Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) has announced a series of awards and appointments recognizing the achievements of its staff during October and November 2025.
Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, Chair of the Molecular Pharmacology Program at Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI), was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). He also received the 2025 Paul Marks Prize, which honors leaders contributing to cancer research or treatment. “The prize, named in honor of former MSK president Paul Marks, MD, recognizes a new generation of leaders who are making significant contributions to the understanding of cancer or are improving the treatment of the disease.”
Christian Figueroa-Espada, PhD, a Research Scholar at MSK and member of the Dan Heller Lab, was recognized as a 2025 STAT Wunderkind. The award is given by STAT to promising young scientists across North America. “The Wunderkind award honors the next generation of scientific superstars. This year, 29 young scientists were selected from hundreds of nominations across North America.”
Andrea Cercek, MD, and Luis Díaz Jr., MD were included in Fierce Pharma’s Fierce 50 list for their work on an immunotherapy study that enabled patients with certain cancers to avoid surgery. “Andrea Cercek, MD, and Luis Díaz Jr., MD, were honored in the Innovation category on the Fierce 50 of 2025 by Fierce Pharma for their groundbreaking phase 2 study…where immunotherapy alone allowed people with MMRd cancers to avoid surgery and preserve their quality of life.”
Chrysothemis Brown, MD, PhD was selected as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Freeman Hrabowski Scholar for 2025. The program supports researchers with leadership potential who foster inclusive lab environments.
Hedvig Hricak, MD will be one of two Gold Medalists honored by The American College of Radiology during ACR 2026 for her contributions to radiology. She has been awarded eight Gold Medals from medical associations and received numerous fellowships.
Esther Redin Resano, MD received $300,000 from LUNGevity Foundation for her project targeting drug resistance in EGFR-positive lung cancer patients. “Her project…aims to uncover the mechanisms of resistance, develop strategies to overcome drug tolerance…” LUNGevity Foundation provides career development awards supporting early-career lung cancer researchers.
Sucre del Rio was named Clinical Preceptor of the Year by St. John’s University’s Radiologic Sciences Program after more than three decades guiding students at MSK.
Adam Kesner, PhD was presented with the John Mallard Award from the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) for innovation applied in clinical practice.
Yesne Alici, MD received special recognition from the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at its annual awards event honoring excellence in clinical care and research.
MSK Kids ranked eleventh nationwide among pediatric oncology programs according to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” list for pediatric specialties including cancer care. Since its introduction in 2007 this ranking aims to guide families seeking specialized medical care for children.
Additionally MSK was listed among Becker’s Hospital Review Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs for advancing cancer care through research and clinical trials.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is based in New York City and has operated since its founding in 1884. Led by President Selwyn M. Vickers it functions as both a hospital—including a pediatric ward—and training center; recent reports indicate more than twenty-six thousand surgeries performed annually and over twenty-four thousand patient admissions (https://www.mskcc.org/).
