“He said to me and to our fellows once in a career development session, ‘I can outlast any reviewer.’ I never forgot it. It pushes me still,” Bea said. “He believed in the quality of our science and patient care and simply persisted until the grants were won and the approvals acquired.”
Bea said that as her supervisor and mentor, Alberts gave her increasingly difficult tasks, some of which she felt unprepared.
“He then cheered me on and coached me to the finish line, never criticizing, just supporting. Whenever I feel frustrated with a student, staff member, or colleague, I ask myself, “What would Dave do,’” Bea said. “I know the answer. He would operate from a place of kindness and collaboration, always moving toward our common goals. Dave was also a connector and a master at putting multidisciplinary teams together and fostering their success.”
Bea said that beyond work, he treated everyone like family, and invited them into his home often for program gatherings, networking with trainees, celebrations, and more. “Many of us know his wife, Heather, his children, and grandchildren and care deeply for them, as well,” Bea said.
During his career, Alberts also served as an advisor to numerous cancer research foundations and committees. He was the chair of the Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee to the FDA from 1984 to 1986 and the National Cancer Institute’s Board of Counselors to the Division of Cancer Prevention from 1990 to 1994. He was on the Board of Scientific Advisors from 1999 to 2006 and on the Clinical Translational Advisory Committee from 2006 to 2009.
Alberts authored or co-authored more than 540 peer reviewed publications, 100 book chapters and 60 invited articles, and editor and co-editor of nine books.
He served on the editorial boards of peer-reviewed scientific journals including serving as associate editor for Cancer Research from 1989-2002 and co-editor-in-chief of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention from 2002 and 2008.
In June 2001, was named by the journal, Science, to be one of the top three National Institutes of Health-funded clinical researchers in the United States.
Hsiao-Hui (Sherry) Chow, co-director of cancer center shared resources, analytical chemistry, said that Alberts’s legacy as a compassionate mentor and a steadfast advocate for excellence will endure in the lives of those he touched.
Dave was a true visionary in his recognition of the many cancer deaths that could be prevented were we to fully implement the prevention strategies that we already know about.
Peter Lance
“Dr. Alberts was a beacon of inspiration and unwavering support to all who had the privilege of crossing paths with him,” Chow said. “His unwavering commitment to excellence, coupled with a genuine sense of compassion, shone brightly in every endeavor he undertook.”
Chow said Alberts’s dedication to his work was matched only by the depth of care he showed for his colleagues and friends.
“Whether it was a word of encouragement during challenging times or a helping hand to navigate professional complexities, he was always there, a reliable source of support and wisdom,” Chow said. “We will carry forward the profound impact of his guidance, ever grateful for the lessons learned from a true exemplar of humanity.”
In 2003, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) awarded him the Dr. Joseph H. Burchenal Clinical Research Award, and a year later, the American Society for Preventive Oncology honored him with its Distinguished Career Award for research excellence for his contributions to cancer clinical care and the AACR awarded Alberts with its Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research Worldwide. In 2014, he was honored by the American Association for Cancer Research with its Pioneer in Cancer Prevention Awards.
Cynthia Thomson, interim associate director for Population Science and Cancer Center shared resources, said that Alberts’s generous and selfless investment of time into his colleagues has left a lasting memory for her and for many people who knew him.
“In life, we are sometimes blessed to meet people who alter our life’s course for the better. Dave Alberts was the person for me. I can never repay his kindness, his willingness to impart knowledge, and to share his astute vision,” said Thomson. “He was ahead of his time in seeing the importance of engaging women in cancer prevention science. He worked hard to ensure our voices were heard and our lives were inspired to prevent cancer and ‘save people from the labor of being sick.’”
Alberts’s memorial service was August 6, at 10 a.m. at the Westward Look Resort. The family asks that in lieu of flowers you please make donations to support the Dr. David Alberts Endowed Fellowship for Cancer Prevention, payable to the University of Arizona Foundation/University of Arizona Cancer Center and mail to 1515 N. Campbell Ave., P.O. Box 245024 Tucson, AZ, 85724-5018.
Republished with permission from the University of Arizona Cancer Center
Lisa M. Dahm, Digital content specialist, University of Arizona Cancer Center
Mark Anthony Febbo, Communications and public relations manager, University of Arizona Cancer Center
In a prospective cohort study of more than 85,000 adults in the UK, researchers at the NIH and University of Oxford found that individuals who engaged in light- and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity daily physical activity had a lower risk of cancer than individuals who were more sedentary.
Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have discovered a way to delay or even block recurrence of the deadliest brain cancer after radiation.
Researchers at City of Hope have found that cell mutations are necessary but not always sufficient for tumors to form. Instead, they suggest that additional risk factors that promote tumor growth, like chronic inflammation, are a key trigger for tumor formation.
Over the last 45 years, prevention and screening interventions have made a greater contribution to averting cancer deaths than have improvements in treatment, according to a modeling study led by researchers at NCI.
In December, Congress failed to advance a bipartisan year-end health care package that would have made a big difference in the fight against cancer, according to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.