Quinnipiac University President John Lahey is the recipient of the Stamford-based Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapys first Edward Netter Award for Business and Industry.

Quinnipiac University President John Lahey is the recipient of the Stamford-based Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapys first Edward Netter Award for Business and Industry.

Quinnipiac president to receive new award from Stamford nonprofit

STAMFORD Outgoing Quinnipiac University President John Lahey ranks at the top of the class for his community service, according to the leaders of one of Stamfords major nonprofits.

The Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, which supports the development of cell and gene therapies for cancer, will recognize Lahey on Wednesday at its anniversary gala at the Harvard Club in Manhattan with the first Edward Netter Award for Business and Industry.

ACGT officials said Lahey, an ACGT board member since 2004, embodies the qualities valued by the late ACGT co-founder Edward Netter: intellect, creativity, tenacity, curiosity and compassion.

Im deeply honored to receive the first-ever Edward Netter Award for Business and Industry, Lahey said. Edward was a true visionary. He and his wife Barbara have made such an impact in this area of research. Im delighted that Ive been able to be a part of ACGT and help see their vision of successfully treating cancer advance so quickly.

ACGT co-founder and honorary chairman Barbara Netter will present the award to Lahey.

Im so thrilled to honor Dr. John Lahey, Netter said in a statement. He has worked closely with Edward and me over the years to guide ACGT and to fund some of the most innovative and breakthrough cancer research in decades. I know Edward would be extremely proud to know what ACGT has been able to accomplish these years under the stewardship of John Lahey.

Lahey is the eighth president of Quinnipiac. After arriving at the Hamden institution in 1987, Lahey started a planning process that resulted in the growth of student enrollment from 2,000 to nearly 10,000. He also expanded Quinnipiac from a college to a university, which offers more than 100 programs in its nine schools and colleges.

Last week, he announced his intention to retire next year.

Among the other gala speakers, ACGT research fellow Dr. Robert Vonderheide, of the University of Pennsylvania will discuss breakthroughs using immunotherapy for the treatment of solid cancers. Doug Olson will talk about his experience as one of the first three patients treated in the cancer immunotherapy CAR-T clinical trial developed by ACGT research fellow and Scientific Advisory Council member Dr. Carl June.

Since its founding in 2001, ACGT has provided nearly $27 million in funding for cancer cell, gene and immunotherapy research in North America. ACGT officials said the nonprofit has supported the underlying science that has led to the founding of four companies in the final stages of bringing new treatments to patients: Novartis, Ziopharm, Juno Therapeutics and Turnstone Biologics.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott

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Quinnipiac president to receive new award from Stamford nonprofit - The Advocate

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