AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN GYNECOLOGIC SURGERY
Recognizes gynecologic oncologists who have had a sustained career in academic surgery and have made seminal contributions in clinical surgery or surgical education that established new benchmarks or paradigms.
 

Gregg Nelson, MD, PhD
Canada  

Dr. Gregg Nelson is Professor and Chair of Gynecologic Oncology at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of Calgary, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. His principal research interest is the development and study of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) protocols in OB-Gyn and cancer surgery. 

The ERAS® protocols represent a significant advancement in surgical care, aiming to improve outcomes and efficiency across diverse healthcare environments worldwide. ERAS® is associated with improvements in clinical outcomes (reduction in length of hospital stay, complications, readmissions), cost savings for the healthcare system, and patient satisfaction. Dr. Nelson was instrumental in bringing ERAS® to the gynecologic oncology discipline, as lead author of the ERAS® Society Guidelines for Gynecologic/Oncology published originally in 2016, followed by updates in 2019 and 2023. 

Dr. Nelson has been involved in numerous other ERAS® Society Guidelines including senior author for the cytoreduction/HIPEC guidelines and vulvar/vaginal surgery guidelines. He holds the positions of Physician Lead for ERASAlberta and Co-Chair of Enhanced Recovery Canada, along with previous roles as Secretary and Treasurer for the ERAS® Society.

Dr. Nelson’s important role in the introduction and implementation of ERAS® protocols into gynecology (benign and malignant) and obstetrics (caesarean delivery) have earned him the IGCS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Gynecologic Oncology Surgery. His commitment to excellence, patient safety, quality care, and improved outcomes helped to forge a new path on which future generations of gynecologic surgeons will continue to build upon for the advancement of women’s health.

GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Recognizes outstanding individuals, organizations or programs who work to improve access to quality gynecologic oncology services in low to middle income countries or in areas of need within more developed nations.  

Mila Salcedo, MD, PhD
United States/Brazil  

Ida Ismail-Pratt, MBchB, MRCOG
Singapore  

Together, Dr. Mila P. Salcedo and Dr. Ida Ismail-Pratt led the development of the IGCS Preinvasive Disease Training Program, serving also as Co-Chairs of this international mentorship and training initiative. The program was born following recognition of the lack of systematic training and support in preinvasive cervical disease for local low- and middle-income country champions, who were also fellows and local supervisors in the IGCS Global Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program. The IGCS Preinvasive Disease Training Program supports local clinicians and establishes mentors with the aim to build local capacity in managing preinvasive cervical disease effectively, thereby advancing on the path towards cervical cancer elimination.  

Dr. Mila Pontremoli Salcedo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology & Reproductive Medicine and Director of Cervical Cancer Prevention in Global Oncology, Cancer Network at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States. She directs training & education in cervical cancer prevention for programs in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Texas, and other low-resource settings, where she has also led Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) sessions. She is a gynecologist with several years of experience conducting research on cervical cancer prevention. Dr. Salcedo has served, in Brazil, as an Associate Professor and Director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), where she was the Chair of Gynecology at Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital of Porto Alegre. She currently also dedicates her time as an international mentor for the IGCS Global Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program site in Mozambique. 

Dr. Ida Ismail-Pratt is The President of the Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Singapore (SCCPS). She is also an OBGYN specialist and medical director for The Obstetrics & Gynaecology Centre, Singapore. She leads for the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) ECHO committee that gives a support platform for doctors especially in the LMIC on management of HPV related cases. She is also one of the founding members of the Asia Pacific HPV Coalition, a selected group of HPV related disease experts tackling HPV related issues in the Asia Pacific through research and advocacy initiatives. Dr. Ismail-Pratt has helped establish and support preinvasive training program and colposcopy workshops in various Asia Pacific Countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia. 

The IGCS Global Humanitarian Award honors Drs. Salcedo and Ismail-Pratt for utilizing their clinical expertise and commitment to mentorship and training to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in areas of the world that need it most. With over 550 participants enrolled or having completed the training program from 99 countries, the reach of the program continues to expand. With more trained experts in the world, everyone can have access to the necessary prevention, screening, and treatment that saves lives. 

EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD
Recognizes individuals deeply committed to the profession whose work and accomplishments set a standard of excellence. This award recognizes the importance of teaching as an integral part of women’s cancer care and the lasting impact of educators to shape and inspire future generations of clinicians and researchers.  

Linus Chuang, MD
United States  

Dr. Linus Chuang is passionately involved in global health education, having contributed his expertise to countries such as Honduras, Ecuador, China, Liberia, and Ghana.  

He played a key role in developing the IGCS Global Curriculum, which began in 2017 and has since evolved into the IGCS Global Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program. Dr. Chuang dedicated significant time and energy to developing the program and mentoring fellows and local mentors. He is an international mentor for the IGCS training site in Nepal and is the Chair-elect of the IGCS Global Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Committee.  

Dr. Chuang began his medical journey at Kaohsiung Medical College in Taiwan and advanced his education through the MD Anderson Cancer Center’s gynecologic oncology fellowship. He has been Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Medical College Westchester Medical Center and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, where he directed the Division of Gynecologic Oncology and the Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship program. Currently, he holds the positions of Clinical Professor and System Chair of Women’s Health and the Fred and Irmi Bering Endowed Chair in Minimally Invasive Surgery at Nuvance Health and the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. 

Dr. Chuang also contributes to academic literature. He is an associate editor and on the editorial boards of journals such as Gynecologic Oncology Reports and the Journal of Global Oncology. 

Exceptional mentors and educators like Dr. Chuang are crucial to physicians’ and researchers’ professional development and success in gynecologic cancer care. By honoring him with the IGCS Excellence in Teaching Award, we celebrate his commitment to passing wisdom from one generation to the next. His influence in shaping the future leaders of gynecologic cancer care will advance women’s health for years to come.