MD Anderson recognizes outstanding faculty

HOUSTON ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center last night recognized over 100 faculty members at its annual Celebration of Faculty Excellence awards ceremony, acknowledging their compassionate care, exceptional contributions to their fields and the distinction they have brought to the institution.

“Every day, MD Anderson’s dedicated faculty are Making Cancer History^® by advancing cancer care, research, education and prevention. Today, we applaud these outstanding clinicians and researchers for their remarkable achievements,” said Peter WT Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “I extend my deepest gratitude and admiration to our faculty for their unparalleled talents and tireless efforts to improve the lives of the patients and families we serve.”

MD Anderson promoted 85 faculty members to the academic rank of professor, named five early-career Faculty Scholars, and recognized 42 Faculty Honorees for their leadership in quality improvement and patient safety, research excellence, community outreach and education and mentorship advancement. Additionally, six faculty members received the institution’s most prestigious endowed faculty awards: the Jack and Beverly Randall Prize for Excellence in Cancer Research, the John Mendelsohn Award for Faculty Leadership, the R. Lee Clark Prize and the Shirley Stein Scientific Endowed Research Award.

The Jack and Beverly Randall Prize for Excellence in Cancer Research
Created in 2011 by the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors (BOV) member, Jack Randall, and his wife, Beverly, the Jack and Beverly Randall Prize for Excellence in Cancer Research fosters innovative thinking and groundbreaking ideas in cancer research and care. This $100,000 award honors researchers and clinicians who demonstrate extraordinary foresight, ingenuity and a commitment to excellence. The prize alternates annually between supporting researchers and clinicians. The 2024 recipient is:

• Karen Moody, M.D., professor, Pediatrics and Palliative, Rehabilitation & Integrative Medicine

Moody treats some of MD Anderson’s youngest patients, striving to make their cancer experience more positive. Moody and her colleagues developed a conversation guide and visual aids to help pediatric oncologists and nurses discuss treatment options and goals with parents of children facing a poor prognosis.

The John Mendelsohn Award for Faculty Leadership
Established in 2019, the John Mendelsohn Award for Faculty Leadership honors the legacy of the late John Mendelsohn, M.D., the third president of MD Anderson. Mendelsohn was a driving force behind advancements in research-oriented patient care, the expansion of clinical and research facilities and the development of a research program aimed at translating scientific discoveries into effective patient care and prevention strategies. This annual $5,000 award recognizes a faculty member who embodies Mendelsohn’s leadership, scholarship and values. The 2024 recipient is:

• Steven Sherman, M.D., chair, Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders

Sherman has demonstrated exceptional leadership in building and guiding successful teams across patient care, research and education. His work in thyroid carcinoma focuses on discovering novel therapies for patients with advanced or metastatic disease, optimizing treatments for patients with primary disease and developing new approaches for monitoring patients. He has served as department chair, vice provost, and as chair of the Community of Chairs, among other roles, at MD Anderson.

R. Lee Clark Prize
Founded in 2016 through the generous support of Jeanne F. Shelby's estate, the R. Lee Clark Prize awards $5,000 to MD Anderson faculty engaged in clinical and basic/translational research. This award pays tribute to the scholarship, service and social responsibility exemplified by the late R. Lee Clark, M.D., the first president of MD Anderson. The 2024 recipients are:

• Hagop Kantarjian, M.D., chair, Leukemia
• Lorna McNeill, Ph.D., chair, Health Disparities Research

Kantarjian has dedicated over 40 years of service to MD Anderson. As a world-renowned leukemia researcher, he has transformed the standards of care and decisively improved the treatment and prognosis across a range of adult leukemia subtypes. He leads one of the nation’s largest and most impactful Leukemia departments; he created the Society of Hematologic Oncology; and he has educated and mentored many generations of leukemia researchers.

McNeill serves on over 18 institutional committees and has dedicated more than 30 years to producing impactful research and positive outcomes in medically underserved communities. Her research focuses on understanding the influence of social contextual determinants of cancer in minorities and eliminating inequities in cancer treatment. With her long-standing expertise in community-engaged dissemination and implementation research, McNeill is widely sought after as a mentor for rising researchers in health disparities.

Shirley Stein Scientific Endowed Research Award
The Shirley Stein Scientific Endowed Research Award, created in 2014 by Gary Stein and his family, along with Regina Rogers, a Life Member of the BOV, acknowledges the exceptional clinical research conducted by faculty members with limited project resources. Awardees receive $10,000 to assist in generating preliminary data that will enhance their chances of securing larger grants and federal funding. The 2024 recipients are:

• Barrett Lawson, M.D., assistant professor, Anatomic Pathology
• Margaret Roubaud, M.D., associate professor, Plastic Surgery

Lawson is an anatomic and clinical pathologist with training in gynecologic-oncologic pathology. His work focuses on ovarian tumors, tumor biomarkers and therapy response. He is known for his excellence in research collaboration and his impactful role as an educator to pathology fellows, as exemplified by his two Oncologic Pathology Teaching Awards and Faculty Educator Award.

Roubaud specializes in complex oncologic reconstructions in the pelvis and extremities. In 2019, she introduced the practice of Targeted Muscle Reinnervation and Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface for chronic pain prevention and advanced prosthetics at MD Anderson. She serves as a member of the MD Anderson Pelvic Sarcoma Team of Excellence.