2010-11-01

The 2010 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science has been awarded to Sir David J. Weatherall of Oxford University. Sir David, an Honorary member of ASH, is receiving this award for his astute bedside observations and rigorous experiments that together have generated insights about inherited blood disorders, especially thalassemia. Over the past 50 years, Sir David has employed diverse investigational approaches that have catalyzed advances in understanding the biochemical, genetic, and clinical aspects of thalassemia. His work has improved the clinical care of patients with thalassemia around the world.

The Lasker Awards are among the most respected science prizes in the world and have often predicted future Nobel Prize winners. Since 1945, the Awards Program has recognized the contributions of scientists, physicians, and public servants who have made major advances in the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure, and prevention of human disease. Specifically, the Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science honors scientists whose contributions to research are of unique magnitude and have immeasurable influence on the course of science, health, or medicine.