Societies

Oct 19, 2024, 00:18

SIOP Honoured Hansjörg Riehm with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award

Professor Hansjörg Riehm, the creator and intellectual leader of the BFM group in the late 80s and 90s, was honored with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, for his seminal contributions to the cure of children with ALL.

Past Lifetime Achievement Award Winners:

2017 Washington D.C.: Hans-Peter Wagner (Switzerland), Audrey Evans (USA), Giulio “Dan” D’Angio (USA)
2018 Kyoto: Giuseppe Masera (Italy)
2019 Lyon: Peter Hesseling (South Africa), Maud Brunat-Mentigny (France)
2020 Virtual: Tim Eden (UK)
2021 Virtual: Kate Matthay (USA)
2022 Barcelona: Ronnie Barr (Canada) and Paul Rogers (Canada)
2023 Ottawa: Gregory Reaman (USA)
2024 Honolulu: Hansjörg Riehm (Germany)

About Hansjörg Riehm

Professor Hansjörg Riehm, the visionary behind the BFM (Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster) group in the late 80s and 90s, has been a transformative figure in the field of pediatric oncology, particularly in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for how ALL is treated and cured today. Long before international collaborations were common, he actively extended his reach to middle-income countries, where his strategies were adopted. These efforts have now grown into the iBFM, one of the most robust global networks for clinical trials in ALL.

From 1967, Professor Hansjörg Riehm began his medical career as an assistant physician at the children’s clinic of the Free University of Berlin, where he obtained his specialization in pediatrics. His career took a pivotal turn during a research stay at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York (1967–1969), where he investigated the biological mechanisms underlying tumor cell resistance to cytostatic drugs.

Riehm then rose through the ranks, becoming senior physician and later, in 1972, professor and head of the Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at the Free University of Berlin. In 1984, he moved to Hannover Medical School, where he led the pediatric oncology department at the Centre for Paediatrics and Human Genetics.

Even after his retirement in 1997, his dedication to pediatric oncology continued as he worked as a visiting professor at Dr. Boldrini’s Children Cancer Center in Campinas, Brazil, until 2000.

SIOP Lifetime Achievement Award

The nominee should be someone who has demonstrated the principles of SIOP’s mission and vision, showcasing a commitment to advancing pediatric oncology care and research. They should have actively collaborated with SIOP, contributing to its goals and initiatives. Additionally, the nominee must have made significant scientific achievements, particularly in pediatric oncology, that have had a meaningful impact on the field. Lastly, the individual should be retired from regular clinical practice and academic duties, having concluded their formal career while leaving behind a legacy of contributions to pediatric oncology.

The winner will also be invited to the prestigious SIOP Presidential Dinner and will be honored during the official award ceremony at the opening ceremony of the SIOP Annual Congress that year. This recognition highlights the nominee’s contributions to pediatric oncology and celebrates their lasting impact on the field.

For more updates on SIOP24, visit oncodaily.com