Dr. Lloyd Old Honored as a Recipient of the 2007 Charles Rodolphe Brupbacher Award
Dr. Lloyd J. Old, Director of the LICR New York Branch and Chairman of the LICR Board of Directors, was honored with the Charles Rodolphe Brupbacher Cancer Research Award at a prize ceremony during the 8th Charles Rodolphe Brupbacher Symposium held in Zürich, Switzerland on March 14-16, 2007. Dr. Old shared this recognition with LICR Affiliate, Dr. Robert Schreiber (Washington University, St Louis, USA), and Dr. Mark Smyth (Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia) for their discoveries in the fields of cancer immunosurveillance and immunotherapy.
Dr. Old has made many important scientific discoveries throughout the course of his career. His research efforts in cancer immunosurveillance, defined as the ability of the human body to recognize and destroy cancer cells, have helped to shape the modern view of cancer immunology, and have served as the basis for cancer vaccine research and development. These discoveries include:
- Dr. Old discovered the first cell surface antigens distinguishing cells of different lineages. This work introduced the concept of cell surface differentiation antigens which led to the CD (cluster of differentiation) classification and the wide use of cell surface markers to classify normal and malignant cells.
- Dr. Old and colleagues were the first to demonstrate the higher incidence and antigenicity of cancers in immunosuppressed mice.
- His pioneering work led to the recognition of the prognostic significance of immune cells infiltrating human tumors.
- He established the autologous typing system — the analysis of tumor cells, serum and T cells from the same patient.
- His work has resulted in the definition of the “cancer immunome” and the identification of a battery of targets for human cancer vaccines.
- Dr. Old and his research team discovered the cancer-testis (CT) antigen, NY-ESO-1, which is currently being explored by the Cancer Vaccine Collaborative as a cancer vaccine. Early phase clinical trials have shown that this vaccine can initiate an integrated immune response and is safe for use in humans.
The Charles Rodolphe Brupbacher Award is a prestigious prize presented biennially to international scientists whose outstanding discoveries have contributed to the advancement of basic oncology research. Dr. Old is one of 16 scientists worldwide to be honored with this award since its inception.
Madame Frédérique Brupbacher, who created the Charles Rodolphe Brupbacher Foundation in honor of her late husband, and Dr. Lloyd Old at the Prize Ceremony.