Dr. Ronald Crystal receives Sten Eriksson Award at UMass program on Alpha-1 research
Dr. Ronald Crystal, chairman of the Department of Genetic Medicine, the Bruce Webster Professor of Internal Medicine, professor of genetic medicine and professor of medicine, was presented with the Sten Eriksson Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award during a program April 20 at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Mass.
Dr. Ron Crystal, right, receives the Sten Eriksson Award from Alpha-1 Foundation CEO John Walsh during a ceremony April 20 at UMass Medical School, Worcester, Mass. Photo courtesy of the Alpha-1 Foundation
Dr. Crystal, who also gave a talk during the program, directed the 1980s research at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health that led to approval of augmentation therapy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Alpha-1 Foundation and the University of Massachusetts Medical School presented Saturday's program entitled 50 Years of Research Toward a Cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.
Everyone was invited to the free program — presented in non-scientific language easily accessible for all audiences — about the event-filled history of Alpha-1 and the most promising therapies in sight for treating and ultimately curing Alpha-1.
"We provided an overview of the past, present and future of research in Alpha-1," said Dr. Terence Flotte, dean, provost and executive deputy chancellor of the UMass Medical School, who hosted the event.
"The speakers were among the leading Alpha-1 clinicians and researchers in the world," said John Walsh, president and CEO of the Alpa-1 Foundation. "We heard about cutting-edge research from some of the world's finest 'Alpha docs' — but in language we non-scientists can understand."
The presentation of the Eriksson Award was the highlight of the program, among the major events hosted this year to mark the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Alpha-1 in 1963 by Swedish researchers Carl-Bertil Laurell and Sten Eriksson.
Crystal is only the fifth recipient of the Eriksson Award. The others were Eriksson himself; Harvey Sharp, who discovered the Alpha-1 link to liver disease; Magne Fagerhol of Norway, who did groundbreaking research to characterize the "Pi" system that is still used to describe Alpha-1 phenotypes; and Robin Carrell of New Zealand and the UK, for his longtime research on Alpha-1 and his mentorship of young investigators in the field of Alpha-1.
The Alpha-1 Foundation is dedicated to providing the leadership and resources that will result in increased research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1). The foundation is a not-for-profit Florida corporation founded in 1995 by John Walsh, Sandy Lindsey and Susan Stanley, three individuals diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.
Additional awards and honors
Dr. Elizabeth L. Alexander, assistant professor of medicine, was awarded a President's Council of Cornell Women Affinito-Stewart Grant for her research study, "Tracking the Genetic Basis of Hetero-Intermediate Vancomycin Resistance in the Major Human Pathogen Staphylococcus Aureus." The council is a group of highly accomplished alumnae working to enhance the involvement of women students, faculty, staff and alumnae as leaders within Cornell University and its many communities. The Affinito-Stewart Grant aims to increase the long-term retention of women on the Cornell faculty by supporting the completion of research that is important to the tenure process.
Dr. Jeffrey Laurence, professor of medicine, received the Red Ribbon Foundation's 2013 Visionary Award for his pioneering research during the foundation's 11th biennial for AIDS at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y. The Red Ribbon Foundation promotes awareness of HIV/AIDS and supports premiere organizations with promising ideas for preventing the spread of HIV. With funds raised through special events, the Foundation awards grants to prevention education programs for at-risk groups, cutting-edge research to eradicate the disease, and assistance programs for those living with HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Peter Martin, assistant professor of medicine, was appointed to the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology/Cancer and Leukemia Group B Study Concept Review Committee. The committee reviews study proposals submitted to the Alliance, which seeks to reduce the impact of cancer on people by uniting a broad community of scientists and clinicians from many disciplines, committed to discovering, validating and disseminating effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of cancer. The Cancer and Leukemia Group B is a national clinical research group sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Arash Salemi, assistant professor of clinical cardiothoracic surgery, was appointed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's International Consortium of Cardiovascular Registries Steering Committee, which met April 22. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the development of an international consortium of cardiovascular registries with a broad array of interested stakeholders. The initial pilot phase of this effort was for developing relations and analysis strategies for transcatheter cardiac valve registries, with the understanding that these efforts would be expended to additional cardiovascular devices in the future.