Brian Druker
Brian J. Druker (born April 30, 1955)[1] is a physician-scientist at Oregon Health & Science University, in Portland, Oregon. He is the director of OHSU's Knight Cancer Institute,[2] Jeld-Wen Chair of Leukemia Research, and professor of medicine. In 2009, he won the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award[3][4] and the Meyenburg Award[1] for his influential work in the development of Imatinib (or STI571), commonly known as Gleevec, for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).[1] He has been called "Oregon's best-known scientist".[5]
Brian J. Druker | |
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Born | April 30, 1955 |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | University of California, San Diego |
Known for | Gleevec |
Awards | Robert Koch Prize (2005) Keio Medical Science Prize (2007) Meyenburg Award (2009) Lasker Clinical Award (2009) Japan Prize (2012) Dickson Prize (2012) Albany Medical Center Prize (2013) Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences (2013-14) Tang Prize (2018) The Sjöberg Prize (2019) |
Scientific career | |
Institutions | Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health & Science University |
Education
Druker earned both his B.S. degree in chemistry and M.D. degree from the University of California, San Diego.[6] He completed internship and residency in internal medicine at Barnes Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis from 1981 to 1984.
Teaching and research
Druker was a fellow in medical oncology at Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, from 1984 to 1987. He began working at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in 1993.[7]
In May 2007, he became director of the OHSU Cancer Institute—renamed the Knight Cancer Institute in October 2008 following a $100 million donation from Nike co-founder Phil Knight.[8]
Druker has been widely recognized for his work in developing the cancer-fighting drug commonly known as Gleevec,[7] but has been publicly critical of the drug's high price for patients.[9]
Awards
Druker is an investigator of Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI),[7] and was elected to the Institute of Medicine of National Academies in 2003, the American Association of Physicians in 2006, and the National Academy of Sciences in 2007. Druker received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 2007.[10] In addition to the Lasker and Meyenburg awards, he was presented the Hope Funds Award of Excellence for Clinical Research in 2009.
In 2011, the American Society for Clinical Investigation presented Druker with its Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award in recognition of his advances in cancer research.[11] He was awarded the UCSF medal in 2013. [12] In 2014, he received the Hamdan Award for Medical Research Excellence (Targeted therapy category) and in 2018 the Tang Prize.
Personal
Druker is married to Alexandra Hardy, a one-time reporter for People magazine, and the couple have three children (as of 2009).[4] An earlier marriage, to Barbara Rodriguez in 1990, ended in divorce in 1999.[6]
References
- "Meyenburg Award 2009 for the First Targeted Anti-Cancer Drug". German Cancer Research Center. October 12, 2009. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- Terry, Lynne (December 20, 2015) [online date December 17]. "OHSU's $1 billion war on cancer". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. pp. A1, A12–A13. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- Strauss, Evelyn. "2009 Winners: Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award". Lasker Foundation. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- Dreifus, Claudia (November 2, 2009). "A conversation with: Researcher Behind the Drug Gleevec". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- WW Staff (January 16, 2014). "How OHSU's Brian Druker Hopes to Cure Cancer". Willamette Week. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- Charles, Nick (February 19, 2001). "The Miracle Worker: Dr. Brian Druker Fires a Magic Bullet That May Eliminate a Lethal Form of Leukemia". People. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- "Five to receive honorary degrees at 149th Commencement" (Press release). Washington University in St. Louis. May 6, 2010. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- Dworkin, Andy (October 29, 2008). "OHSU Cancer Institute gets $100 million donation". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- Budnick, Nick (April 25, 2013). "Top Oregon Health & Science University researcher to doctors: Rise up over drug prices". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
- Williams, Elisa (February 22, 2011). "OHSU's Druker recognized for pioneering cancer research". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
- "UCSF Medal". Office of the Chancellor. Retrieved 1 July 2020.