For Doctors
Blue Faery Award Winners
An established and highly respected scientist, Dr. William B. Coleman researches pre-cancerous cells in the liver as a possible cause of HCC with the goal of targeting these cells before cancer starts. Dr. Coleman is the director of graduate studies at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. His laboratory is involved in several major projects including the identification, isolation, and characterization of human liver tumor suppressor genes; liver progenitor cell responses to toxic liver injury; and transplantation of liver stem-like progenitor cells for correction of genetic liver disease.
Upon receiving the news that he was one of two recipients of this year's Blue Faery Award Dr. Coleman replied, "Thanks for this excellent news. It's a real honor."
Read Dr. Coleman's article titled "Liver Stem-like Cells: Progenitor Cells for Liver Cancer?" published in Oncology News in their September/October 2011 issue.
Working as a physician, scientist, and epidemiologist, Dr. Hashem B. El-Serag has significantly improved the lack of knowledge regarding HCC surveillance in various U.S. populations. Blue Faery recognized his efforts to increase public health awareness and to promote early detection of the disease in order to give liver cancer patients the best chance of survival. Dr. El-Serag is the chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at Baylor College of Medicine and GI section chief at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center; he has published almost 20 peer-reviewed articles related to HCC within the past two years. His research interests include but are not limited to hepatocellular carcinoma, viral hepatitis, chronic liver disease, and the screening and surveillance of GI and liver cancers.
After discovering he was one of this year's recipients of the Blue Faery Award, Dr. El-Serag responded, "Thank you for the notification; I am indeed honored with this selection and thankful to the selection committee."
Read Dr. El-Serag's article titled "Epidemiology and Surveillance of
Hepatocellular Carcinoma" published in Oncology News in their November/December 2011 issue.
2010—Dr. Jorge Marrero
As director of the Multidisciplinary Liver Tumor Clinic at the University of Michigan, Dr. Marrero published 23 articles on HCC-related topics from 2008 – 2009. The Blue Faery board selected Dr. Marrero as the second recipient of the BFA for his outstanding achievements in liver cancer research. Currently, he is involved in studies that examine new therapies for HCC, the most exciting of which inhibits blood vessel growth in tumors. In addition, Dr. Marrero evaluates new strategies for the early detection of liver cancer.
After receiving the Blue Faery Award, Dr. Marrero said, “I am truly honored to have been recommended by the Blue Faery board members. I am aware of the Adrienne Wilson case and of the liver cancer association in her name. I have a passion for doing research in liver cancer and this award will make [me] work even harder to achieve the goals of the Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association. I am truly honored for this distinction and will continue to work hard on making progress [liver cancer research].”
2009—Dr. Snorri S. Thorgeirsson
An esteemed doctor who has dedicated his professional life to fighting liver cancer, Dr. Thorgeirsson has been with the National Cancer Institute since 1976. He is currently the chief of the laboratory of experimental carcinogenesis—a position he has held since 1981. Between 2007 and 2008, Dr. Thorgeirsson published 13 articles on HCC-related topics. Dr. Thorgeirsson’s findings could help doctors tailor their treatments to specific types of HCC to more effectively fight the disease.
Upon receiving the Blue Faery Award, Dr. Thorgeirsson stated, "I am delighted and honored to be the recipient of the first annual Blue Faery Award for Excellence in Liver Cancer Research. I am of course aware and deeply respectful of your untiring dedication to advance research in Liver Cancer. This award is certainly a stimulus to vigorously continue our quest to conquer this dreadful disease.”
