About

Established in 2005, the SITC Smalley Award is the society’s most prestigious award and serves to honor those who have been pioneers in their work and made a notable impact worthy of high regard and recognition by their peers. As a part of the award, the honoree serves as a primary keynote presenter at the society's Annual Meeting, delivering a lecture on his/her research. The award is accompanied by an honorarium of $5,000.

Dr. Philip Greenberg accepts the 2018 SITC Smalley Memorial Award at the 33rd Annual Meeting.

Richard V. Smalley Biography

Smalley.jpgRichard Vincent Smalley was born in New York City on June 21, 1932 and grew up in Larchmont, NY. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1953 and from the Temple University School of Medicine in 1957. After serving as a lieutenant in the United States Navy, he completed his residency at Temple University Hospital and his fellowship at Ohio State University.

Dr. Smalley was Professor of Medicine and Head of the Section of Medical Oncology at Temple University until 1981. He served as Branch Chief of the Biological Response Modifiers Program at the National Cancer Institute from 1982 - 1984. He worked in the Department of Human Oncology at the University of Wisconsin Cancer Center from 1984 - 1991, prior to starting his own cancer clinical trials management company, Synertron, Inc.

As one of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc) – which formally became the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer in 2002 – charter members, Dr. Smalley was an integral part of the society's fabric from its inception. Dr. Smalley served on the original Board of Directors from 1984 - 1990, where he also served as the society's third President from 1988 - 1990, leading the society through some of its most formative years.

In 1994 - 1998, while serving as iSBTc Treasurer, the environment for biological therapy began to change and the Society faced many challenges. During this time, Dr. Smalley showed inspirational devotion by meeting these challenges and administering the Society from his own home and nurturing its continued growth. iSBTc's success is due, in large part, to the consummate dedication and leadership of Dr. Richard Smalley.

A seven-year survivor of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Dr. Smalley died of an unrelated brain tumor at his home in Edgewater, MD on January 17, 2004 at the age of 71.

Past Smalley Award Recipients

2024 RECIPIENT

Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD, FAIO, FAACR, FACP, FAAAS
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

2023 RECIPIENT

Robert Schreiber, PhD
Washington University School of Medicine

2022 RECIPIENT

Zelig Eshhar, PhD
Weizmann Institute of Science Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center

2021 RECIPIENT

Crystal L Mackall, MD
Stanford University

2020 RECIPIENTs

Lieping Chen, MD, PhD
Yale Cancer Center

2020 RECIPIENTs

Gordon Freeman, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

2020 RECIPIENTs

Arlene Sharpe, MD, PhD
Harvard Medical School

2019 RECIPIENT

Olivera (Olja) J. Finn, PhD 
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

2018 RECIPIENT

Philip D. Greenberg, MD
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

2017 Recipient

Paul Sondel, MD, PhD
University of Wisconsin-Madison

2016 Recipient

Suzanne L. Topalian, MD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

2015 Recipient

Tasuku Honjo, MD, PhD
Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine

2014 Recipient

Giorgio Trinchieri, MD
National Cancer Institute

2013 Recipient

Carl H. June, MD
University of Pennsylvania

2012 Recipient

Theresa L. Whiteside, PhD
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute

2011 Recipient

Ralph M. Steinman, MD
The Rockefeller University

2010 Recipient

James P. Allison, PhD
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

2009 Recipient

Isaiah J. Fidler, DVM, PhD
MD Anderson Cancer Center

2008 Recipient

Giorgio Parmiani, MD
San Raffaele Foundation

2007 Recipient

Ernest Borden, MD
Cleveland Clinic Foundation

2006 Recipient

Ronald Levy, MD
Stanford University School of Medicine

2005 Recipient

Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, PhD
National Cancer Institute