annual AACR-American Cancer Society Award for Research Excellence in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention.
Potter, also a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine, will receive the honor April 21 during the 100th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Denver.
Potter, former director of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division, is being recognized for his contributions to the understanding of epidemiology and prevention of colorectal cancer. Potter has studied and clarified the roles of diet, exercise, hormones and genetics in the cause of this cancer. This award was established in 1992 to honor outstanding research accomplishments in the fields of cancer epidemiology, biomarkers and prevention.
"It is not just good lab science and excellent technology that allow us to understand human health and disease; what we need are very large numbers of healthy humans who are partners in developing our collective understanding why some of us get specific diseases and some stay healthy into old age," said Potter. "Helping to act upon this insight with enthusiasm and the right resources is, for me right now, what makes this field exciting."
His is among 10 awards given annually by the AACR, the world's oldest and largest professional organization representing cancer scientists from the United States and nearly 80 other countries. The series of awards honor outstanding accomplishments in basic cancer research, clinical research, epidemiology, therapeutics and prevention. Each recipient presents an educational lecture at the AACR Annual Meeting.
Potter’s lecture, "Chemoprevention: Why Do We Keep Getting It Wrong?" will take place at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Kristen Woodward (Hutchinson Center)
206-667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org
Jeremy Moore (AACR)
267-646-0557
303-228-8415 (in Denver)
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Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit www.fhcrc.org.
About the American Association for Cancer Research
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes more than 28,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and nearly 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.
For the Media