Slamon, affiliated with UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, led pivotal work identifying HER2-positive breast cancer and developing Herceptin, the first targeted therapy for this cancer subtype.

His work extended beyond breast cancer, with HER2-targeted therapies now used in other cancers driven by the same molecular alteration and ongoing development of antibody-drug conjugates.

Dr. Dennis Slamon and Dr. Tony Hunter were honored with the 2026 Albany Prize, a major medical award carrying a $500,000 prize for breakthroughs in cancer biology and lifesaving treatments.

Michael Teitell praised Slamon’s translational approach, underscoring how laboratory discoveries translated into clinical treatments and spurred broader changes in cancer care.

Over a 40-year career at UCLA, Slamon has received numerous prestigious oncology and medical awards recognizing his contributions to biomedical research and cancer therapy.

Slamon’s team conducted early human trials of Herceptin; subsequent randomized trials showed added benefit when combined with standard therapy, and the FDA approved Herceptin in 1998, benefiting about 3.5 million women worldwide.

The HER2 discovery catalyzed a broader shift toward molecularly targeted cancer therapies and influenced the development of CDK4/6 inhibitors for ER-positive breast cancer, which are now standard treatments.

Research showed that HER2 amplification drives tumor growth and is not merely a marker of aggression, leading to the development of targeted antibody therapies.