The University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy has been selected to receive the Lawrence C. Weaver Transformative Community Service Award for demonstrating a major institutional commitment to addressing unmet community needs through education, practice and research.

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has honored University of Minnesota Medical School blood and marrow transplant specialist Bruce R. Blazar, M.D., with the 2012 Ernest Beutler Lecture and Prize for his significant advances in the field of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and adoptive immunotherapy.

The Ernest Beutler Lecture and Prize, named for the late Ernest Beutler, M.D., a past president of ASH and physician-scientist for more than 50 years, is a two-part lectureship that recognizes major translational advances related to a single topic. The award honors two individuals, one who has enabled advances in basic science and another for achievements in clinical science or translational research.

This year’s second winner is  Carl H. June, M.D., of the University of Pennsylvania.

Blazar is the Regent’s Professor of pediatrics, chief of the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation Program, and Andersen Chair in Transplantation Immunology at the University of Minnesota.  He’s internationally recognized as one of the foremost physician-scientists in the field of BMT and also serves as founding director of both the University’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Center for Translational Medicine.

Through his research, Blazar has made seminal contributions in dissecting the mechanisms underlying graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), a major complication of BMT, that have been instrumental in advancing the field. His studies have resulted in pivotal trials, bringing novel pharmaceutical agents, proteins, and cell therapies to the clinic.

Congratulations to Dr. Blazar, from everyone at Health Talk.