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Leading Queen’s University scientist, Professor Patrick Johnston, has been named as recipient of the 2013 Bob Pinedo Cancer Care Prize.

The award recognizes Professor Johnston’s pioneering work in translating discovery science for the benefit of cancer patients. His determination and leadership in establishing a Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Programme in Northern Ireland is testament to his dedication to improving both clinical outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients.

This year's Pinedo Prize of $50,000 will be presented at the Society for Translational Oncology’s Fourth Annual meeting, to be hosted by the VU University Medical Center Cancer Center Amsterdam (VUmc CCA) at the ING House in Amsterdam on the 1st of October, 2013. Prof. Johnston will deliver the keynote lecture at the meeting which will be published by The Oncologist, STO's official journal.

In 2012, the success of Professor Johnston’s overarching vision was recognised when he was honoured to accept a Diamond Jubilee Queen’s Anniversary Prize awarded by Her Majesty, The Queen, for The Queen’s University Belfast-led Comprehensive Cancer Centre and its achievement in reducing cancer mortality rates over the last decade. This significant improvement in cancer outcomes, underpinned by best quality care and innovative research, is a direct result of Professor Johnston’s philosophy of placing the cancer patient at the centre of the cancer care and research agenda.

Speaking about the award, Professor Johnston said: “I am delighted and humbled to have been awarded The Pinedo Prize. It is a great honour to have my work and that of my research team recognised by the international cancer research community in this way.”

Queen’s University’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Peter Gregson, said: “Queen’s is bringing some of the finest minds in clinical and scientific research together to take medical translational research to new levels. It is developing a new £175M Institute of Health Sciences. This is happening under the leadership of Professor Patrick Johnston who has devoted his life to improving the lives of others. The Society’s award is testimony to his foresight and commitment and is recognition of the work he is undertaking on a global scale.”

Professor Johnston’s research has focused on understanding the cellular signaling pathways in gastrointestinal tumors (with a particular emphasis on colorectal cancer), and using this information as a foundation to identify novel prognostics and diagnostic biomarkers, and molecular targets to rationalize and improve patient care. His many significant papers on both cytotoxic and targeted therapies have expanded knowledge of the treatment of colorectal cancer and provided new insights on mechanisms of drug resistance.

“Professor Johnston is a unique physician-scientist and leader in the cancer field”, commented Dr. Bruce Chabner, editor-in-chief of The Oncologist. "He fulfills the traditional tripartite image of excellence in research, patient care, and teaching, but adds the extra measure of organisational skill and personal passion in his leadership of the remarkable medical centre at Queen’s University Belfast.”

Professor Johnston currently sits on the Cancer Research UK Scientific Executive Board. His other professional roles include being a member of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Strategy Board and Chair of the MRC Translational Research Group. He is a Founder and Director of Almac Diagnostics. He is a member of the American Society for Clinical Oncology Scientific Program Committee, Chair of the International Academy for Advanced Oncology, Japan, and Board Member of Medical Schools Council UK. As a Senior Editor for The Oncologist, Co-Editor of The Oncologist European Edition, and Co-Chairman of the Society for Translational Oncology, Prof. Johnston advocates for ways to speed the discovery and translation of important new treatments in the field of cancer medicine to the practice of global oncology.

The Pinedo Cancer Care Prize honors Professor H.M. (Bob) Pinedo, founder of the VU University Medical Center (VUmc) Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), who weds world-class cancer research with a devotion to his patients and their families.

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