Satish Gopal Received the 2024 ASCO Humanitarian Award
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has announced Dr. Satish Gopal, MD, MPH as the recipient of the 2024 ASCO Humanitarian Award. This accolade acknowledges Dr. Gopal’s dedication and contributions to the field of global oncology.
Dr. Satish Gopal is the Director of the Center for Global Health (CGH) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 2020. In this role, he oversees the development of initiatives and collaborations with other NCI and NIH partners, NCI-designated cancer centers, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations to support cancer research, promote science-based cancer control, and build research capacity in low- and middle-income countries. Before coming to NCI, Dr. Gopal was the Cancer Program Director for the University of North Carolina collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Health.
Dr. Gopal earned his medical degree from the Duke University School of Medicine in 2001. He completed training in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Michigan, lived and worked in Tanzania from 2007 to 2009, then returned to the United States to pursue medical oncology and infectious disease training at the University of North Carolina. He lived with his family in Malawi from 2012 to 2019, when he was the only medical oncologist in the country and treated public sector cancer patients at the national teaching hospital alongside Malawian colleagues. He returned frequently to provide clinical service in the North Carolina Cancer Hospital.
As an extramural physician-scientist, his NIH-funded research program focused on epidemiologic, clinical, and translational studies of lymphoma and HIV-associated malignancies in Africa and he oversaw a multidisciplinary cancer research portfolio which sought to address many of the commonest cancers in the region, including cervical, breast, and esophageal cancer. This program generated some of the first published studies in Africa to describe detailed molecular profiles for specific cancer types, characterize several unique lymphoproliferative disorders, report clinical trials of targeted cancer therapy, perform economic evaluations of cancer treatment, and integrate patient-reported outcome measurements. He has authored more than 130 publications in journals such as NEJM, JAMA, Lancet, and Nature Medicine among others, and mentored more than 30 early-career U.S. and African pre- and post-doctoral cancer researchers, many of whom hold academic positions in global oncology at NCI-designated cancer centers, African academic institutions, and other international organizations.
First awarded in 2011, this award recognizes an oncologist who personifies ASCO’s mission and values by going above and beyond the call of duty in providing outstanding patient care through innovative means or exceptional service or leadership in the U.S.A. or abroad. It is presented to individuals who distinguish themselves through voluntary and non-compensated humanitarian endeavors. A multitude of service will be considered and is not restricted to any one type of action or deed involving patients.
The oncology community and our team at OncoDaily extend our congratulations to Dr. Satish Gopal on this deserving acknowledgment, which highlights his significant impact on global cancer research and his steadfast commitment to improving cancer care in low-income countries.