Scientific Director Humanitas Foundation, Milan, Italy
Motivation:
Alberto Mantovani, MD is honored for his seminal research linking inflammation and tumor-associated macrophages with cancer onset which has been essential to the progress in cancer. His research represents a collection of quintessential discoveries that have greatly contributed to the ongoing interest and excitement surrounding the importance of the immune system in tumorigenesis.
Dr. Mantovani has been honored with many other awards throughout his career, including the American-Italian Cancer Foundation Prize for Excellence in Medicine (2018), the Scanno Award (2017), the Rome Prize for Country Development (2017), the Robert Koch Award (2016), the International Feltrinelli Prize (2016), the NIBIT Award (2016), Organization of European Cancer Institutes Prize (2016), the Merck Literary Prize (2016), the Ferrari-Soave International Prize (2015), The Milstein Award for Excellence in Interferon and Cytokine Research (2015), European Society for Clinical Investigation Albert Struyvenberg Medal (2015), the Rosa Camuna Award (2014), IMID Award for Excellence in Immunology (2011), William Harvey Award, Outstanding Scientist (2009), Galileo Galilei Prize for Research in Biomedical Sciences (2007), Guido Venosta Award for Cancer Research (2004), Marie T. Bonazinga Award (2000), and the Biotec Award (1998).
Dr. Mantovani currently serves as president of International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and is past president of the Italian Federation of Immunological Societies, the Italian Society of Immunology, and the International Cytokine Society. He has also served on the board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and IUIS. He is a member of Academia Europea (2017), Robert Koch Stiftung (2016), Accademia dei Lincei (2016), The Henry Kunkel Society (2002), and the European Molecular Biology Organization (2000).
Before his tenure at Humanitas, Mantovani was head of the Department of Immunology and Cell Biology at Istituto di Riverche Farmacologiche, and professor of general pathology at the School of Medicine at the University of Brescia. He earned his medical degree at the University of Milan and his specialty in oncology at the University of Pavia.
Prof. Mantovani delivered his award lecture titled "Macrophages, inflammation, and cancer: Double-edged swards", Sunday March 31st 2019, at the Atlanta World Congrece Center during the annual meeting of AACR.
The award ceremony in Trento, was held at the Teatro Sociale on May 11, 2019, in the presence of political, religious and academic authorities, and numerous friends of the Pezcoller Foundation.