Donald P. McDonnell, PhD, has received the Endocrine Society’s highest honor, the Fred Conrad Koch Lifetime Achievement Award, for lifetime achievements and exceptional contributions to the field of endocrinology.
McDonnell, the Glaxo-Wellcome Distinguished Professor of Molecular Cancer Biology in the Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, transformed the field of steroid hormone research by revealing that hormone receptors act through complex, flexible signaling mechanisms rather than simple on/off switches. His work has led to the development of new targeted therapies for breast cancer, including the approved drug elacestrant (Orserdu™), and uncovering a critical link between cholesterol metabolism, estrogen signaling, osteoporosis and breast cancer. His team has also developed an innovative new endocrine therapy for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
“Our group’s recent discovery of new endocrine therapies for breast and prostate cancer was enabled by the efforts of collaborators, trainees and research staff at Duke who shared with me the belief that innovation is built on a foundation of solid fundamental research. I appreciate the fact that the Endocrine Society has recognized our efforts to bring new medicines to patients,” McDonnell said.
He is one of 13 scientists nationwide honored with the Endocrine Society’s prestigious 2027 Laureate Awards, the top honors in the field of endocrinology. The awards recognize breakthroughs in scientific discoveries and clinical care benefiting people with hundreds of conditions, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, obesity, hormone-related cancers, growth problems, osteoporosis and infertility.