David M. Center, MD
David M. Center, MD, will be honored with the Breathing for Life Award at the Ninth Annual ATS Foundation Research Program Benefit Saturday evening, May 20. Dr. Center is the Gordon and Ruth Snider Professor of Pulmonary Medicine and associate provost for translational research at Boston University, where he has served as chief of pulmonary medicine for 30 years.
The Breathing for Life Award is the highest honor awarded by the Foundation for philanthropy, scientific achievement, and commitment to mentorship.
“I’m truly honored to be receiving the Breathing for Life Award,” Dr. Center says. He noted the importance of research awards early in his career, and the vital role of ATS Foundation Research Program grants in general.
Dr. Center and research colleague, William Cruikshank, MD, identified T lymphocyte-specific chemotactic factor, now known as Interleukin 16. Their research has opened doors for other researchers interested in allergic diseases, asthma, cancer, and HIV.
In addition to research, Dr. Center continues to offer his weekly clinic, one of the longest-running at Boston Medical Center. He is especially proud of the medical center’s role as a safety-net hospital that cares for patients, including the homeless and recent immigrants, who are ineligible for health insurance.
The ATS Foundation would like to thank Genentech for support at the Sapphire Level; AstraZeneca LP at the Gold Level; Gilead Sciences, Inc. FREEMAN, and Insmed Incorporated at the Silver Level; and Merck and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at the Bronze Level.