Department of Communication & Public Affairs

NEWS RELEASE

Date: June 2, 2008
Contact: Michele Fisher, Media Relations Specialist
Phone: 732/235-9872
Email: fisherm2@umdnj.edu

                                                                                
 CINJ Interim Director Receives Prestigious Award at
International Conference in Chicago

Dr. Joseph R. Bertino Honored at American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting 

New Brunswick, N.J., June 2, 2008 – Recognized by cancer specialists from around the globe, a noted leader at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) has been honored with the Distinguished Service Award for Scientific Achievement at the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which is taking place in Chicago this week. 

Joseph R. Bertino, MD, interim director and chief scientific officer at CINJ and university professor of medicine and pharmacology at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, was recognized during the President’s Dinner at the annual gathering, which is attended by international clinical researchers, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other related health professionals. 

The award recognizes Dr. Bertino’s dedication to cancer research and scientific inquiry, as well his “exceptional record of service to the Society.”  Bertino is a past president of ASCO, having served from 1976 to 1977, and has been a member of the Society for 41 years.  Last year he was a recipient of ASCO’s inaugural Statesman Award, which recognizes volunteer efforts and significant societal contributions made by ASCO members, who have served 20 cumulative years in the organization.

The Franklin Township resident, who also is an American Cancer Society professor, has been recognized internationally for his role in finding curative treatments in the areas of leukemia and lymphoma.  He is the author and co-author of more than 400 scientific publications, and is currently leading his laboratory in the study of the relationship between tumor suppressor gene abnormalities and drug resistance and the use of drug resistant genes to protect bone marrow from chemotherapy toxicity.
 
About The Cancer Institute of New Jersey
The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is the state’s first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and is dedicated to improving the prevention, detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer. CINJ’s physician-scientists engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice quite literally bringing research to life. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.   To support CINJ, please call The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation at 1-888-333-CINJ.
The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides a mechanism to rapidly disseminate important discoveries into the community. Partner Hospital: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Affiliate Hospitals: Bayshore Community Hospital, CentraState Healthcare System, Cooper University Hospital*, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, JFK Medical Center, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Overlook Hospital, Raritan Bay Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton (CINJ-Hamilton), Saint Peter’s University Hospital, Somerset Medical Center, Southern Ocean County Hospital, The University Hospital/UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School*, and University Medical Center at Princeton. *Academic Affiliate

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