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Lila and Murray Gruber Memorial Cancer Research Award and Lectureship


The Lila and Murray Gruber Memorial Cancer Research Award is one of the largest and most prestigious medical awards, made possible by a gift from Murray Gruber in memory of his wife.

The purpose of this award is to encourage participation in cancer research and to provide a forum for the enrichment of knowledge of dermatologists in this important scientific field. At the discretion of the task force, the award may be divided between two worthy nominees.​

Award: A cash award of $10,000 will be made in recognition of the investigator's lifetime achievements in the field of cancer research. Additionally, the recipient will present a lecture during the Plenary session at the Academy's Annual Meeting.

Criteria

  • The recipient may be a physician or non-physician scientist of national or international stature whose contributions in the field of cancer research have been outstanding in importance and distinction.

  • The award must be accepted in person and will be presented during the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

  • The recipient must have excellent and proven communication skills.

Application timeline: Nominations submitted on or before January 15 will be included in the selection cycle for current year. Nominations submitted after January 15 will be held for the following cycle. Nominations remain active in the selection cycle for five years.

Apply for the award

Apply or nominate a colleague to receive the award and lectureship.

Apply or nominate

For more information, contact Cari Lamberg at clamberg@aad.org.

  • Selection process
  • Past recipients
  • About Dr. Gruber
  • The recipient will be selected by the Named Lectureship Task Force and presented to the Scientific Assembly Committee for approval at the planning meeting which is held in the Spring of the year prior to the presentation of the lecture. The Academy will announce its final decision in June of the following year.

    Named Lectureship Task Force

    Kevin D. Cooper, MD, FAAD, Chair, 2025
    Jo-David Fine, MD, MPH, FAAD, Deputy Chair, 2025
    Emily Y. Chu, MD, PhD, FAAD, Member, 2025
    Robyn D. Siperstein, MD, FAAD, Member, 2024
    Bruce Harris Thiers, MD, FAAD, Member, 2025
    Janelle Pavlis, MD, FAAD, Member, 2025
    David Rosmarin, MD, FAAD, Member, 2026

    2023: John T. Schiller, PhD
    2022: Otis Brawley, MD
    2021: Suzanne Topalian, MD
    2020: n/a
    2019: Crystal L. Mackall, MD
    2018: Jennifer A. Doudna,  PhD 
    2017: Boris C. Bastian, MD, PhD
    2016: Paul A. Khavari, MD, PhD
    2015: Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD
    2014: Lynda Chin, MD
    2013: Martin A. Weinstock, MD, PhD
    2012: Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD
    2011: W. Marston Linehan, MD
    2010: Michael R. Stratton, MD
    2009: John Mendelsohn, MD
    2008: Ian H. Frazer, PhD
    2007: Errol C. Friedberg, MD
    2006: Carol W. Greider, MD, PhD
    2005: Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, PhD
    2004: Eric S. Lander, PhD
    2003: Stanley Korsmeyer, MD
    2002: Douglas R. Lowy, MD
    2001: David M. Livingston, MD
    2000: Alfred Knudson, Jr., MD, PhD
    1999: Richard D. Klausner, MD
    1998: Mary-Claire King, PhD
    1997: Edward H. Harlowe, Jr., PhD
    1996: Bert Vogelstein, MD
    1995: Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD
    1993: Erkki Ruoslahit, MD
    1992: Arnold J. Levine, MD
    1991: Lance A. Liotta, MD, PhD
    1990: Robert A. Weinberg, MD
    1989: Stuart H. Yuspa, MD
    1988: Robert T. Schmike, MD
    1987: Philip Leder, MD
    1986: Thomas A. Waldermann, MD
    1985: J. Michael Bishop, MD
    1985: Harald Zur Hausen, MD
    1984: Margaret L. Kripke, PhD
    1984: Robert C. Gallo, MD
    1983: Wallace H. Clark, Jr., MD
    1983: Stanley Cohen, PhD
    1982: Werner Bollag, MD
    1982: Michael B. Sporn, MD
    1981: Howard M. Temin, PhD
    1980: Eugene Joseph Van Scott, MD, FAAD
    1980: Howard Green, MD
    1979: Emil Frei, III, MD
    1979: Gerald Weissman, MD
    1978: Hermann Pinkus, MD
    1978: Henry Kaplan, MD
    1977: Frederic E. Mohs, MD
    1977: Bert W. O'Malley, MD
    1976: James E. Cleaver, PhD
    1976: Charles Heidelberger, PhD
    1975: H. Sherwood Lawrence, MD
    1975: K. Frank Austen, MD
    1974: Robert A. Good, MD, PhD
    1974: Judah Folkman, MD
    1973: Jaques Monod
    1972: Sol Spigelman, PhD

    In 1951, Murray Gruber developed the first crude coal tar shampoo on the market. Thus was born Dermik Laboratories, an innovative pharmaceutical company specializing in dermatologicals.

    In 1972, Murray Gruber established the Lila and Murray Gruber Cancer Research Award to honor the memory of his first wife, as well as his dedication to dermatology. He entered into an agreement with the AAD to endow a permanent annual lectureship. These lectureships create a forum for presentations to the Academy by outstanding cancer research specialists.

    In 1980, the AAD honored Murray Gruber by awarding him the Presidential Citation in recognition of his contribution to dermatology.

    Murray Gruber, an honorary member of the AAD, died on Jan. 10, 2012, at the age of 94. He was survived by his wife, Helen, and three children, Barry Gruber, Daryl Kulok, and Sharon Draghi.

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