Presented at the ESMO 2025 Congress in Berlin, the awards celebrate remarkable contributions to cancer research, clinical innovation, and mentorship worldwide.
More than 35,000 oncology professionals came together to celebrate remarkable achievements in cancer research and care. These awards recognize outstanding achievements in scientific discovery, translational research, mentorship, and leadership that continue to drive progress and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.
2025 ESMO Award Recipients:
Prof. Thierry Conroy – ESMO Award
Thierry Conroy is Medical Oncologist, Professor Emeritus of Oncology at the University of Lorraine, France. His clinical and scientific work is mainly focused on gastrointestinal cancers – particularly in pancreatic, esophageal, and colorectal cancers. He has published over 270 articles in peer-reviewed journals and contributed book chapters, particularly on quality of life in cancer patients and GI oncology topics.
He played an important role in developing and validating the mFOLFIRINOX regimen – a milestone in pancreatic cancer therapy. His work has had a lasting impact on both clinical practice and patient outcomes worldwide. At the ESMO 2025 Congress, Prof. Conroy received the ESMO Award for his outstanding contributions to advancing GI oncology and his inspiring leadership and mentorship within the global cancer community.
Prof. Christina Curtis – ESMO Award for Translational Research
Dr. Christina Curtis is the RZ Cao Professor of Medicine, Genetics, and Biomedical Data Science at Stanford University, Senior Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Medicine, Director of AI and Cancer Genomics. She leads the Stanford Cancer Institute’s programs in AI & Cancer Genomics and Breast Cancer Translational Research, integrating computational modeling, high-throughput molecular profiling, and experimental validation to advance our understanding of tumor evolution, metastasis, and precision therapy.
At ESMO 2025, Dr. Curtis was honored with the ESMO Award for Translational Research in recognition of her pioneering work translating complex genomic and computational insights into clinical advances. Her vision and leadership continue to help bridge the gap between bench and bedside in oncology.
Dr. Natasha Leighl – ESMO Women for Oncology Award
Dr. Natasha Leighl is Division Head of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Professor of Medicine at University of Toronto. Her work focuses on thoracic oncology, particularly in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). She is actively involved in clinical trials, biomarker development (including liquid biopsy), targeted therapies, and translational research.
This Award is recognizing her outstanding contributions in mentorship, leadership, and advancing women’s roles in oncology, as well as her scientific achievements in thoracic oncology.
Prof. Rolf Stahel – ESMO Lifetime Achievement Award
Prof. Rolf A. Stahel is the President of ETOP IBCSG Partners Foundation. He is vice-president of the International Cancer Foundation. He is co-editor-in-chief of Lung Cancer and editor of Cancer Treatment Reviews. His major research interests are clinical and translational studies in thoracic oncology.
This Award is recognizing his decades of contributions to oncology, his mentorship of generations of oncologists, and his sustained impact on cancer care and research globally.
You Can Also Read: Professor Rolf A. Stahel: ESMO Lifetime Achievement Award Winner 2025
The 2025 ESMO Society Awards celebrate not only individual excellence but also the collective drive of the oncology community to innovate, collaborate, and improve the lives of patients around the world.
The OncoDaily team warmly congratulates all the recipients on this remarkable achievement and thanks them for their enduring contributions to the oncology community worldwide.
Written by Lena Mkrtchyan, MD.