Meyenburg Foundation honors Charles Mullighan of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for achievements in cancer research

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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Nov 28, 2012, 01:25 ET

Scientist at St. Jude is recipient of 2012 Meyenburg Cancer Research Award

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Nov. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Charles Mullighan, MBBS(Hons), MSc, M.D., an associate member at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, is the 2012 recipient of the Meyenburg Cancer Research Award from The Meyenburg Foundation in Germany for achievements in the field of cancer research and medicine.

The Meyenburg Foundation acknowledges excellent scientific accomplishments in the fields of cancer research and treatment by conferring the annual Meyenburg award under the auspices of the German Cancer Research Center. Mullighan will receive the award—given annually since 1981—at the Meyenburg Award Symposium at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg this month.

Mullighan's research uses genomic profiling and experimental modeling to investigate the genetic basis of acute leukemia, most notably high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His work has identified genetic alterations that contribute to the development of leukemia and led to new diagnostic tests and therapeutic targets.

"This is an outstanding achievement and recognition for Dr. Mullighan," said James R. Downing, M.D., deputy director, scientific director and executive vice president at St. Jude. "Dr. Mullighan's dedication to his field has helped push research from the laboratory into the clinic."

Mullighan attended medical school at the University of Adelaide, earning a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with honors in 1993; received a Master of Science from the University of London in 1997; and earned a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Adelaide in 1998. He joined the St. Jude staff as a postdoctoral fellow in pathology in 2004 and is currently an associate member in the St. Jude Department of Pathology, co-leader of the Hematologic Malignancies Program and medical director of the Tissue Resources Core Facility.

He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious publications such as Nature, Science and the New England Journal of Medicine. Mullighan received the American Society for Hematology (ASH) Merit Award in 2007 and the Joanne Levy Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2008, also from ASH. In 2009, he was named a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences by The Pew Charitable Trusts and was elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation in 2012.

Other scientists who have won the Meyenburg Cancer Research Award include Nobel Laureates Elizabeth Blackburn, Ph.D.; Andrew Fire, Ph.D.; and Shinya Yamanaka, M.D., Ph.D.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Since opening 50 years ago, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has played a pivotal role in pushing overall U.S. pediatric cancer survival rates from 20 to 80 percent. Founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, St. Jude is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. St. Jude is also a leader in research and treatment of life-threatening blood disorders and infectious diseases in children. No family ever pays St. Jude for the care their child receives. To learn more, visit www.stjude.org. Follow us on Twitter @StJudeResearch.

SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital