The world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who treat people with cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) awarded Sharon B. Murphy, M.D., director of the Children’s Cancer Research Institute (CCRI), the 2005 Distinguished Service Award for Scientific Leadership. She is only the fourth person to receive this prestigious award, which was established to honor the career and achievements of individuals who, through a blend of outstanding leadership skills and groundbreaking scientific vision, have transformed the practice and profession of oncology.
Dr. Murphy was given the award at the 2005 ASCO annual meeting in Orlando, FL and was recognized for her more than 30 years of contributions to the field of oncology.
“I’m very pleased and delighted to receive this award,” Dr. Murphy said. “To be recognized for my cumulative work in the field of pediatric oncology by my colleagues in ASCO is especially gratifying.”
ASCO has more than 21,500 members from over 100 countries. The members set the standard for patient care worldwide, and lead the fight for more effective cancer treatments, increased funding for research, and cures for the many different cancers that strike millions of people around the world.
Dr. Murphy has held several leadership positions, including director of the leukemia service at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital; chief of the division of hematology/oncology at Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago; and currently director of the CCRI at the Health Science Center. She also chaired the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG), a multi-institutional NCI-sponsored clinical trials cooperative group. She provided the overall scientific, administrative and organizational leadership for POG during a period of remarkable growth and productivity in the group’s research efforts. Her groundbreaking clinical studies of pediatric lymphomas have had practice-changing results.
“I think of myself as not exclusively a pediatric oncologist,” she says. “I’m an oncologist who just happens to be a pediatrician. As the director of the CCRI, I intend to make an impact on cancer at all ages. I believe that pediatric cancer is a model for cancer in general. It’s the best model, really. ”
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Murphy has found time to share her leadership skills and research expertise with the National Cancer Institute and many professional organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the American Society of Hematology, the American Association of Cancer Research, and ASCO.
Congratulations to Dr. Murphy for being the recipient of the prestigious award.
