Emil J. Freireich, M.D., D.Sc.
Director of the Adult Leukemia Research Program University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center

Dr. Freireich has served as a pillar in the development of a therapy for cancers, mainly leukemia. He began his career ad the National Cancer Institute in 1955 before moving to his present position as the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 1965. He was one of the pioneers in the development of the platelet replacement transition for the management of thrombocytopenia. He devised the first continuous flow blood cell separator for the collection of leukocytes for the replacement transfusion and for the collection of peripheral blood stem cells used to transplant bone marrow. 

His work using concepts of combined chemotherapy for cancer resulted in the first curative therapy for a systemic cancer in man. These methods were first applied to the management of Lukemia in children and progressed from there. He also used the application of cytogenetic and molecular genetics to help in the evaluation of the effectiveness of therapy as well as detection of residual disease.

Dr. Freireich’s work pioneering cancer treatments has led him to be recognized by many. He has received prestigious awards for his work, including awards such as: the Albert Laker Medical Research award, the 5th Charels F. Kettering prize of the general moters cancer research foundation, the Robert roesler de Villiers award of the leukemia society of America, Inc. He was chosen for the university of Illinois Alumni Achievement award. Dr. Freireich shared the first the National Institutes of health distinguished Alum Award in 1990 with Dr. Emil Frei, III.