Transformative scientist awarded Burkitt Medal
Posted on: 24 September 2019
Trinity has awarded distinguished scientist, Dr Mina J Bissell, the Burkitt Medal for her lifetime contributions to cancer research.
Dr Bissell has changed the way we look at cancer and its surroundings, having challenged several established paradigms over the course of her research career. She is a pioneer in breast cancer research, and her work has provided much impetus for the important recognition of the roles that extracellular matrix-signaling and microenvironment play in controlling gene expression in both normal and malignant cells.
The Burkitt Medal is designed to recognise people with the integrity, compassion and dedication matching that of Denis Burkitt, a Trinity graduate, who is known for his discovery of Burkitt lymphoma. Winners demonstrate extraordinary achievement and advancement in the field of cancer internationally.
Dr Bissell’s signature phrase, that, after conception, “phenotype is dominant over genotype,” is a nod to the idea that all people react differently to cancer, which underlines the importance of aiming to treat patients on a case-by-case basis when possible.
As part of her visit to Trinity, Dr Bissell delivered the Burkitt Lecture, entitled: ‘Why don’t we get more cancer? The critical role of extracellular matrix and microenvironment in malignancy and dormancy.’
Her lecture formed part of the two-day International Cancer Conference, which is being organised by the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute at St James’s Hospital, and which has welcomed a diverse range of experts who are exploring advances and future directions in personalised medicine.
Paul Browne, Professor of Haematology at Trinity, said:
Dr Bissell has shown how the tissue architecture and environment in which cancer cells develop is so important in determining the pattern – or ‘phenotype’ – of cancer in individual patients. This has important implications for developing effective treatments for each patient.
Dr Bissell earned her doctorate from Harvard Medical, won an American Cancer Society fellowship, and soon after joined LBNL. She was founding Director of the Cell and Molecular Biology Division and later Associate Laboratory Director for Life Sciences. She has published more than 400 publications, received numerous honours and awards and is one of the most sought-after speakers in the field.
Click here to watch Dr Bissell deliver a related TED Talk: ‘Experiments that point to a new understanding of cancer’.