The IFCC bestows ten 2020 IFCC Distinguished Awards

The IFCC announces the names of the winners of the ten IFCC Distinguished Awards.

Prof. Nader RIFAI (United States), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC-Howard Morris Distinguished Clinical Chemist Award, sponsored by Yashraj Biotechnology Ltd. This award, honouring IFCC President Prof. Howard Morris, recognizes specifically an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the science of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine or the application of Clinical Chemistry to the understanding or the solution of medical problems. Click here to read the press release about Prof. RIFAI.

Dr Ghassan SHANNAN (Syria), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC Henry Wishinsky Award for Distinguished International Services, sponsored by Siemens. This award, recognizes specifically an individual who has made unique contributions to the promotion and understanding of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine throughout the world. Click here to read the press release about Dr Shannan.

Dr Thomas ANNESLEY (United States), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC Award for Distinguished Contributions in Education, sponsored by Abbott Diagnostics. This award recognizes specifically an individual who has made extraordinary contributions in establishing and developing educational materials for the Clinical Chemistry discipline to improve training and educational programs worldwide or in a region. Click here to read the press release about Dr Annesley.

Dr Andrea FERREIRA-GONZALEZ (United States), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC Award for Significant Contributions in Molecular Diagnostics, sponsored by Abbott Molecular. This award recognizes specifically an individual who has made unique contributions to the promotion and understanding of molecular biology and its applications in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine worldwide. Click here to read the press release about Dr Ferreira-Gonzalez.

Dr David B. SACKS (United States), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC Distinguished Award for Laboratory Medicine and Patient Care, sponsored by Sekisui Diagnostics. This award recognizes specifically an individual who has made unique contributions in Laboratory Medicine, its application in improving patient care, and having a worldwide impact in clinical medicine. Click here to read the press release about Dr Sacks.

Dr Gary L. MYERS (United States), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC-Robert Schaffer Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Development of Standards for Use in Laboratory Medicine, co-sponsored by NIST and CLSI. This award recognizes specifically an individual who has made outstanding and unique contributions to the advancement of reference methods and/or reference materials for laboratory medicine to facilitate improved quality of clinical diagnostics and therapies, which would in turn lead to reduced costs and improved patient care. Click here to read the press release about Dr Myers.

Prof. Fred S. APPLE (United States), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC Distinguished Award for Contributions to Cardiovascular Diagnostics, sponsored by HyTest. This award honours an individual who has undertaken remarkable scientific work with cardiac markers or immunodiagnostic applications to improve cardiac disease diagnosis. Click here to read the press release about Prof. Apple.

Dr Jean Baptiste WOILLARD (France), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC-Gérard Siest Young Scientist Award for Distinguished Contributions in Pharmacogenetics, sponsored by Biologie Prospective. This award recognizes an outstanding young investigator or young leader (under 40 years of age) for his/her contribution to advancing the scientific discipline of pharmacogenomics and Personalized/Precision Medicine and/or its impact on research, development, standardization, quality management, regulatory evaluation or utilization in therapy. The award was presented for the first time on occasion of the WorldLab Congress held in Seoul in 2022.

Dr Sandra QUIJANO (Colombia) is the winner of the 2020 IFCC Distinguished Women Scientist Award For Contribution To In Vitro Diagnostics, sponsored by Yashraj Biotechnology Ltd. This award recognizes a woman who has made significant contributions to the development or utilization of In Vitro Diagnostics with emphasis on applications in primary healthcare. The award was presented for the first time on occasion of the WorldLab Congress held in Seoul in 2022..

Dr Livia S. EBERLIN (United States), is the winner of the 2020 IFCC Young Investigator Award, sponsored by IFCC. This award recognizes and encourages the academic and professional development of a young investigator (under 40 years of age) who has demonstrated exceptional scientific achievements in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine in his/her career. Click here to read the press release about Dr Eberlin.

Prof. Maurizio FERRARI, IFCC President and Chair IFCC Awards Committee, said: “We are delighted in electing these colleagues for the 2020 IFCC Awards. The Awardees are a witness of the contribution that IFCC gives to advancement of excellence in laboratory medicine for better healthcare worldwide. I’m happy that so many National Societies submitted excellent candidates: we had a very hard task selecting the Awardees among them. It has been a privilege considering them and we are sure that the Awardees will inspire a new generation of clinician-scientists worldwide”.