Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA), the largest global organization dedicated to advancing ovarian and related gynecologic cancer research, announced today the recipients of two prizes awarded for noteworthy work in the field of ovarian cancer research.
One honoree received the 2024 Rosalind Franklin Prize for Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research in recognition of his groundbreaking discoveries that have led to more effective treatments shown to increase survival rates for patients with certain rare ovarian cancers. The other recipient was awarded the 2024 Liz Tilberis Research Prize for Outstanding Early Career Investigators in honor of his work to advance knowledge of BRCA1-mutant ovarian cancer in order to overcome treatment resistance. A panel composed of select members of OCRA’s Scientific Advisory Committee chose the winners.
“These two outstanding scientists are deeply committed to advancing the lives of ovarian cancer patients by pioneering research that explores new treatment options and uncovers the mechanisms behind therapeutic resistance,” said Audra Moran, President and CEO of OCRA.
Rosalind Franklin Prize for Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research
The 2024 winner of the Rosalind Franklin Prize for Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research is David M. Gershenson, MD, Professor of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Dr. Gershenson is being acknowledged for his extraordinary track record of research into rare ovarian cancers, which has led to new treatment options and improved survival rates. He leads clinical trials focused on novel therapeutics for rare ovarian cancers, with the goal of developing more effective treatments for subtypes including low-grade serous carcinoma which is relatively resistant to chemotherapy.
The Rosalind Franklin Prize for Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research is a $10,000 annual prize awarded to a senior researcher for contributions to basic science, translational, or clinical research in ovarian cancer. It is named for Dr. Rosalind Franklin, a pioneering molecular biologist who played a vital role in discovering the structure of DNA before her death of ovarian cancer at age 37.
Liz Tilberis Research Prize for Outstanding Early Career Investigators
The 2024 winner of the Liz Tilberis Research Prize for Outstanding Early Career Investigators is Zihua Gong, PhD, an Associate Professor in the Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland.
Dr. Gong is being recognized for his OCRA-funded research efforts that have contributed to a better understanding of treatment resistance in BRCA1-mutant ovarian cancers. His lab studies DNA repair mechanisms, which are associated with cancer cell growth and development of treatment resistance. The aim of this research is to identify key components in DNA repair pathways that can be explored to improve ovarian cancer therapy and overcome therapeutic resistance.
The Liz Tilberis Research Prize for Outstanding Early Career Investigators is a $5,000 biennial prize awarded to an individual who best demonstrates the use of prior OCRA funding to impact the field of ovarian cancer research. Only past recipients of OCRA’s Liz Tilberis Early Career Award/Early Career Investigator Grant qualify. This prize is named in honor of Liz Tilberis, former editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar and OCRA’s first president, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 1999.
