The Canadian Cancer Society presented a professor from the University of Waterloo with its Award for Excellence in Cancer Research for his pioneering work in cancer prevention.
Professor David Hammond, of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at Waterloo, is the recipient of the William E. Rawls Prize for the remarkable impact he has made at an early stage in his career. The prize is given to a young investigator whose work has led to important advances in cancer control within the past decade.
Recognized internationally as a leading expert in tobacco-control research, Professor Hammond has helped shape tobacco legislation in Canada and around the world. His specific focus on tobacco packaging and warning labels has informed restrictions on advertising and marketing in a range of countries, and is used to design health warnings for cigarette packages that reach hundreds of millions of people each year.
Professor Hammond regularly acts as an advisor for tobacco-control policies, and has served as an expert witness in legal challenges from tobacco companies in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. He was an advisor to the World Health Organization on the world's first public health treaty.
"The University of Waterloo is immensely proud of Professor Hammond's contributions to cancer prevention policies and programs on both the national and international level," said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo. "His transformational research has unparalleled potential to impact health at the population level, and most importantly, save lives."
Professor Hammond recently received the Canada's Premier Young Researcher award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and is a past recipient of the Canadian Medical Association Journal's Top Canadian Achievements in Health Research Award for his work in tobacco control. He has appeared in more than 140 publications, including The Lancet and the Canadian Medical Association Journal.