The Heine H. Hansen (HHH) Award was first awarded in 2015 in recognition of Professor Heine Hoi Hansen’s lifetime global contribution to lung cancer research and education.
This award, established by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), acknowledges a lung cancer investigator who has made a significant contribution to lung cancer research and education on an international basis.
The HHH award is presented at the joint annual ESMO - IASLC lung cancer congress, the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC), and the Award recipient is invited to give a keynote lecture during the opening session.
2025 – Keith Kerr, United Kingdom
The recipient of the 2025 Heine H. Hansen Award is Keith Kerr, Consultant Pathologist for NHS Grampian and Honorary Chair in Pulmonary Pathology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Specialised in thoracic pathology, Kerr is recognised for his exceptional contributions to lung cancer research and education: from his involvement in pioneering research on the relationship between lung cancer and the immune system over 25 years ago, to his extensive contribution to the classification of NSCLC and guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.
Kerr will deliver his award lecture titled: “HHH: History, Histopathology & Hyperbole. Lung cancer pathology comes of age” during the opening session of the European Lung Cancer Congress 2025, on Wednesday, 26 March, in Paris, France.
Previous recipients of the Heine H. Hansen Award
- Enriqueta Felip (2024)
- Paul Baas (2023)
- Fred R. Hirsch (2022)
- Johan Vansteenkiste (2021)
- Fiona Blackhall (2020)
- Françoise Mornex (2019)
- Fabrice Barlesi (2018)
- Rafal Dziadziuszko (2017)
- Suresh Senan (2016)
- Pieter Postmus (2015)
Nomination and selection process
Each member of the ELCC Scientific Committee, including the Scientific Co-Chairs, is invited to nominate candidates who meet the eligibility criteria.
In order to be considered for the Award, a candidate must:
- demonstrate an affiliation to a major academic or cancer research / treatment institution
- possess an international reputation, and have made a significant contribution in the field of lung cancer research and education
- have published results on lung cancer in highly cited peer-reviewed journals
The candidate must not:
- be a current or recent (last two (2) years) member of either the IASLC Board, or the ESMO Executive Board, the ESMO Council or the ESMO Nomination Committee
- be a past recipient of the HHH Award
- be a Scientific Co-Chair of the ELCC meeting
- have received an Award from either the IASLC or ESMO within the last five (5) years
Members of the ELCC Scientific Committee are eligible to receive the Award however they may not nominate themselves. More than one nomination is allowed.
Candidates for the award are reviewed and a final awardee is selected by the Selection Committee: the IASLC President, IASLC President-Elect, ESMO President and the ESMO Nomination Committee Chair.