Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) today announced the following awards and appointments:
Jason Lewis Elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI)
Jason Lewis, PhD, Radiochemist, Emily Tow Chair in Oncology; Deputy Director, Sloan Kettering Institute, Office of Science Education and Training (OSET); and Scientific Director of the Radiochemistry and Molecular Imaging Probe Core Facility, has been
elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). This prestigious honor recognizes people who have demonstrated innovation and made tangible contributions to the advancement of technology and society. The NAI recognizes Dr. Lewis for his inventions that underpin the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals, nanoparticle drug delivery systems, and antibody-based diagnostics to help drive forward personalized medicine and targeted therapies.
Larry Norton Honored With ABC8 Award
Larry Norton, MD, Senior Vice President, Office of the President; Medical Director, Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center; and Norna S. Sarofim Chair in Clinical Oncology, has been
awarded the Advanced Breast Cancer Conference (ABC8) Award in recognition of his exceptional and practice-changing contributions to breast cancer research and clinical care. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Norton has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving outcomes for patients through science-driven innovation, mentorship, and compassionate care.
Piro Lito Selected for 2025 Pew Charitable Trusts’ Class of Innovation Fund Investigators
Piro Lito, MD, PhD, Thoracic Medical Oncologist, has been
selected by the Pew Charitable Trusts to join the 2025 class of Innovation Fund Investigators. Dr. Lito will team up with New York University’s Carlos Carmona-Fontaine, PhD, to undertake joint research as one of the seven pairs of investigators in this year’s class. Dr. Carmona-Fontaine and Dr. Lito will collaborate to study the role of cell cooperation in resistance to cancer therapy. Pew’s Innovation Fund encourages collaborative research projects among its network of more than 1,000 scientists from the United States and Latin America.
Kathryn Taylor Honored With the 2026–2028 CureSearch Young Investigator Award
Kathryn Taylor, PhD, Assistant Member of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program and the Department of Pediatrics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has been
awarded the CureSearch Young Investigator Award for the years 2026 to 2028. This award will provide Dr. Taylor with support for her project “The Role of Neuronal Activity in Diffuse Hemispheric Glioma.” This initiative focuses on a particularly devastating subtype of pediatric brain cancer that primarily affects adolescents. The Young Investigator Awards provide multiyear funding, career development opportunities, and national visibility to early-career researchers engaged in groundbreaking pediatric cancer research.
Omar Abdel-Wahab Awarded $750,000 Grant From Blood Cancer United
Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, Chair of the Molecular Pharmacology Program at Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI), Evnin Family Chair in Molecular Pharmacology, and Attending Physician on MSK’s Leukemia Service, has been
awarded $750,000 by the Blood Cancer United Discoveries Grant Program. This funding will support his research on a mutation in the
SRSF2 gene that occurs in 25% of patients with MDS, 50% of patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, and 25% of AML patients older than 65. Understanding what’s happening at the molecular level — with genes like SRSF2 — means one new drug could work for all these types of cancer. The organization allocates funding to early-, mid-, and late-stage research to help bring treatments that are nearing FDA approval to completion.
Thomas Atkinson Awarded Funding From the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Thomas Atkinson, PhD, Associate Attending Behavioral Scientist, has been
approved for research funding by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Dr. Atkinson’s funded project
“Understanding Feasibility of Using Large Language Models To Enhance Patient-Reported Outcomes” studies how though PRO-CTCAE is the current standard for tracking symptoms and adverse events (AEs) in clinical trials, it has limitations. This project will compare a new LLM-guided PRO approach (CI-PRO) with PRO-CTCAE to see if it improves AE detection and patient symptom reporting. This study is among the latest methodology studies that PCORI has funded to address high-priority gaps in comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) methods.
Selwyn Vickers Named “61 CEO Influencers to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review
Selwyn M. Vickers, MD, FACS, President and CEO, was
named as a CEO Influencer to Know by
Becker’s Hospital Review. The list honors visionary leaders, CEOs, who are using their leadership and influence to drive progress, elevate standards, and transform the healthcare landscape for the better.
Erin McDonough Honored in Ragan’s Top Women in Communication
Erin McDonough, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, has been
recognized as an honoree in Ragan’s
Top Women in Communications, Class of 2026, in the Healthcare Communicators category. This recognition highlights women who have led, inspired, and influenced in the profession. Through their vision and dedication, these individuals have transformed organizations and improved the future of communication.
Rosario Costa-Muniz Earns Psychologist of the Year Award From Latina Sisters Support
Rosario Costa Muniz, PhD, Psychologist, was
awarded the Psychologist of the Year Award by Latina Sisters Support for her ongoing dedication to supporting patients and their families who are battling cancer. Latina Sisters Support is a nonprofit organization committed to providing emotional, financial, and spiritual support to newly diagnosed cancer patients, survivors, and their families.
Josana Tonda Recognized Among 2025 Power Women of Manhattan
Josana Tonda, Senior Program Manager for Community Outreach, MSK’s Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities, was
honored 2025 Power Woman of Manhattan by Schneps Media. For more than 30 years, the event has recognized leaders across healthcare, finance, government, media, disability services, and more, each of whom plays a vital role in strengthening Manhattan’s communities and industries.
MSK Named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s “100 Great Hospitals in America” List
MSK was named to Becker’s Hospital Review 100 Great Hospitals in America. This list honors hospitals for their exceptional clinical performance, unwavering focus on patient safety, and dedication to innovation, research, and education.
