Indian American oncologist Shikhar Mehrotra has received the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) President’s Values in Action (VIA) 2025 Impact award for his groundbreaking work in immunotherapy and its significant impact on cancer patients.
Mehrotra received the 2025 Impact Award from MUSC President David J. Cole and his spouse Kathy Cole at a ceremony last month, according to a university release.
Impact awards are not given annually but, instead, are given only when a nominee rises to a level that deserves this recognition. Besim Ogretmen, who nominated his colleague for Innovation, spoke of Mehrotra in the highest terms.
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“He’s respected with not only the MUSC family but also with national and international immunologists. I learn every day from Shikhar, and this is so well-deserved. So, thank you Shikhar for everything you do for MUSC.”
Mehrotra expressed his gratitude for the consistent support he has felt at MUSC. “You all have been very supportive and very helpful all through this journey. There are highs and lows in this profession, which we all know, but I think we have kept with it because of the great support system that we have created here at MUSC.”
VIA Award honorees each receive a certificate, a keepsake, an engraved brick on the Charleston Medical District Greenway and a monetary award.
Mehrotra competed his PhD in Immunology in India and post-doctoral fellowship at University of Connecticut Health Center. His research group focuses on understanding T cell biology for improving immunotherapy of cancer.
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His lab is testing several strategies by understanding the overlap that exists between the immune cell signaling pathways and cellular metabolic state associated with it, as well as working to combine strategies where targeting kinases with checkpoint blockade could enhance effectiveness of ACT. Dr. Mehrotra is also the Scientific Director of the Clean Cell Therapy Unit at MUSC.
For 10 years, the MUSC community has been acknowledging deserving colleagues with the VIA Awards, which highlight exemplary work surrounding MUSC’s common core values of Compassion, Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity and Respect, according to the release.
The VIA Awards give MUSC team members the chance to nominate those who have gone above and beyond, showing outstanding service to their patients, colleagues and community.