Dr. Wani, a native of India, received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Bombay and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Indiana University. Among his numerous honors are the Bruce F. Cain Memorial Award of the American Association for Cancer Research, the City of Medicine Award and the NCI Award of Recognition. Charles S. Mott Prize Dr. Vogelstein has been honored with the Charles S. Mott for his role in defining the molecular pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. The Mott Prize honors the most outstanding recent contribution to the discovery of the cause or ultimate prevention of human cancer. Dr. Vogelstein's research has led to the discovery of a series of genetic mutations that cause the initiation and progression of colon cancer.
Colorectal cancers are the third most common cancers in men and women.
They are expected to account for 11 percent of all cancer deaths in 2000. A leading international expert and pioneer in the field of molecular genetics, Dr. Vogelstein received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University, where he also completed his internship and residency. He is a member of many key research organizations and the recipient of numerous awards, and also serves on the editorial boards of several leading scientific journals, including Science and the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Samuel A. Wells, Jr., President of the GM Cancer Research Foundation, and Dr. Phillip A. Sharp, Chairman of the Awards Assembly, praised the award winners and cited their major contributions to combating this deadly disease. They noted that the laureates were chosen through a rigorous review process conducted by distinguished international scientists who served on the Foundation's Selection Committees and Awards Assembly.