Newswise — ROCKVILLE, Md. – September 28, 2023– The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP), the premier global, molecular diagnostics professional society, today announced the recipients of this year’s Award for Excellence in Molecular Diagnostics, Jeffrey A. Kant Leadership Award and Meritorious Service Award. These prestigious accolades will be presented this November during AMP’s 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Award for Excellence in Molecular Diagnostics Huda Yahya Zoghbi, MD Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine & Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Dr. Zoghbi is receiving AMP’s highest honor for her pioneering work in molecular genetics. By pinpointing the underlying genetic causes of Rett syndrome and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, she has advanced the scientific community’s conceptual understanding of how molecular testing can be used to diagnose inherited and non-inherited neurological disorders Dr. Zoghbi is a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular and Human Genetics, Neurology and Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine. She is also an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital.
Dr. Zoghbi is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Inventors. In addition, she is a member of Lebanon’s National Order of the Cedar. Her numerous other honors include the Elaine Redding Brinster Prize (2022), the Kavli Prize (2022), The Lundbeck Foundation Brain Prize (2021), and the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2017).
Dr. Zoghbi will accept the Award for Excellence on November 16 during the AMP 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo, where she will deliver a special lecture, “Breaking Down Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Diseases.”
Jeffrey A. Kant Leadership Award Victoria M. Pratt, PhD, FACMG Agena Bioscience
AMP is recognizing Dr. Pratt for her exceptional leadership in AMP as well as her outstanding contributions professionally and academically to molecular pathology. In addition to serving as the 2019 AMP President, Dr. Pratt served as the 2006 Genetics Subdivision Chair, 2007-8 Clinical Practice Committee Chair, 2016 Program Committee Chair, 2018 Strategic Opportunities Chair, 2018 Awards Committee Chair, and 2020 Nominating Committee Chair. She has served for many years on the Professional Relations and Economic Affairs committees and has made significant positive impact on policies that affect professional practice and patient access to molecular testing. She is the current chair of AMP’s Pharmacogenomics Working Group.
AMP Meritorious Service Award Jordan Laser, MD Bio-Techne
Dr. Laser is being honored for his dedication and effort behind the scenes to position AMP as the premier molecular diagnostics professional association around the world. Dr. Laser has served on AMP’s Professional Relations Committee for over six years, including as Chair between 2018-2022. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Laser advocated tirelessly for appropriate regulation and reimbursement of molecular testing as part of AMP’s COVID Response Steering Committee (ACR).
“Drs. Zoghbi, Pratt and Laser have made enormous contributions to the field of molecular diagnostics and to AMP,” said Laura Tafe, MD, AMP President. “On behalf of the more than 2,900 AMP members, I wish to congratulate them on receiving their well-earned accolades, and to sincerely thank them for their unwavering commitment to our patients and profession.”
ABOUT AMP
The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) was founded in 1995 to provide structure and leadership to the emerging field of molecular diagnostics. AMP’s 2,900+ members practice various disciplines of molecular diagnostics, including bioinformatics, infectious diseases, inherited conditions, and oncology. Our members are pathologists, clinical laboratory directors, basic and translational scientists, technologists, and trainees that practice in a variety of settings, including academic and community medical centers, government, and industry. Through the efforts of its Board of Directors, Committees, Working Groups, and Members, AMP is the primary resource for expertise, education, and collaboration in one of the fastest-growing fields in healthcare. AMP members influence policy and regulation on the national and international levels, ultimately serving to advance innovation in the field and protect patient access to high-quality, appropriate testing. For more information, visit
www.amp.org and follow AMP on X: @AMPath.
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