LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The inaugural Stephenson Global Prize was awarded to Dr. Frank McCormick, a pioneering scientist whose discoveries have transformed the understanding of RAS-driven cancers.
As the pinnacle recognition of innovation in pancreatic cancer research, the Stephenson Global Prize celebrates a lifetime of achievement by scientists whose discoveries have redefined the field and whose life’s work continues to inspire breakthroughs that can save lives worldwide.
It also provides essential funding to fuel progress against the world’s deadliest cancer at a time when federal funding for cancer research – already disproportionately low for pancreatic cancer – is facing an uncertain future.
A Legacy of Discovery
Frank McCormick, PhD, FRS, DSc (Hon), Professor at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and the David A. Wood Chair of Tumor Biology and Cancer Research, is being recognized with the Stephenson Global Prize for uncovering how mutations in the KRAS gene – present in more than 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) – disrupt the body’s natural ability to regulate cell growth. His research has been foundational to efforts that have enabled the development of therapies targeting KRAS, a goal once thought unattainable.
Dr. McCormick is also widely credited with launching the National Cancer Institute’s RAS Initiative in 2013, an effort prioritized by Dr. Harold Varmus, Nobel Prize laureate and then–NCI Director, who invited Dr. McCormick to lead the program at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. The initiative catalyzed a new wave of therapies for RAS-driven cancers, and by de-risking the pursuit of KRAS as a therapeutic target, Dr. McCormick’s leadership gave the pharmaceutical industry the confidence and scientific foundation to invest in drug discovery programs that are now delivering promising treatments to pancreatic cancer patients.
“This recognition is deeply meaningful,” said Dr. McCormick. “Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases we face, and I’m honored to be part of a community working to change that. I plan to share this prize with my lab, where we’re exploring new ways to target KRAS mutations and bring forward therapies that could make a real difference for patients.”
A Prize with Vision
The Stephenson Global Prize is part of a broader philanthropic vision launched by A. Emmet Stephenson Jr. and Tessa Stephenson Brand, whose $150 million gift supports a range of initiatives, including the creation of the Stephenson Global Prize and the establishment of the Stephenson Global Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute (SGPCRI) in honor of their loving wife and mother, Toni Stephenson. This is the largest privately funded initiative and most prestigious award that recognizes past and current achievements that have significantly advanced pancreatic cancer research. By honoring innovative contributions in early detection, prevention, treatment, translational research, and scientific discovery, the prize celebrates researchers whose achievements embody SGPCRI’s values: innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to progress against pancreatic cancer.