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| Bonnie Donihi of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance presents the award to Ronald Alvarez. Photo: Pam Risdon |
Ronald D. Alvarez, M.D., director of the UAB Division of Gynecologic Oncology and senior scientist in the experimental therapeutics program at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, was awarded the Rosalind Franklin Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research Award by the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance at its annual conference in Washington, D.C. The award honors the memory of the renowned British molecular biologist who succumbed to ovarian cancer at age 37 in 1958. Franklin is credited with a pioneering role in the research and discovery of the structure of DNA.
Alvarez recently was elected the president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology. His long-term research interests include the development of novel therapeutics for ovarian cancer and new screening and prevention strategies for cervical cancer. He has several National Cancer Institute grants in support of his research in gene therapeutics for ovarian cancer, and he is a co-principal investigator in cervical neoplasm vaccine projects included in the Johns Hopkins/UAB Cervical Specialized Program of Research Excellence grant.
The Ovarian Cancer Alliance is the foremost advocate for women with ovarian cancer in the United States. It advocates at a national level for increases in research funding for the development of an early detection test, improved health-care practices and life-saving treatment protocols.