M.D. Anderson's Research "Architect" Receives Two Honors for career Recognition

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has established the Frederick F. Becker Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research to honor the man who helped lead the institution to international recognition in basic and translational research.

In celebration of Dr. Becker's contributions, M. D. Anderson President Dr. John Mendelsohn announced on September 8 the new endowed chair and also presented Dr. Becker with the M. D. Anderson Presidents' Award, a special recognition presented to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the institution. The award is named for M. D. Anderson's three presidents: Dr. R. Lee Clark, Dr. Charles A. LeMaistre and Dr. Mendelsohn.

"This endowed chair honor will commemorate the work of Dr. Becker as well as provide support for other faculty members to continue along his path of excellence," says Dr. Mendelsohn. "Dr. Becker has been instrumental in creating the scholarly climate in which research has flourished at M. D. Anderson, and he has been the central force in bringing to M. D. Anderson some of our most respected faculty and securing the many physical and financial resources our faculty need for their laboratory research."

Major donors who contributed to the Frederick F. Becker Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research are Charles Butt and H-E-B of San Antonio; Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation of San Antonio; Sid W. Richardson Foundation of Fort Worth and Raymond L. Golden of New York. The chair will be awarded to an M. D. Anderson faculty member who conducts outstanding work in cancer research.

Dr. Becker, who served as M. D. Anderson's vice president for research for almost 20 years, stepped down from his executive position recently. He leaves a legacy of having recruited many scientists to the center to conduct groundbreaking research. He was instrumental in championing the clinical research building opening this fall, the basic research building that opened in 1986, the Smith Research Building that opened in 1980, and research facilities at the Science Park in Central Texas that continue to undergo major expansion.

Dr. Becker has received international recognition for his own scientific work, including a recent project of developing a new technology for separating cancer cells from normal blood cells - a process which could enable researchers to conduct genetic analysis on cancer cells, to predict the prognosis for a primary tumor and to purge bone marrow of tumor cells so that it may later be used for transplantation.

Dr. Becker has assumed the new role of special advisor to the president and retains his positions as deputy director of the Cancer Center Support Grant and chief of the section of experimental pathology.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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