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