George Coukos honored by the American Association for Cancer (AACR)

George Coukos, full professor at the Faculty of Biology and Medicine of UNIL, director of the Department of Oncology UNIL-CHUV and of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, is one of the 23 world personalities to be received as Fellow of the Academy of the prestigious American association

Prof. George Coukos, who heads the Department of Oncology at UNIL-CHUV and the Lausanne branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR), was selected as one of 23 Fellows by the Academy of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) this year. These individuals from around the world are recognized for their critical contributions to the fight against all forms of cancer. The new members of the AACR Academy, who join 289 peers already inducted over the years, will be formally inducted at the association’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, April 14-19.

Prof. George Coukos was selected for four significant contributions, the AACR says: “For his seminal contributions to the characterization of spontaneous immune responses in ovarian tumors; for demonstrating that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes can be powerful predictors of improved ovarian cancer survival; for identifying fundamental mechanisms regulating T-cell infiltration in cancers and the regulatory function of the tumor endothelial barrier; and for designing and implementing rational immunotherapy clinical trials that take advantage of the above mechanisms.”

A rigorous evaluation

Founded in 1907 in Washington, D.C., by a group of 11 physicians and scientists interested in research “to advance the study and disseminate knowledge of cancer,” the AACR remains today the first and largest cancer research organization dedicated to accelerating the fight against the disease. The mission of the AACR Academy is to recognize and honor scientists whose work has led to significant innovations and advances in the fight against cancer. AACR Academy members are a global think tank of distinguished contributors to cancer science and medicine, including several Nobel laureates, who help advance the AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all cancers through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and cancer research funding. All members are nominated and elected through an annual multi-step peer review process, which involves a rigorous evaluation of each nominee’s scientific achievements in cancer research and related sciences. Only experts whose work has had a significant and lasting impact on cancer research are considered for election and induction into the AACR Academy.

Lausanne, a pole of excellence for cancer research

During the last decade, notably under the leadership of Prof. George Coukos who joined the CHUV in July 2012, Lausanne has strengthened its global pole of excellence in basic, translational and clinical cancer research, with the visionary and massive support of the State of Vaud, the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, the ISREC Foundation and other related institutions. Through close collaboration with the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), the University of Geneva, the University of Lausanne and the EPFL, the Swiss Cancer Center Léman networks more than 80 research groups in all areas of cancer research for the benefit of patients.

Source: Press Release