Professor Paul Workman (left) and Professor Chris Jones at the CRIS award ceremony in London (photo: CRIS)
Professor Paul Workman, Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has been given a special award for his services to cancer research by the charity Cancer Research Innovation Spain (CRIS) at its annual gala ball.
Professor Workman and the Spanish Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Mr Federico Trillo-Figueroa, were bestowed with CRIS Cancer Foundation awards at the glittering event on Friday.
The CRIS Cancer Foundation encourages collaboration between Spanish and British cancer researchers, and its UK branch supports and invests in a range of research projects for cancer.
CRIS funds research projects in multiple myeloma and childhood brain tumours at the ICR, and the award also recognises the strong alliances between the two organisations to defeat cancer through innovative research.
The CRIS annual dinner at the Grand Connaught Room in Covent Garden, London, was themed ‘a night of heroes’, to recognise the work being done by researchers here in the UK and in Spain to help people with cancer.
For services to cancer research
Hundreds of guests raised money for cancer research through prize raffles and auctions, and special awards were presented to honour those people helping to make remarkable achievements in cancer research.
The artwork for the awards depicted the word ‘vida’, which is Spanish for ‘life’. The design was based on a wall painting by doctors, patients, families and friends at a hospital in Spain. The mural was then partially painted over to leave the patient’s art showing through as a powerful message of hope for those with cancer.
The CRIS Cancer Foundation award was presented to Professor Workman by CRIS President Lola Manterola for his services to cancer research and for helping CRIS to carry out its mission in the UK to win the battle against cancer through research.
'A real honour'
The ICR’s Professor Chris Jones also attended the gala dinner and spoke to the audience about a Europe-wide collaborative project that the CRIS Foundation is funding in his lab, looking at biomarkers in paediatric high-grade glioma.
Professor Jones hopes to develop tests to identify which children may benefit most from traditional therapies, and those unlikely to respond who may benefit from novel treatments.
Professor Workman said: “It’s a real honour to receive this award from the CRIS Cancer Foundation, which has been such a valued partner for the ICR in supporting innovative cancer research for many years and has had real impact on our research at the ICR and in Spain.
“I would like to thank the wonderful generosity of the CRIS Cancer Foundation and all its supporters. They have played a vital role in helping us achieve success in our research to defeat cancer, and we look forward to many more years of working in partnership together.”
Lola Manterola, President of CRIS Cancer Foundation, said: "CRIS Cancer Foundation is truly honoured to partner with such a prestigious organisation like the ICR and it was our great pleasure to present the CRIS Vida Award to the esteemed Professor Paul Workman for his invaluable contributions to research.
"CRIS Cancer is proud to work in collaboration with Professor Workman because he shares our mission, dedication and commitment to defeat cancer."