James P. Allison, PhD Professor and Chair, Department of Immunology; Executive Director, Immunotherapy Platform; Vivian L. Smith Distinguished Chair in Immunology Biography James P. Allison, PhD, is professor and chair of the department of Immunology and the executive director of the immunotherapy platform at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he also holds the Vivian Smith Distinguished Chair in Immunology. Allison’s research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that govern T-cell responses and applying that basic understanding to overcome cancer’s evasion of attack by the immune system. His fundamental discoveries led him to pioneer immune checkpoint blockade as a cancer treatment, working with pharmaceutical companies to develop Yervoy, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for metastatic melanoma in 2011. He continues to conduct basic research as well as translational studies of immunotherapies and combination therapies to uncover factors that influence response and resistance to checkpoint blockade. Allison is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. Among his awards and honors are the 2015 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award and the 2014 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. Education & Training 1974: Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular Immunology, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, CA 1973: The University of Texas, Austin, TX, PHD, Biological Sciences 1969: The University of Texas, Austin, TX, BS, Microbiology Awards & Honors 2018: Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology; Albany Medical Prize; BBVA Award; Dr. Paul Janssen Award – Johnson and Johnson 2017: American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Sjöberg Prize 2015: Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award; Pezcoller Foundation-American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) International Award for Cancer Research; Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2014: Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation 2013: Lloyd J.Old Award in Cancer Immunology, AACR-CRI 2011: Advancement of Cancer Research Award, Gilda's Club; Breakthrough Achievements in Translational Cancer Research, American Skin Association 2010: Richard V. Smalley, MD Memorial Lectureship Award, International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer 2008: C. Chester Stock Award for Distinguished Achievement in Biomedical Research, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center 2008: Dana Foundation Award in Human Immunology Research, American Association of Immunologists 2001: Centeon Award for Innovative Breakthroughs in Immunology 1997: Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology