University of Surrey scientist awarded prestigious prize

Dr Asim is one of only four cancer specialists in Europe and one of 29 worldwide to receive this prestigious award. The prize is presented annually to early career scientists with ground breaking ideas in tackling prostate cancer.

Nearly 14 million men worldwide are battling prostate cancer and over 40,000 men are newly diagnosed every year in the UK. Men over 50 have a 1 in 8 chance of developing prostate cancer and black men are at a higher risk of developing the disease.

As a recipient of this award, Dr Asim will receive $225,000 grant over three years to develop a novel drug to treat aggressive prostate cancer, which has no long-term cure and is fatal in the majority of cases.

Dr Asim is a renowned expert in prostate cancer and has held a number of high-profile academic positions including as a senior scientist at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute at the University of Cambridge, and he has also previously worked at the Cancer Cell Biology Center at the University of Wisconsin in the US.

Dr Asim said: “I am delighted to have received this award. Prostate cancer is a devastating illness, with many complications that are difficult to treat. This award will facilitate further investigation into aggressive prostate cancer, an area currently lacking in research, potentially helping to save men’s lives.”  

Jonathan Simons, President and CEO of Prostate Cancer Foundation, said:  “We are honoured to invest in new cutting-edge ideas for prostate cancer research.  This year’s recipients show great potential for unlocking new discoveries and achieving unprecedented strides toward research leading the way to help countless men affected by the disease.”