Progress in breast cancer doesn’t happen because of one discovery, one discipline or one person. It takes scientists asking new questions, clinicians finding better ways to care for patients, researchers examining how breast cancer affects communities and advocates ensuring the patient voice remains at the center of it all.
Each year, Susan G. Komen® recognizes individuals who exemplify that commitment to progress through some of the organization’s highest honors in breast cancer research and advocacy.
This year, five leaders will be recognized for their contributions to the breast cancer field with the Brinker Awards for Scientific Distinction, Rising Star Researcher Award and Research Advocacy Champion Award.
Established in 1992, the Brinker Awards recognize leading scientists whose groundbreaking contributions to breast cancer research, treatment and clinical care have advanced progress toward a world without breast cancer.
The Rising Star Researcher Award honors promising investigators whose innovative research, leadership potential and commitment to mentorship are helping shape the future of breast cancer research and treatment.
The Research Advocacy Champion Award recognizes advocates who elevate the voices of patients, survivors and co-survivors in breast cancer research, helping ensure their perspectives inform scientific progress and improve patient outcomes.
Progress against breast cancer takes more than a single discovery. It requires scientists advancing research, clinicians improving care and advocates ensuring patients’ voices help shape the future.
Meet Komen’s 2026 award recipients:
Lewis Chodosh, M.D., Ph.D.
Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Basic Science
Lewis Chodosh, M.D., Ph.D., is being honored for his groundbreaking contributions to breast cancer research, particularly his discoveries in tumor biology, dormancy and recurrence. His work has advanced our understanding of how cancer cells survive treatment and later reawaken, paving the way for new approaches to detect and target dormant cancer cells, with the ultimate goal of preventing breast cancer recurrence and reducing mortality.
Lisa Carey, M.D., ScM, FASCO
Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Clinical Research
Being recognized for her pioneering research, Lisa Carey, M.D., ScM, FASCO, has transformed how we understand and treat breast cancer. Her work helped establish triple-negative breast cancer as a distinct subtype and highlighted the disproportionate impact of some aggressive cancers on younger and Black women. Through her leadership in advancing personalized treatment strategies, designing innovative clinical trials and championing collaborative research, she has helped improve breast cancer care while paving the way for future discoveries.
Dawn Hershman, M.D., M.S., FASCO
Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Population Science
Recognized for her groundbreaking contributions to cancer care and survivorship research, Dawn Hershman, M.D., M.S., FASCO, has helped transform breast cancer treatment by identifying barriers to quality care, including health disparities, financial challenges and treatment adherence. Through innovative clinical trials and evidence-based interventions, her work has improved patient outcomes and quality of life while advancing more equitable, patient-centered breast cancer care.
Daniel Stover, M.D., FASCO
Rising Star Researcher Award
Through his innovative work integrating computational biology and clinical oncology, Daniel Stover, M.D., FASCO, is helping advance precision medicine in breast cancer care. His pioneering research in liquid biopsies, tumor genomics and artificial intelligence has led to new approaches for monitoring disease, understanding treatment resistance and personalizing treatment, particularly for patients with triple-negative breast cancer. His commitment to making these technologies more accessible and actionable is helping improve care and expand the benefits of precision medicine to more patients.
Sue Friedman, D.V.M.
Research Advocacy Champion Award
Turning her personal experience as a breast cancer survivor and BRCA2 mutation carrier into a powerful force for change, Sue Friedman, D.V.M., has become a leading advocate for individuals and families affected by hereditary cancer. Through her leadership in research advocacy, clinical guidelines and patient-centered initiatives, she has helped expand access to genetic testing, preventive care and clinical trials. Her commitment to amplifying the patient voice and making complex research more accessible continues to shape cancer care and improve outcomes for those at increased risk.
Celebrating the People Behind Progress
Komen will honor the 2026 award recipients during A Celebration of Excellence on Wednesday, Dec. 9 in San Antonio, Texas. The evening will bring together leaders across breast cancer research and advocacy to recognize this year’s honorees, connect with colleagues and celebrate the progress made possible when science, medicine and the patient voice come together.
This year, we’re also making it easier for audiences everywhere to hear directly from the scientific award recipients about their groundbreaking research. While we’ll continue to present the awards in-person at the San Antonio event, the Brinker and Rising Star Researcher Award recipients will deliver their scientific presentations through two separate virtual sessions.
We invite you to learn more about each virtual session by clicking the buttons above and join us for the opportunity to hear from leading scientists whose discoveries, innovation and leadership have helped transform our understanding of breast cancer and shaped the future of research.
