SAN DIEGO – The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology will be presented to Kenneth M. Murphy, MD, PhD, during the AACR Annual Meeting 2026, to be held April 17-22 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California.
Murphy is the Eugene Opie First Centennial Professor in pathology and immunology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He is being recognized for his pioneering discoveries that have defined the development and functional specialization of dendritic cell subsets that regulate adaptive immune responses. Murphy’s research elucidated the transcriptional programs that control dendritic cell lineage commitment, including the role of transcription factors such as BATF3 in the development of cross-presenting dendritic cells required to prime cytotoxic T-cell responses. His work has advanced the fundamental understanding of antigen presentation and immune system regulation and has informed strategies to enhance antitumor immunity and cancer immunotherapy.
The AACR-CRI Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology recognizes active scientists whose outstanding and innovative research has had a major impact on the cancer field. Since 2013, this prestigious award has served to celebrate the world’s leading cancer immunologists and inspire others to investigate the role of the immune system in cancer onset and progression.
Murphy is a well-known expert in immunology whose research on the fundamental mechanisms of immune responses has had a direct impact on the understanding of cancer immunology, with implications for the development of immunotherapy approaches for treating cancer. Murphy’s important work has informed the scientific understanding of how immune cells develop various effector functions depending on their environments. Early in his career, he developed the DO11.10 TCR transgenic mouse model that helped characterize the key steps required for peripheral T-cell differentiation. He was also the first to show that the cytokine IL-12 drives the development of T helper type 1 cells by activating the transcription factor STAT4. He would later extend this research to demonstrate how genetic background influences this process. Through the years, his work has transitioned from revolving around T-cell biology to dendritic cell biology. Murphy has since defined the framework for identifying dendritic cell genetic subtypes and elucidated how each subtype detects signals and shapes T-cell responses. This discovery has subsequently helped guide new cancer immunotherapy approaches, such as the use of dendritic cell-based vaccines.
“Dr. Murphy is an extraordinary and innovative immunologist,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. “His discoveries have laid crucial groundwork for new advances in the treatment of cancer, thereby extending and saving countless lives. The AACR and CRI are thrilled to present him with this well-deserved award for enabling significant progress in the field of cancer immunology.”
“The Lloyd J. Old Award honors scientists whose work doesn’t just advance a field—it reshapes how we understand biology at its core,” said Alicia Zhou, PhD, Chief Executive Officer at CRI. “Dr. Murphy’s discoveries have defined the rules by which dendritic cells orchestrate immune responses, providing a foundation that continues to inform how we design the next generation of cancer immunotherapies.”
Murphy was elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2016. Among Murphy’s other honors and awards are the Irish Society for Immunology Medal (2018), the American Association of Immunologists-Thermo Fisher Meritorious Career Award (2016), the Washington University School of Medicine Distinguished Investigator Award (2012), and the CRI William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic Immunology (2010).
He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Rice University and his medical and doctoral degrees from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, after which he completed his residency in anatomic pathology and postdoctoral training at WashU Medicine.
Murphy’s award lecture will be held on Tuesday, April 21, at 3 p.m. PT.
For media inquiries, please contact Kathleen Medora at [email protected] or 215-290-5408 or Dustin Etheridge at [email protected]. For a photo of Murphy, click here.
