CGA-IGC Awards
We are proud to honor distinguished CGA-IGC members who have made outstanding contributions to the field of hereditary GI cancers and our society.
2020 - Carol Burke, MD
2019 - John Carethers, MD
2018 - Dennis J. Ahnen, MD
2017 - Albert de la Chapelle, MD, PhD
2016 - Noralane M. Lindor, MD
2015 - C. Richard Boland, MD
2014 - Robert Haile, MD
2013 - Stephen B. Gruber, MD, PhD, MPH
2012 - Sapna Syngal, MD, MPH
2011 - Francis M. Giardiello, MD, MBA
2010 - Stanley Hamilton, MD
2009 - Jeremy Jass, MD
2008 - Randall W. Burt, MD
2007 - Ellen McGannon, MSW
2006 - Patrick Lynch, MD, JD
2005 - Terry Berk, MSSA
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CGA Achievement Award
2004 - James Church, MD
2002 - Bert Vogelstein, MD
2001 - Henry T. Lynch, MD
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Career Research Achievement Award
2000 - David E. Anderson, PhD
2023 - James Church, MD
2022 - Heather Hampel, MS, LGC
2023 - Elena Martinez Stoffel, MD, MPH
2022 - Brandie Heald Leach. MS, LGC
2021 - Steve Erdman, MD
2022 - Alessandro Mannucci, MD
Albert de la Chapelle Distinguished Mentor Award
We are delighted to present this award to James M. Church, who was instrumental in the founding and growth of CGA-IGC. He has worked tirelessly with a decades-long approach to generational care, rooted in empathy and understanding before all else and backed by virtually unmatched surgical expertise. Dr. Church, during his 32-year career, has mentored countless individuals internationally, many of whom have not only become excellent surgeons, clinicians, and researchers but also leaders in professional organizations such as CGA-IGC.
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James Church, M.D. is a colorectal surgeon currently serving as the Section Head of Hereditary Cancer and Familial Polyposis at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Born and raised in New Zealand, Dr. Church did his medical school, postgraduate research, and general surgical training in Auckland before training in colorectal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and eventually joining the faculty there. Over the 34 years that followed, he played an instrumental role in developing and leading a world-class Department of Colorectal Surgery.
Dr. Church has been co-investigator of the Collaborative Colorectal Cancer Family Registry, funded by a research grant from the National Cancer Institute. In addition, he has served as the Chairman of the Leeds Castle Polyposis Group and the International Collaborative Group on Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer and the Founder and President of the CGA-IGC. These international societies are dedicated to the care of patients with inherited colorectal cancer and research into their disease.
He is is also deeply committed to education and is currently a Fellow of the CGA-IGC, the American Surgical Association and honorary Fellow of several national surgical and gastroenterological societies, sole author of 2 textbooks, editor of several, and author or co-author of over 430 peer-reviewed articles.
Dennis J. Ahnen Outstanding Service Award
There is absolutely no doubt that Elena Martinez Stoffel is one of the most deserving CGA-IGC members for this recognition. She joined the CGA-IGC in 2002 and has consistently played a crucial role in the growth and success of the organization. Her exceptional service was evident during her tenure on the Executive Council from 2010 to 2012 and as President from 2014 to 2015. Her incredible legacy of selflessness and unwavering commitment to servant leadership has had an indelible and lasting impact on the remarkable growth and development of the CGA-IGC. Through her tireless dedication and visionary approach, she has inspired countless individuals to follow in her footsteps and embrace the values of compassion, empathy, and integrity. Her profound influence has not only shaped the organization's trajectory but also shaped the lives of those fortunate enough to have crossed paths with her. CGA-IGC owes much of its success and reputation to her remarkable contributions, which continue to resonate and shape the future of the organization in immeasurable ways.
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Elena Martinez Stoffel, M.D., M.P.H., is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Michigan. She is also the Director of the Rogel Cancer Center Cancer Genetics Clinic. Dr. Stoffel earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1997. She completed her residency in internal medicine in 2000 and fellowship in gastroenterology in 2003 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts. Additionally, she obtained her MPH from Harvard School of Public Health in 2003. As a physician-scientist with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Stoffel is leading a U01-funded grant that aims to explore innovative approaches to expand cancer genetic screening and testing for patients and their family members. She is also a Fellow of the CGA-IGC.