Steffi Oesterreich, a leading breast cancer researcher at the Pitt School of Medicine and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, was honored by the American Association for Cancer Research at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium annual meeting on Dec. 12.
Oesterreich, who also serves as the co-director of the Women's Cancer Research Center, a collaboration between UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and the Magee-Women’s Research Institute, is the recipient of the 2024 AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research, established to recognize outstanding science that inspires new perspectives on the etiology, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of breast cancer.
Oesterreich has made groundbreaking contributions in translational breast cancer research that have advanced the scientific understanding of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast. Her work has led to an international paradigm shift within the research, clinical and patient advocacy communities to recognize invasive lobular carcinoma as a distinct biological entity among breast cancers.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award,” Oesterreich said. “Throughout my career, I have been privileged to have incredible mentors who instilled in me the importance of multidisciplinary collaborations in achieving meaningful progress in breast cancer research. Together, our studies have allowed us to advance the field, particularly in ILC, which is now increasingly recognized as a unique subtype of breast cancer that warrants further investigation.”