HMC Professor Wins Top Cancer Research Award

Professor Dr Alexander Knuth, Medical Director of National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has been awarded the prestigious Johann-Georg-Zimmermann Medal 2013/14 at an award ceremony in Hanover, Germany.

The award, named after the Swiss physician, scholar, philosopher, and writer Johann Georg Zimmermann from Aarau, has been sponsored since 1972 by Deutsche Hypothekenbank (Actien-Gesellschaft) (German Mortgage Bank) - one of the oldest and best endowed banks in Germany. Zimmermann had worked in Hanover from 1768-1795.

Professor Knuth is a specialist in the treatment of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract and in cancer immunology. Together with colleagues, he played a pivotal role in the discovery of human cancer antigens and in the development of novel approaches to cancer immunotherapy.

During an award ceremony held in Germany, prizes were presented to winners by Professor Christopher Baum, President of the MHH Foundation and German Mortgage Bank Board Chairman Andreas Rehfuss.

Many prominent researchers have previously been honored with this award, including Nobel Prize Laureate for Medicine (2008) winner Professor Dr Harald zur Hausen, who received the Johann-Georg-Zimmermann Medal in 2006/07.

Professor Knuth is no stranger to the awards, having received the Johann-Georg-Zimmermann Prize for young investigators in 1984, together with Professor Dr Wolfgang Dippold, for their work on ‘Malignant Melanoma – Prospects For Antigen Specific Immunodiagnostics and Immunotherapy’.

“I am honored and touched to be the recipient of the Johann-Georg-Zimmermann Medal 2013/14” says Professor Knuth. This is a great encouragement for our work here at NCCCR and HMC in our joint strive for a world class cancer center in patient care and research”.