The AACR and the Princess Takamatsu Cancer Research Fund honor group leader René Bernards for his "monumental contributions to establishing innovative strategies by which to identify biomarkers of treatment response and effective treatment combinations". They praise him for pioneering the use of genetic screening tests to identify and stratify individuals at risk of developing breast cancer, for employing functional genomic approaches to identify vulnerabilities of cancers that may be therapeutically exploited, and for his ‘unparalleled ability to foster and nourish collaborative global cancer research efforts’.
The AACR Princess Takamatsu Memorial Lectureship was established in 2007 by the AACR and the Japanese Princess Takamatsu Cancer Research Fund in honor of the late Imperial Highness Princess Takamatsu. The award includes an honorarium (USD 10,000) and a physical award.
The Princess Takamatsu Cancer Research Fund was established in 1968. Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamatsu devoted much of her life to alleviating the scourge of cancer since the disease took the life of her mother in 1933. The objective of the fund is to contribute to the progress of science and the welfare of mankind through supporting cancer research.