The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) recognized the recipients of its 2022 Gold Medal awards and other high-profile honors during an awards ceremony at the 2022 ASTRO Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
ASTRO Gold Medal
Wendell R. Lutz, PhD, and Tim R. Williams, MD, FASTRO, were awarded the ASTRO Gold Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an ASTRO member. ASTRO awards its Gold Medal annually to individuals who have made outstanding lifetime contributions in the field of radiation oncology.
Dr. Lutz is a medical physicist who is recognized internationally for his pioneering work developing a linear accelerator–based system for stereotactic radiosurgery as well as multiple devices for quality assurance in radiation oncology. Before his retirement, Dr. Lutz held faculty positions at Harvard Medical School, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the University of Arizona.
Dr. Williams is Medical Director of the South Florida Proton Therapy Institute and a former Chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors. During his tenure as Board Chair, ASTRO launched its Target Safely initiative, which focused on improving safety and quality in patient care.
ASTRO Honorary Member
Robert A. Winn, MD, Director and Lipman Chair in Oncology at the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, is the 2022 ASTRO Honorary Member for his outstanding contributions to community-centered clinical care; scientific research; and improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in oncology.
ASTRO Mentorship Award
Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil, FASTRO, and Charles Thomas Jr, MD, FASTRO, are the first recipients of ASTRO’s new Mentorship Award. This honor recognizes role models in radiation oncology who have excelled as mentors through outstanding commitment to developing their mentees as clinicians, educators, and researchers.
Annual Meeting Abstract Awards
A total of 44 researchers received 2022 ASTRO Annual Meeting Abstract Awards, which recognize the highest-rated research presented at the meeting and focus on highlighting the work of residents and early-career professionals. Chelsea Pinnix, MD, PhD, and Erin Gillespie, MD, are the recipients of the Steven A. Leibel Memorial Award, a new award recognizing the contributions of principal investigators who are in the first decade of their careers following board certification in radiation oncology.
Survivor Circle and Research Grants
ASTRO also recognizes contributions from patient support organizations through its Survivor Circle Grant program. Grants were made to two organizations that provide cancer support services in the San Antonio region: Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas and ThriveWell Cancer Foundation.
