Heine H. Hansen Award Given to Fabrice Barlesi

GENEVA, Switzerland – The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) have announced that the 2018 Heine H. Hansen (HHH) Award will be given to Fabrice Barlesi. The award will be presented at ELCC 2018 (European Lung Cancer Congress), held 11-14 April in Geneva, Switzerland.

The HHH Award honours the lifetime contribution of Heine H. Hansen (1) to lung cancer research and education and is awarded to a lung cancer investigator who has made a special contribution to this field. The HHH Award is presented annually by representatives of both organisations at ELCC, where the recipient will give a keynote lecture. (2)

This year's recipient Fabrice Barlesi is currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Aix Marseille and Head of the Multidisciplinary Oncology and Therapeutic Innovations department at Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille in France. He currently serves as Associate Editor for the IASLC Lung Cancer News linked to the IASLC publication committee and was part of the lung scientific committee of the ESMO 2017 Congress. 

Barlesi studied at the University of Aix Marseille and completed his training with a fellowship at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Canada, as well as at the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

His main clinical interests in lung cancer research are specific to the fields of multimodal treatment, angiogenesis, bio-guided therapies and immuno-oncology. He is the author or co-author of more than 250 publications in peer-reviewed journals or book chapters. He coordinates the Early Phase Cancer Trials Centre in Marseille, which is dedicated to phase I trials in oncology, and serves on the Board of Directors of the French Thoracic Intergroup (IFCT).

Recognising the contributions of others to his career, Barlesi acknowledged his mentor, Jean-Pierre Kleisbauer: “Like Heine Hansen, he initiated the fight to demonstrate that lung cancer patients deserve better than just the best supportive care standard,” said Barlesi. “I also want to mention Frances Shepherd, who deeply changed my professional life when I was a young fellow in Toronto – her vast knowledge and incredible willpower will remain an example until the end of my career. Pascal Thomas, one of the most brilliant thoracic surgeons I know, deserves special thanks for our many discussions about the multidisciplinary management of lung cancer patients.”

Barlesi added: “I feel very grateful and honoured to receive this award from ESMO and IASLC. It is an acknowledgement of the work done in the last 20 years, not just by myself, but by the wonderful teams at Aix Marseille University, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille. I believe this award also recognises the contribution made by the French Thoracic Intergroup to the field of lung cancer research. It will be a source of encouragement to all of our teams for years to come.”

ESMO Past President and ELCC Steering Committee member, Fortunato Ciardiello, said: “Fabrice Barlesi is emerging to be one of the top leaders in lung cancer clinical trials and biomarker research. It was unanimously agreed that the prize should be awarded to him. He led the pioneering Biomarkers France study, the largest nationwide programme of molecular profiling for non-small cell lung cancer patients and has made an outstanding contribution to the field of translation research in lung cancer.”

IASLC President and ELCC Steering Committee member, Giorgio Scagliotti, said: “Fabrice Barlesi is among the European leaders in the field of translational research in thoracic oncology and he is also an outstanding physician. He has been the principal investigator of many large international clinical trials and is carrying out his goal to realise the vision of Heine Hansen.”

Notes to Editors

Please make sure to use the official name of the meeting in your reports: ELCC 2018
Official Congress hashtag: #ELCC2018
Information on other ESMO awards is available here.

References

1. Heine H. Hansen started translational research in lung cancer and collaborated with many investigators in Europe and the US. Early on he saw a need for a formal collaborative framework for investigators focusing on lung cancer and was one of the visionary founders of the IASLC and its journal Lung Cancer. He later became the IASLC’s President and first Executive Director. Prof Hansen played a significant role in ESMO’s evolution and was ESMO President in 1996-1997. At ESMO he contributed to the development of a global curriculum for medical oncology and was instrumental in developing medical oncology as a recognised specialty in Europe. He was also very active in educational activities in the previous Eastern European countries and implemented many clinical trials in this part of Europe.
2. The Heine H. Hansen Award will be presented to Prof Barlesi during the Heine H. Hansen Award Lecture on Wednesday, 11 April 2018, 13:45-14:15, Room B. Keynote lecture title: “The power of the multiple H”.

About the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)

ESMO is the leading professional organisation for medical oncology. With 17,000 members representing oncology professionals from over 150 countries worldwide, ESMO is the society of reference for oncology education and information. We are committed to supporting our members to develop and advance in a fast-evolving professional environment.
ESMO’s educational resources support an integrated, multi-professional approach to cancer care. We have European roots and a global reach: we welcome oncology professionals from around the world and we seek to erase boundaries in cancer care as we pursue our mission across oncology, worldwide. 

About the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organisation dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 6,500 lung cancer specialists across all disciplines in over 100 countries, forming a global network working together to conquer lung and thoracic cancers worldwide. The association also publishes the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. Visit www.iaslc.org for more information and follow us on Twitter @IASLC.