A look back: IPA Awards and Gala at the 17th International Photodynamic Association World Congress 2019
by [C. Cross & V. Grover]
The International Photodynamic Association (IPA), founded in 1986, supports and endorses the scientific advancement and clinical development of photodynamic therapy (PDT), photoimmunotherapy (PIT), and photodiagnosis (PD). With members and associates from over 30 countries, the IPA represents a truly global community consisting of prominent international scientists, clinical and translational researchers, healthcare professionals and students across academic, hospital, government and private sector organizations. Every two years, at the IPA Biennial World Congress, the IPA awards scientists and clinicians for their achievement in clinical and research excellence.
Among the Photodynamic Community, are some of the world’s most accomplished innovators and inspirational researchers. These talented individuals deserve to be recognized and celebrated for their outstanding contributions to the advancement of our scientific community and to the well-being of humanity. These Awards are intended to recognize the gallant spirit and inspirational perseverance required to make this important technology, not only successful in the short term, but sustainable in the long term. The awards were presented at the 17th biennial International Photodynamic Association (IPA) World Congress in Boston, MA; USA on July 3, 2019.
The 2019 IPA Award Winners were announced at the Gala Dinner during the 17th Biennial World Congress.
On behalf of the Awards Committee, we congratulate once again, the 2019 IPA award winners:
The Gold Medal recipients were:
2019 Gold Medal Award- Harubumi Kato (Japan)
2019 Gold Medal Award- Charles Gomer (USA)
“The highlight of the Awards for me personally, was the opportunity to honour two giants in PDT for their lifelong career contributions and exceptional personal efforts advancing PDT from their home countries of Japan and the USA. We were delighted that both recipients were in attendance.” -Carolyn Cross, Awards Committee Co-Chair
Dr. Charles Gomer (center) receiving his Gold Medal award from Dr. Herwig Kostron (left), IPA Past-President, Dr. Tayyaba Hassan (right), and IPA President, Dr. Luis Arnaut (far-right)
Dr. Harubumi Kato (left) receiving his Gold Medal award from IPA Past-President, Dr. Tayyaba Hassan (center), and IPA President, Dr. Luis Arnaut (right)
Early Investigator Award - Girgis Obaid (USA) & Srivalleesha Mallidi (USA)
Basic PDT Research Excellence Award - Jonathan Lovell (USA)
Clinical PDT Research Excellence Award - The Dermatology and Venerology Department of Nanfang Hospital (China)
Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow Award - Yanfang Feng (USA)
Humanitarian Award - Cristina Kurachi, Mauricio Baptitsa & Vanderlei Bagnato (Brazil)
Humanitarian Award - Heidi Abrahamse (South Africa)
Award for Advancing PDT in Rising Nations - Abrar Hasan, Shahis Siddiqui & Team (India)
Award for Significant Advancement of PDT- E Byrce, D Roscoe & T Wong (Canada)
President's Choice Award - Cristina Romo & Sinuwave team (USA)
The Inaugural Tayyaba Hasan Global PDT IMPACT Award - Avigdor Scherz, Yoram Salomon & the Tookad Team (Israel, UK, Europe)
Lifetime Achievement Award - Lothar Lilge (Canada)
Congratulations to all the Poster Winners
Images courtesy of R. Dorrington & V. Grover
“It was a great honour to have had the privilege to preside over this year's Awards Committee along with my Co-Chair, Patrycya Nowak-Sliwinska Assistant Professor, University of Geneva. We had many outstanding nominations this year making our decision quite challenging. For us, it was a terrific insight into the extraordinary work and efforts being done in PDT around the world.” - Carolyn Cross, Awards Committee Co-Chair
We would like to thank the IPA Awards Committee for their time and commitment to the ensuring that we continue to honor and recognize the superb work being done in PDT around the world.
Award Committee Co-Chairs
Carolyn Cross
Chair & CEO of Ondine Biomedical Inc.
Vancouver, Canada
Award Committee Members
Patrycja Nowak-Sliwinska, PhD, DSc
Assistant Professor, University of Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland
Scott Davis, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dartmouth
Hanover, USA
Srivalleesha Mallidi, PhD
Assistant Professor, Tufts University
Boston, USA
Lothar Lilge, PhD
Sernior Scientist, University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada
Imran Rizvi, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, USA
Brian Wilson, PhD
Professor, University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada
Pål Selbo, PhD
Senior Scientist, Oslo University Hospital
Oslo, Norway
Xiuli Wang, MD, PhD
Professor, Shanghai Dermatology Hospital
Shanghai, China
Marina Shirmanova, PhD
Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy
Nizny Novgorod, Russia
Heinrich Walt, PhD
Group Leader, University Hospital Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland
The 2022 Awards nominations will be open on or before February 2022.
About the IPA World Congress
The Boston World Congress was the 17th conference held by the International Photodynamic Association, marking 34 years of this global meeting. The IPA World Congresses, held every two years, are the leading PDT meetings bringing together members of the global photodynamic community to advance scientific and clinical research relating to photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapies. The Boston World Congress was led by Congress Chair and IPA President Dr. Tayyaba Hasan, Professor of Dermatology at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Harvard Medical School (HMS) and a Professor of Health Sciences and Technology (Harvard-MIT) and had record attendance with representatives from 33 countries. The 2021 IPA World Congress will be hosted in Moscow, Russia and the 2023 IPA World Congress will be held in Shanghai, China.