Dr. Webster K. Cavenee Elected to the US Institute of Medicine
Dr. Webster Cavenee, Director of the LICR San Diego Branch, was elected as a Member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) on October 8, 2007. The IOM membership selection process recognizes only those who have made major contributions towards the improvement of human health. “Election is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of medicine and health,” according to IOM President Harvey V. Fineberg.
The IOM was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences as an unbiased resource to provide evidence-based information concerning human health issues to policy-makers, professionals and the general public. With their election, members make a commitment to devote a significant amount of volunteer time on IOM committees, which engage in a broad range of studies on health policy issues.
Dr. Cavenee was one of 65 new members elected to the IOM this year, along with Dr. James P. Allison, Director of the Ludwig Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Cavenee’s appointment marks the second time an LICR Member has been chosen to participate in this prestigious organization; Dr. Lloyd J. Old, Director of the LICR New York Branch, was elected in 1974.
Dr. Webster K. Cavenee
Director, LICR San Diego Branch
Dr. Cavenee has received a multitude of accolades for his landmark advancements in cancer research. His work provided the first indisputable evidence for the existence of human tumor suppressor genes and ultimately shaped the current understanding of mechanisms involved in cancer predisposition.
Earlier this year, Dr. Cavenee was awarded the inaugural Princess Takamatsu Memorial Award Lectureship by the American Association for Cancer Research, and the 2nd Annual Albert Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research by the National Foundation for Cancer Research. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Past-President of the AACR, Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, and serves on the editorial boards of several journals. He has also served on the Board of both the Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.