Prof. Shai Izraeli

Prof. Shai Izraeli receiving the award from the President of the ICRF, Prof. Elizabeth McIntyre

The first prize, accompanied by grant of $500,000, was awarded by the Israeli Cancer Research Fund (ICRF), an American Society that supports cancer research in Israel. The ICRF presents the award each year to an outstanding researcher in the State of Israel for his contribution to cancer research in the country. Among previous winners were Nobel Prize Laureate Prof. Hershko Chiechanover, Prof. Sider, Prof. Yossi Shiloh, and more. Prof. Izraeli is the first doctor researcher to be thus honored and the first for his research in pediatric cancer.

The second prize presented by the European Hemotalogical Association (EHA) is for outstanding mentoring, and represents one of the most prestigious prizes in the field of hematology – diseases of the blood worldwide. The selection of Prof. Izraeli was based upon scores of recommendations by young doctors and scientists from around the world who were trained by him during their career. Prof. Izraeli also advanced the YOUNG EHA, an initiative to advance young doctors in hematology in Europe, which was an additional consideration for him being chosen as this year's recipient.

Prof. Izraeli said that "it is a huge honor for me to receive these prizes that represent broad and important recognition of my work. The mission of our research is to contribute the information and technology to improve the human condition. My mission as a doctor researcher in the field of cancer in children, is, inter alia, to advance young investigators and together with them, lead processes that will bring about innovation and breakthroughs for our future generations."