Pashtoon Kasi and Erica Tsang Receive 2024 Yvonne Award in the Challenging the Status Quo Category

Yvonne Award Winners 2024 by OncoDaily

We are excited to announce the esteemed winners of the Yvonne Award by OncoDaily, designed to recognize young innovators and leaders advancing cancer care.

Yvonne Award in the Challenging the Status Quo category is presented to Pashtoon Kasi and Erica Tsang. The OncoDaily team extends heartfelt congratulations and sincere gratitude to Dr. Kasi and Dr. Tsang for their transformative impact on the field of oncology.

The Yvonne Award in the Challenging the Status Quo category, presented by OncoDaily, recognizes individuals who have exhibited remarkable courage and innovation in oncology. This award celebrates those who have boldly challenged conventional practices, introducing groundbreaking approaches that transform cancer care.

Symbolizing resilience and strength, akin to the enduring yew tree, the Yvonne Award honors leaders who inspire change and foster advancements in the field. By acknowledging these trailblazers, the award highlights their pivotal role in redefining and enhancing oncology treatment and patient care.

About Pashtoon Kasi

Pashtoon Kasi is an oncologist and researcher affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. At Weill Cornell Medicine he also serves as the Director for Colorectal Cancer Research and Precision Medicine Director for Liquid Biopsy Research at the Englander Institute of Precision Medicine.

Dr. Kasi held positions at various institutions. He served as an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Iowa in 2021. Before that, he worked as an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Oncology at both the University of Iowa from 2019 to 2021 and the Mayo Clinic from 2016 to 2019.

Dr. Kasi is affiliated with several professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society of Hematology (ASH), and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Dr. Kasi also chairs the International Society of Liquid Biopsy’s Communications Committee.

Dr. Kasi’s research specializes in “liquid biopsies” involving circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). He focuses on developing and conducting clinical trials in precision oncology and precision medicine. Dr. Kasi has authored and edited several books, including “Research: What, Why and How: A Treatise from Researchers to Researchers” and “Impact of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in Patients with Gastrointestinal Malignancies.”

Dr. Kasi loves to spend his spare time with his family. He also enjoys playing squash.

About Erica Tsang

Dr. Erica Tsang is a distinguished medical oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto.

She completed her Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology training at the University of British Columbia and further specialized in gastrointestinal and early-phase oncology at the University of California, San Francisco. Additionally, she earned a Master of Public Health from Harvard University.

Her research interests are centered around genomics and clinical trials, with a particular focus on pancreatic cancer. Dr. Tsang’s work aims to uncover clinically relevant genetic mutations and develop novel therapeutic strategies for advanced solid tumors.

Her leadership roles include Co-Director of the Schwartz Reisman Centre for HPB Research and Innovation and Faculty Lead for Early Career Faculty in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Recognized for her contributions to oncology, Dr. Tsang has received numerous awards including the CCTG Elizabeth Eisenhauer Young Investigator Award, multiple Merit Awards from the ASCO Annual Meeting and Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, and the Young Investigator Award from ASCO.