The medal is awarded annually to up to two individuals who are making an impact in translational medical science, honouring cervical cancer vaccine co-inventor Professor Jian Zhou.
Professor Sherene Loi, an Academy Fellow and medical oncologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Melbourne, Australia), is one of this year’s recipients. Sherene, who recently joined BIG’s Executive Board, is also a member of the IBCSG and BCT-ANZ (International Breast Cancer Study Group and Breast Cancer Trials Australia and New Zealand).
Professor Loi challenged the dogma that immunotherapy was not possible with breast cancer and has led a series of treatment trials that are already changing the lives of her patients.
She was also the first to show that immune cell infiltration of breast tumour tissue strongly predicts improved survival in some types of breast cancer and led the development and standardisation of this unique biomarker – to where it is now routine in the pathology work-up of breast cancers.
The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences is an independent expert body of more than 420 senior researchers and health leaders. The Academy is the impartial, authoritative, cross-sector voice of health and medical science in Australia. They advance health and medical research in Australia and its translation into benefits for all, by fostering leadership within their sector, providing expert advice to decision makers, and engaging patients and the public.www.aahms.org
For further information and a video on Professor Loi’s work, please read the following news release: https://aahms.org/news/scientists-honoured-with-jian-zhou-medals/Â
