ASTRO celebrates contributions to radiation oncology with awards for research, mentorship, service and patient advocacy
ARLINGTON, Va., October 5, 2026
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) recognized the recipients of its 2026 Gold Medal awards and other high-profile honors at a ceremony during the ASTRO Annual Meeting in Boston. Photos of the awardees are available online.
ASTRO Gold Medal
ASTRO’s Gold Medal is the highest honor bestowed upon an ASTRO member, given annually to individuals who have made outstanding lifetime contributions to the field of radiation oncology through achievements in clinical patient care, research, teaching and service.
Four individuals received 2026 ASTRO Gold Medals: Theodore DeWeese, MD, FASTRO, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Daniel Low, PhD, FASTRO, of UCLA; Alvaro Martinez, MD, FASTRO, of Michigan Healthcare Professionals; and Bruce Minsky, MD, FASTRO, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
In the award’s 50th consecutive year, Drs. DeWeese, Low, Martinez and Minsky join an exclusive group of 107 Gold Medalists. Read more about the awardees in ASTROnews and in tributes published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (Red Journal).
ASTRO Honorary Member
The 2026 ASTRO Honorary Member is Freddie Hamdy, CBE, FMedSci, MD, FRCS, the Nuffield Professor of Surgery, Professor of Urology and Head of the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences at the University of Oxford in London, as well as Editor in Chief of BJU International. This award is the highest honor ASTRO bestows upon an individual in a discipline outside of radiation oncology, radiobiology and medical physics who has contributed to advancing the specialty. Read more about Dr. Hamdy in ASTROnews and a tribute in the Red Journal.
ASTRO Mentorship Award
ASTRO’s Mentorship Award recognizes mentors in radiation oncology who demonstrate outstanding commitment to developing their mentees as clinicians, educators and researchers. The 2026 recipients are Beth Erickson, MD, FASTRO, of the Medical College of Wisconsin; Clifton (Dave) Fuller, MD, PhD, FASTRO, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; and Meredith Giuliani, MBBS, MEd, PhD, of the University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Cancer Center. Read more about their contributions in ASTROnews.
ASTRO Annual Meeting Abstract Awards
Nearly four dozen researchers received Annual Meeting abstract awards, which recognize the highest rated research at the meeting and highlight the work of residents and early-career professionals. Chad Rusthoven, MD, of the University of Colorado, received the Steven A. Leibel Memorial Award given jointly by ASTRO and the American Board of Radiology (ABR) Foundation, and Aman Sharma, MD, DO, DSc, of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, received the International Abstract Award. A full list of recipients is available in the Red Journal, and details about their abstracts and presentations are available in the Annual Meeting portal.
Survivor Circle: Honoring Patients and Their Contributions
ASTRO’s Survivor Circle program recognizes contributions from patient support organizations, awarding more than $550,000 in grants to date. This year’s recipients include two organizations that provide cancer support services in the New England area, Boston Medical Center Corporation and Lovebus. Read more about the Survivor Circle program and these organizations in ASTROnews and read an update from last year’s Survivor Circle recipients on the ASTROblog.
ABOUT ASTRO
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world’s largest professional society dedicated to advancing radiation medicine, with 11,000 members including physicians, nurses, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other professionals who work to improve patient outcomes through clinical care, research, education and advocacy. Radiation therapy is integral to 40% of cancer cures worldwide, and more than one million Americans receive radiation treatments for their cancer each year. For information on radiation therapy, visit Speed of Light – The ASTRO Foundation. To learn more about ASTRO, visit our website and press room and connect with us on social media.
