KCC Director recognized for distinguished contributions to cancer care

Richard Pestell, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, Director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson (KCC), has been named a 2011 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

As part of the Section on Medical Sciences, Dr. Pestell was elected as an AAAS Fellow for his distinguished contributions to cancer care as director of two National Cancer Institute cancer centers, including the KCC and Lombardi Cancer Center at the Georgetown University Medical Center, and research identifying new molecular targets (cyclins, acetylation) and light activated gene therapy.

Dr. Pestell is an internationally renowned expert in oncology and endocrinology, who also currently serves as Chairman of the Department of Cancer Biology, Associate Dean of Cancer Programs at Jefferson Medical College (JMC), and Vice President of Oncology Services at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Election as a AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.

Dr. Pestell, who was named Director of the KCC in November 2005, is a highly respected researcher and clinician whose current work is focused on developing new cancer therapies that specifically target tumors, and reduce the side effects that are associated with commonly used cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.

He has made significant contributions to our understanding of cell cycle regulation and the disturbances that can lead to the malignant transformation of cells. Dr. Pestell has particular expertise in hormonally-responsive tumors, such as those of the breast and prostate, and his work is directed toward the eventual discovery of novel therapies for these cancers.

This year 539 members have been awarded this honor by AAAS because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. New Fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin on Saturday, February 18 at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the 2012 AAAS Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

This year's AAAS Fellows will be formally announced in the AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science on Dec. 23.

Also, as part of the Section on Medical Sciences, Hideko Kaji, Ph.D., of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Thomas Jefferson University, was named a AAAS fellow for her distinguished contributions to biology by discovering specific tRNA binding to mRNA-ribosome complexes, N-terminal protein modification by arginine, and ribosome recycling, the last step of protein synthesis.