Recognizing Innovation in Patient Care Through the Trailblazer Prize
The FNIH Trailblazer Prize for Clinician-Scientists recognizes the outstanding contributions of early career clinician-scientists whose work has the potential to, or has led to, innovations in patient care. Congratulations to Vinod Balachandran, MD, the recipient of the 2023 Trailblazer Prize.
This $10,000 honorarium and prize celebrates the transformational work of individuals whose research translates basic scientific observations into new paradigm-shifting approaches for diagnosing, preventing, treating, or curing disease and disability. The Trailblazer Prize is made possible by a generous donation from John I. Gallin, MD, and Elaine K. Gallin, PhD.
“This pioneering work has the potential to transform the treatment of pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and difficult to treat cancers, and provide proof of concept for future cancer vaccines.”
John I. Gallin, MD2023 Award Recipient
Vinod Balachandran, MD
Physician-scientist, Immuno-Oncology Service of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program and hepatopancreatobiliary surgical oncologist Immunology group leader, David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterDr. Balachandran discovered that rare long-term survivors of pancreatic cancer have unique tumors enriched in neoantigens – foreign proteins arising from cancer mutations – that may trigger immune cells to keep pancreatic cancers in check. He is translating his laboratory discoveries into new immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer, including the first clinical trials of personalized mRNA vaccines that target neoantigens to provoke the patient’s immune system to recognize their individual cancer.
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