David Tarin, MD, PhD

Dr. David Tarin, M.D., Ph.D., and rather a nice guy for a genius. Dr. Tarin embodies the main components of the award’s inspiration, Rell Sunn. Rell Sunn was more than a surfer. She lived with grace and the aloha spirit of giving. In fact Rell described that giving spirit simply. “You give and you give and you give … and give from [the heart], until you have nothing else to give.” And she did until her 15-year battle with breast cancer consumed her. But, at the Moores UCSD Luau & Longboard Invitational, her spirit goes on.

And that spirit of giving thrives in David Tarin, this year’s Rell Sunn Award honoree. Dr. Tarin, as the former director of the Rebecca and John Moores Cancer Center, oversaw 250 brilliant cancer specialists while organizing them literally into the now finished Cancer Center building. Dr. Tarin, since 2004, has returned to the laboratory full-time to focus his research on two topics – the early detection of cancer and the manifold ways cancer seeds tumors in other organs.

Dr. Tarin is applauded for his dedication. He is preceded by a list of other very worthy Rell Sunn Award recipients.