University of South Florida alumna Joanna Fowler, whose pioneering work in molecular imaging was recognized with a National Medal of Science, and Moffitt Cancer Center CEO and President Alan List are among eight diverse and transformative inventors announced as the 2019 inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame.
Fowler earned a bachelor of arts in chemistry from USF in 1964 and went on to an accomplished career in developing molecular imaging that modernized the identification and treatment of illnesses ranging from drug addiction to cancer. Fowler is a Scientist Emeritus for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York and holds eight U.S. patents.
List, who holds faculty positions in the USF College of Arts & Sciences cancer biology program and in the Morsani College of Medicine’s internal medicine and oncology program, was selected for his accomplishments in developing novel therapeutic strategies for treating hematologic malignancies. List holds six U.S. patents.
“We are delighted to announce this outstanding class of inventors whose work has had enormous impact on the state of Florida and our nation,” said Paul R. Sanberg, chair of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame advisory board and USF’s senior vice president for research, innovation and knowledge enterprise. “Collectively, the 2019 inductees hold more than 340 U.S. patents.”
Fowler was awarded a National Medal of Science – the nation’s highest award for lifetime achievement in science – presented by President Obama in 2009 in recognition of her accomplishments in developing radiotracers to measure changes to the brain circuits that occur in drug addiction and brain diseases.
Through her research on the brain circuits that are disrupted through drug use and addiction, Fowler developed a new understanding of how drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine move through the circuits of the human brain and are crucial in both understanding addiction and developing potential new treatments to combat it. More information on Fowler can be found here.
List joined Moffitt Cancer Center in 2003, serving as executive vice president and physician-in-chief, the vice deputy physician-in-chief, and the chief of the Malignant Hematology Division. In 2012, List was named CEO and president, and during his tenure the reputation and size of Moffitt has grown to become recognized globally for its approach to healthcare delivery, development of personalized medicine, and contributions to cancer research.
List was lauded in his selection for the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame for advancing precision medicine and for discovering the mechanisms of disease progression. List is internationally recognized for achievements in the development of new and more effective treatment strategies for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). More information on List can be found here.
All of the 2019 inductees will be honored at the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame 6th Annual Induction Ceremony & Gala on Sep. 20, 2019, at the Hilton Tampa Downtown.
Nominees, who must have at least one U.S. patent and a connection to Florida, were nominated through an open process and elected by a selection committee comprising distinguished leaders in research and innovation throughout Florida.
The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame was recognized by the Florida Senate in 2014 with a resolution sponsored by Senator Jeff Brandes that commended the Hall of Fame, “for its commitment to honoring inventors and celebrating innovation, discovery, and excellence.” The Hall of Fame is located at the University of South Florida in Tampa and supported, in part, by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.
More information is at www.FloridaInvents.org or contact info@FloridaInvents.org.