In July 2023, we changed our name from AACC (short for the American Association for Clinical Chemistry) to the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM). The following page was written prior to this rebranding and contains mentions of the association’s old name. It may contain other out-of-date information as well.
Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
Charles D. Hawker, PhD, MBA
Dr. Hawker is scientific director for automation and special projects at ARUP Laboratories in Salt Lake City, where he has been for 22 years. He is also adjunct professor of pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Before joining ARUP, Dr. Hawker held various positions in research and development as well as management at the Laboratory Procedures Division of Upjohn and SmithKline Beecham Clinical Labs. The systems he implemented made ARUP Laboratories the most automated clinical laboratory in North America and a leader in productivity and quality. Dr. Hawker developed one of the first radioimmunoassays for parathyroid hormone in 1971. He published the first report of the existence of a precursor form of calcitonin (later known as procalcitonin) and the first report of elevated levels of procalcitonin in septic shock. He has served the profession in many capacities, including as president of the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry, Association of Clinical Scientists, and Clinical Ligand Assay Society. His AACC activities include serving as secretary of the Management Sciences and Patient Safety Division and on the nominating committee. He has chaired three document development committees for the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, as well as serving on its strategic planning committee and consensus committee for automation and informatics. He chaired a special interest group for Health Level Seven International. He has co-authored chapters on clinical laboratory automation for the Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics and the Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry. A frequent lecturer on laboratory automation to national and international audiences, he holds three patents and has published 43 peer-reviewed papers, 14 book chapters or invited reviews, two invited editorials, and 47 abstracts.