MONTRÉAL, Nov. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - The Canadian Cancer Research Alliance (CCRA) announced that Dr. Joseph Pater is the recipient of its award for Outstanding Achievements in Cancer Research.
Dr. Pater was the founding Director of the NCIC Clinical Trials Group (NCIC CTG), serving from 1980 to 2007. The NCIC CTG is a cancer research cooperative group supported by the Canadian Cancer Society that provides unique expertise and infrastructure to conduct national and international multicentre phase I-III cancer clinical trials aimed at improving the survival and quality of life of cancer patients across all cancer types.
During his tenure, Dr. Pater played an active part in the development, execution and analysis of over 100 cooperative cancer trials and had responsibility for overseeing more than 300 clinical trials involving more than 45,000 patients worldwide. He led the charge for evidence-based medicine and innovation in cancer clinical trials and worked tirelessly to foster collaborations among physicians and researchers across the country. Furthermore, Dr. Pater advocated for the inclusion of patient-reported trial outcomes in cancer studies at a time when this was not commonplace.
"Dr. Pater's contribution is significant - he literally built the cancer clinical research community in Canada. This award is our way to acknowledge his exceptional achievements," says Dr. Elizabeth Eisenhauer, Co-Chair of the CCRA. "Studies of new treatments undertaken by the NCIC CTG have improved the survival or cure rates of many cancers, including breast, lung, ovary, brain, and lymphoma. Under Dr. Pater's leadership, the NCIC CTG conducted many trials that changed practice and established a new standard of care for practice in Canada and internationally."
After retiring from NCIC CTG, Dr. Pater completed a three-year term at Cancer Care Ontario as the Vice-President of Clinical and Translational Research. During this time, he helped develop a new scientist program and, in conjunction with the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research, facilitated planning for provincial investments in cancer research. Over the years, Dr. Pater has served on numerous research advisory bodies and selection committees in Ontario, across Canada and internationally, particularly in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Pater will be presented his award during the CCRA's Canadian Cancer Research Conference held in Montréal from November 8-10, 2015. For more information, please visit http://www.ccra-acrc.ca
Dr. Joseph L. Pater, Kingston, ON: Dr. Pater is currently the chair of the Portfolio Committee and Member of the Steering Committee for the Canadian Clinical Trials Network and a member of the Adult Treatment Board of PDQ (Physician Data Query). He works part time as Senior Investigator at NCIC CTG and is an Emeritus Professor at Queen's University.
A graduate of Georgetown University, Dr. Pater received his MD from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and completed specialty training in hematology/oncology. He holds an MSc in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics from McMaster University. He held the Edith Eisenhauer Chair in Clinical Cancer Research at Queen's University from 2000 to 2007.
In 2006, Dr. Pater received the R.M. Taylor Award for outstanding contributions to the cancer field. The year after, he received the Golden Jubilee Award from the National Cancer Institute of Canada for outstanding contributions to clinical cancer research.
The Canadian Cancer Research Alliance (CCRA) is comprised of 35 organizations that collectively fund most of the cancer research conducted in Canada—research that will lead to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer and improve survivor outcomes. Its members include federal research funding programs/agencies, provincial research agencies, provincial cancer care agencies, cancer charities, and other voluntary associations. CCRA is motivated by the belief that, through effective collaboration, Canadian cancer research funding organizations can maximize their collective impact on cancer control and accelerate discovery for the ultimate benefit of Canadians affected by cancer. The CCRA is supported by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer through a financial contribution from Health Canada. For more information, please visit: http://www.ccra-acrc.ca
SOURCE Canadian Cancer Research Alliance
Image with caption: "2015 CCRA Awards (CNW Group/Canadian Cancer Research Alliance)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151102_C7982_PHOTO_EN_532519.jpg
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Heather Stanton, Communications & Grants Administrator, NCIC Clinical Trials Group, (613) 533-6430, [email protected]; Kim Badovinac, Canadian Cancer Research Alliance (CCRA), (416) 915-9222 x 5739, [email protected]
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