TAMEST (The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology) has announced Florencia McAllister, M.D., The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, as the recipient of the 2023 Mary Beth Maddox Award and Lectureship in cancer research. She was chosen for her seminal discoveries at the intersection of microbes, the immune system and pancreatic cancer, leading to insights into early detection, prevention and therapeutic strategies to fight the disease.
The Mary Beth Maddox Award and Lectureship recognizes women scientists in Texas bringing new ideas and innovations to the fight against cancer. It was established in 2022 in honor of Mary Beth Maddox, former Executive Director of TAMEST, who passed away after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer.
Dr. McAllister is an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention at MD Anderson. Her breakthrough discovery characterized the microbiomes present within pancreatic tumors, finding unique microbes and immune cells in long-term survivors.
Her group has also described a gut-tumor microbial axis. Based on this concept, they used human-into-mice fecal microbial transfers to demonstrate its influence on the host tumor microbiome, immune response and the natural course of the disease. A clinical trial based on this concept is ongoing in patients with pancreatic cancer.
Dr. McAllister’s work is opening the door to a novel angle of intervention for pancreatic cancer and holds great promise for improving the care and treatment of patients with cancer.
“It was my greatest pleasure to nominate Dr. Florencia McAllister for the Mary Beth Maddox Award and Lectureship, as her groundbreaking work on microbes as tumor modulators have played a major role in illuminating the role of the microbiome in cancer and in translating these insights into novel therapeutic trials,” said Nominator and TAMEST Member Ronald A. DePinho, M.D. (NAM, NAS), MD Anderson. “She is a true phenomenon and leader in the field of pancreatic tumor microenvironment, and I anticipate that her creative science will lead to new treatments and real hope for patients suffering from this dreaded disease. I know that our beloved Mary Beth Maddox would be thrilled with the recipient of this coveted award named in her honor.”
Dr. McAllister will be officially presented with the award on the first full day of the TAMEST 2023 Annual Conference: Forward Texas – Accelerating Change, on May 24, 2023, at The InterContinental – Medical Center in Houston, Texas.
In addition to being honored at the TAMEST Annual Conference, Dr. McAllister will promote her work and discoveries across the state through lectures at the four NIH National Cancer Institute Designated Cancer Centers in Texas. The award covers the recipient’s travel and lodging for the lectures.
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About TAMEST:
TAMEST (Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology) was co-founded in 2004 by the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison and Nobel Laureates Michael S. Brown, M.D., and Richard E. Smalley, Ph.D. With more than 340 members, 9 Nobel Laureates and 20 member institutions, TAMEST is composed of Texas-based members of the three National Academies (National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences) and other honorific organizations. We bring together the state’s brightest minds in medicine, engineering, science and technology to foster collaboration, and to advance research, innovation and business in Texas.
TAMEST’s unique interdisciplinary model has become an effective recruitment tool for top research and development centers across Texas. Since our founding, more than 275 TAMEST members have been inducted into the National Academies or recruited to Texas.
