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UCL academic wins Entente Cordiale cancer prize

18 November 2004

Professor Chris Boshoff, from the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at UCL, will today receive the inaugural Entente Cordiale Cancer Prize from Mrs Cherie Blair and Mme Bernadette Chirac at a ceremony at 10 Downing Street .


The ceremony forms part of the Entente Cordiale celebrations taking place this week during French President Jacques Chirac's visit to the UK . The prize instituted by the British and French governments and supported by the Aga Khan Development Network and the British Council rewards the best young cancer researchers from the UK and France and will assist them to establish Franco-British research collaborations.

Professor Boshoff is a cancer physician in the Head and Neck Cancer Unit at University College London Hospitals. His work involves investigating the role that viruses play in cancer development (Viral Oncology). He also has an interest in new targeted cancer therapies and using genetics to predict responses to these new treatments (Pharmacogenetics).

2004 sees the celebration of 100 years of the Entente Cordiale, an agreement which brought to an end the long-standing territorial disputes between France and the UK . The centenary provides an important milestone, both for celebrating the last hundred years, and for looking forward to future collaborations between the two countries. Scientific and technological research is at the heart of these collaborations and both the French and British governments have placed great importance on the fight against cancer.

Professor Boshoff says: "Despite many important recent advances, cancer continues to be major cause of suffering. It is encouraging that both the French and British governments are committed to promote collaborative research that could lead to cures. Although I am honored to be the recipient of this award, I am part of a large dedicated team of cancer scientists. I would like to thank Cancer Research UK , the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust for supporting our work."

Notes for Editors

  1. The prize will be awarded in a ceremony at 12.30pm at 10 Downing Street on 18 November 2004 by Mrs Cherie Blair and Mme Bernadette Chirac.
  2. To obtain a photograph of the prize ceremony or for more information contact Heidi Foden, UCL Media Relations, 020 7679 7678 or h.foden@ucl.ac.uk