News Release

ASTRO announces 2008 gold medalists

Grant and Award Announcement

American Society for Radiation Oncology

The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology has selected the recipients of the 2008 Gold Medal, the highest honor that ASTRO bestows. Christopher Rose, M.D., FASTRO, and Joel Tepper, M.D., FASTRO, will be presented with their awards during ASTRO's 50th Annual Meeting in Boston during the Gold Medal Ceremony held on Tuesday, September 23, at 10:00 a.m.

"It seems particularly fitting that we recognize these two leaders in the field of radiation oncology and former leaders of ASTRO as part of our 50th anniversary celebration," said Louis Harrison, M.D., chairman of ASTRO's Board of Directors and a radiation oncologist at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. "Both of these leaders have served as role models to me and I will take great personal pride in being able to present them with their medals.

Dr. Rose is the technical and associate director of Valley Radiotherapy Associates Medical Group, medical director of the Center for Radiation Therapy of Beverly Hills, and chief technology officer of Vantage Oncology, Inc. He graduated from Harvard Medical School in Boston and did both his internship and residency in internal medicine at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. Dr. Rose completed his residency in radiation therapy at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy in Boston, and a fellowship at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton, UK. He has also served in several academic appointments, including as an instructor and assistant professor of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School, as an associate clinical professor of radiation oncology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Dr. Rose is a member of several professional societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Radiation Research Society and the California Radiation Oncology Society. He is vice-chair of the Quality Research in Radiation Oncology Grant of the American College of Radiology. He was named a fellow of the American College of Radiology in 1993, a fellow of ASTRO in 2006 and has served as president of the Southern California Radiation Oncology Society, CARROS and ASTRO.

Dr. Tepper is the Hector MacLean Distinguished Professor of Cancer Research and a professor of radiation oncology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine where he was chair for almost 20 years. He received his undergraduate degree from MIT, his medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and completed his internship in internal medicine at Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Tepper did his residency and fellowship in radiation therapy at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the North Carolina Medical Society, the Radiation Research Society and the American Association for Cancer Research, along with several other professional societies. He was named a fellow of ACR in 1996 and fellow of ASTRO in 2006. Dr. Tepper served as ASTRO president from 2002-2003 and has also served as chairman of the Board of Directors. He is currently serving on ASCO's Board of Directors. Dr. Tepper's major research interests include gastrointestinal neoplasm, combined modality therapy and soft tissue sarcomas. He is the editor of Seminars in Radiation Oncology, editor of two textbooks, director of the UNC GI SPORE grant and co-chair of the GI Steering Committee of the NCI.

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ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 9,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy.


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