Joseph R. Testa PhD, 2012

For the past two decades, Dr. Testa has dedicated much of his research to the understanding the consistent genomic alterations found in mesothelioma. Among the  seminal reports by his group Dr. Testa identified a high frequency of inactivating mutations in the neurofibromatosis type 2 gene (NF2) in primary MMs and derived cell lines (Bianchi et al., PNAS 1995). Most recently Dr. Testa played a critical role in the identification of BAP1 as the gene that was mutated in the germline of families and that caused the high incidence of mesothelioma observed in family members (Testa JR et al., Nat Genet 2011). Dr. Testa’s contributions to mesothelioma research, have had a major impact on our understanding of the biology of this dreaded disease.

Steven Albelda MD, 2010

An extremely creative and productive basic and clinical researcher, a mentor and a teacher, Dr. Albelda has made innumerable and substantial contributions to the field of mesothelioma. After a successful early career in the study of endothelial cell biology and adhesion receptors, he established a bench-to-bedside research career, concentrating on mesothelioma as well as lung cancer. He developed a multidisciplinary group, the  Thoracic Oncology Research Laboratory (TORL), which has been extremely productive over almost 2 decades. The TORL pioneered the use of immunogene therapy in mesothelioma and other cancers and has conducted the first trials of gene therapy in patients with mesothelioma. In this and other novel ways, Dr. Albelda has made and continues to make outstanding contributions to this field. Here you can read an excerpt from one of the nomination letters.

Brooke Mossman PhD, 2008

Dr. Mossman is an accomplished scientist, mentor, and leader in the fields of asbestos-induced carcinogenesis and mesothelioma, and her mechanistic research on responses of mesothelial and lung epithelial cells to different asbestos types has advanced the amphibole hypothesis originally suggested by Dr. Wagner in his epidemiologic and animal studies. More currently, Dr. Mossman has focused on targeted preventive approaches to mesothelioma and asbestosis using inhibitors of cell signaling and survival pathways that she has elucidated in her research on asbestos.

Harvey Pass MD, 2006

As an active surgeon and advocate, researcher and teacher, Dr. Pass has contributed in almost all arenas to progress in mesothelioma. His contributions at the bench have been related to SV40, expression arrays, and early detection; in clinical research, he helped design and carry out many mesothelioma treatment trials, established tissue banks and identified biomarkers; he has published texts for families of those with mesothelioma; he has appeared in Congress to support the Ban Asbestos Bill and helped create the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF), now the Meso Foundation. Dr. Pass is a major contributor to the understanding of mesothelioma and the care of patients with this disease.

Bruce Robinson MD, 2004

Dr Bruce Robinson has made major and enduring contributions to the field of mesothelioma especially in the immunobiology and emerging immunotherapy of this cancer and in the use of serum mesothelin in the diagnosis and monitoring of mesothelioma. He has advocated for government funding of centers to advance research in asbestos-induced disease co-founding the National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, a pioneering Australian national co-operative whose goal is to cure or prevent asbestos cancers [the only such asbestos research co-operative in the world]. He co-founded the iMig and has led it consistently over the years either as President or by his active membership. He has been a pioneer and a generous mentor and collaborator to investigators around the world.

Marie-Claude Jaurand PhD, 2002

Dr. Jaurand was the first recipient of the Wagner Award for her pioneering career in research of mesothelioma, long before most others had even started to think about research in this area. Dr. Jaurand made major contributions to the understanding of the physio-chemical properties of asbestos fibers and their mechanisms of genotoxicity for mesothelial cells, as well as in studies of  the biology of human mesothelioma.   Through her foresight and generosity, she co-founded the IMIG and thereby advanced the field globally.