Dennis A. Carson, MD

Dennis has served as the Director of the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center from 2003-11. In addition to this leadership post, Dennis is an immunologist, physician and UC San Diego Professor of Medicine who conducts active laboratory research in the area of autoimmune diseases and blood cancers. In May of 2003, Dennis was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences, a rare honor for a physician, but then again, our Dr. Carson is nobody’s average physician.

Perhaps most importantly, for the purposes of this recognition, Dennis developed a cure for a type of cancer called Hairy Cell Leukemia. In 1979, Dennis synthesized a compound called 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine or 2-CdA that is a supremely effective therapy for Hairy Cell Leukemia and has applications against other blood cancers as well. Our Dr. Carson not only created this compound in the lab, he drove the long, arduous clinical trials process to get 2-CdA approved for clinical use. While Dr. Carson is characteristically modest about calling this therapy a cure, there are leukemia patients who have 20+ years of life, post treatment with 2-CdA. Many of these patients call it a cure.

Dennis Carson’s achievements in the research lab, academia and the world of biotechnology (he has four start-up companies, to his credit) would be more than sufficient basis for the recognition as this year’s Rell Sunn awardee. Perhaps the most important ways in which Dennis fits the spirit of this award are his selfless, soft-spoken, caring for others and his unflagging dedication to this battle.