Houston Cancer Researcher Elected Director Of Lasker Awards Program

Jordan U. Gutterman, chairman of the department of clinical immunology and biological therapy at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, has been elected executive vice president of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation. Gutterman, whose appointment took effect on the first of the year, will also direct the Albert Lasker Medical Research Awards Program. While honoring scientists has been a primary objective since the Lasker awards were first given in 1944, their role in publicizing the work of medical researchers has been equally, if not more, important, says Gutterman. This is especially true with basic research, he adds, since its relevance may not be as apparent to the general public as that of clinical research.

Gutterman maintains that both the media and the scientific community are responsible for disseminating information about science to the public. "We just have to keep writing and keep informing people about...