José Baselga, MD, PhD, FASCO Cancer Research Fund
AstraZeneca mourns the loss of José Baselga, MD, PhD, FASCO, who died on March 21, 2021. Dr. Baselga was executive vice-president Oncology R&D and a member of AstraZeneca’s Senior Executive Team.
Special Thanks To
AstraZeneca mourns the loss of José Baselga, MD, PhD, FASCO, who died on March 21, 2021. Dr. Baselga was executive vice-president Oncology R&D and a member of AstraZeneca’s Senior Executive Team.
To honor Dr. Baselga’s legacy, AstraZeneca and Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, have established the José Baselga, MD, PhD, FASCO Cancer Research Fund to support a Young Investigator Award (YIA) in Drug Development. This YIA will provide research funding to young physician-scientists at a critical time in their academic careers – when they transition from training to becoming independent investigators and set up labs or research programs of their own under the guidance of mentors. The first award will be awarded in 2022 and will fund a YIA every year over the next 7 years. Any contributions to the fund would be to ensure it can continue beyond those 7 years.
We invite you to make a gift to remember Dr. Baselga’s significant contributions as a researcher and mentor to the next generation of oncologists.
A breast cancer specialist and a world-renowned leader in oncology drug development, Dr. Baselga was the lead investigator in the initial trial that demonstrated clinical activity of the anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab, a drug that revolutionized the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. His work was instrumental in the development of pertuzumab, the second anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody to receive FDA approval after trastuzumab, as well as cetuximab, lapatinib, and everolimus, among other therapies. ASCO recognized his promise as a clinical trialist from the very early days of his career, granting him a YIA in 1992 and a Career Development Award in 1994.
At AstraZeneca, Dr. Baselga led a team to accelerate exciting new science in antibody-drug conjugates, cell therapy, epigenetics, as well as new cancer treatments. He also championed the use of real-world evidence and digital tools to transform the way AstraZeneca designs and implements clinical trials.
Before joining AstraZeneca in 2019, Dr. Baselga served as physician-in-chief and chief medical officer at MSKCC, where he joined the faculty in the Breast Medicine Service after completing his fellowship at the institution and as a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical School. During his career, he held leadership roles at Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (an institution he founded in 1996) in Barcelona, Spain, and at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.
Our hearts are with Dr. Baselga’s wife and four children, colleagues, and the many people around the world who knew, admired, and loved him. He will be profoundly missed.
Conquer Cancer is a global community of advocates, patients, doctors, researchers, caregivers, and others dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by cancer.
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas - Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
