Leading Indian American cancer researcher Suresh S. Ramalingam has received the 2025 the Albert E. Levy Award for Excellence in Scientific Research for a senior faculty member of Emory University, a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia.
The award was created by civic and academic activist Edith Levy Elsas while she was a member of the Emory University Board of Visitors in memory of her father, Albert E. Levy. Each awardee receives a trophy and a contribution in research funds of $2,000.
Ramalingam, is the Roberto C. Goizueta Chair for Cancer Research and serves as professor of hematology and medical oncology and executive director of Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University’s Woodruff Health Sciences Center. He is among the nation’s leading physician-scientists in oncology.
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His pioneering research on third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, notably Osimertinib, has transformed clinical practice, establishing new standards of care for patients with early-stage and advanced lung cancer, according to a university release.
Landmark trials led by Ramalingam, including the FLAURA and LAURA studies, demonstrated exceptional efficacy, significantly extending progression-free survival and resulting in multiple FDA approvals.
Most notably, the LAURA trial showed a median progression-free survival of 39.1 months compared to just 5.6 months with placebo — a historic advancement for patients with unresectable stage III EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer.
Additionally, his research has greatly enhanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving cancer progression and therapeutic resistance, informing novel combination therapies and new therapeutic targets.
Ramalingam’s scholarly excellence is reflected in more than 340 peer-reviewed publications, more than 34,000 citations and an impressive h-index of 82. His contributions have earned numerous prestigious honors, including the Distinguished Cancer Scholar Award, the Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award from the National Cancer Institute and the Paul Bunn Award for Scientific Merit.
Under his leadership, Winship Cancer Institute has significantly strengthened its international prominence in translational cancer research. He has led major NIH-funded initiatives, including Emory’s first Lung Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE), reinforcing Emory’s leadership in bench-to-bedside oncology research.
He has also held more than 50 national leadership roles, including chair of the Thoracic Malignancies Committee at ECOG-ACRIN, chair of the Professional Development Committee at the American Society of Clinical Oncology and editor-in-chief of Cancer.
Ramalingam’s visionary approach to oncology, combined with his dedication to collaborative research and mentorship, exemplifies the scientific excellence Emory University seeks to foster, significantly enhancing its global reputation in biological and health sciences, according to the release.