BCT RESEARCHER RECOGNISED AMONG THE WORLD’S BEST SCIENTISTS

Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Researcher Recognised Among the World’s Best Scientists and Researchers

Professor John Forbes AM has been recognised as one of the world’s leading scientific researchers, with the release of Thomson Reuters list of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds: 2014”.

The list is composed of researchers who have published the highest number of articles that rank among those most frequently cited by fellow researchers. Professor Forbes is one of 65 Australians from the international list of 3,215 individuals across all fields of science and one of just seven Australians recognised in the area of Clinical Medicine.

Professor Forbes is the Director of Research at the Australia and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group (ANZBCTG), and is Professor of Surgical Oncology at the University of Newcastle and Director of Surgical Oncology at the Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital.

Professor Forbes has Chaired and Co-chaired many international clinical trials over the past 35 years, the results of which have led to new and improved treatment options for women diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia and New Zealand and throughout the world. He was the International Study Co-Chair of the IBIS-I and IBIS-II prevention clinical trials which have led to women at increased risk of breast cancer having more options to manage their risk.

Professor Forbes says he is surprised and honoured to be listed among such esteemed scientists.

“This is recognition of our global collaborations in breast cancer clinical trials. I thank all researchers in Australia and New Zealand and worldwide who have contributed to this important area of research. The participation of thousands of women in breast cancer clinical trials has been instrumental and we are very grateful for their shared commitment to improving the outcomes of all women now and for future generations,” Professor Forbes said.

“It is an endorsement of the quality of the research undertaken by the ANZBCTG, in what is an internationally peer reviewed process. As a result of clinical trials research, we have made significant improvements to the treatment options available to women diagnosed with or at risk of breast cancer and to survival rates, helping more women to survive their breast cancer long term.”

The ANZBCTG is Australia’s national organisation dedicated entirely to breast cancer research. It conducts a national clinical trials research program for the treatment, prevention and cure of breast cancer. The research program involves multicentre clinical trials and collaboration with 84 institutions and over 700 researchers throughout Australia and New Zealand and many more globally. More than 14,000 women have participated in ANZBCTG breast cancer clinical trials. The fundraising department of the ANZBCTG is the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia (BCIA). For more information about the ANZBCTG, visit the website www.anzbctg.org.

The Thomson Reuters announcement is available at http://thomsonreuters.com/press-releases/062014/Scientific-Minds-2014.
Media contact:
Anna Fitzgerald,
ANZBCTG Communications Manager
Phone: 02 4925 5255 or 0400 304 224
Email: anna.fitzgerald@anzbctg.org