This award (formerly known as Outstanding Contributions to Clinical Chemistry from 1952-2007) is considered the premier award of the Association and is granted as a "lifetime achievement" award for contributions to the field of clinical chemistry. Individuals selected for this award have made significant contributions in all aspects of clinical chemistry, particularly service, education and research; have achieved international stature and reputation by virtue of their efforts; and have demonstrated long standing service to the AACC, either at the grass roots, national and/or international levels.
Congratulations to the 2023 Winner
Robert H. Christenson, PhD, DABCC, FAACC, FACC
Dr. Christenson is professor of pathology and professor of medical and research technology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. He is principal investigator for the Clinical Core Research Laboratory, which is CLIA licensed and CAP accredited, that specializes in government- and industry-sponsored clinical trials and has an active research program in biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and renal dysfunction. Clinically, he is medical director of the clinical chemistry, toxicology, and core laboratories as well as medical director of point-of-care services at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Dr. Christenson has been active in his ‘home’ professional association-the American Association for Clinical Chemistry-for over 30 years, and was elected as Secretary and as a Board of Directors member. Dr. Christenson was elected president of the AACC in 2013, the inaugural year of a new strategic plan that renewed the organization's focus on its fundamental pillars. He has chaired a number of AACC committees over the years.
Internationally, Dr. Christenson has served the IFCC where he has been a frequent lecturer at WorldLab symposium. Dr. Christenson has held membership in and chaired the IFCC’s Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine Committee. He has also been an active member of the Value Proposition in Laboratory Medicine Committee for two terms and he is currently chair of the Workgroup for Cardiac Troponin Standardization. Dr. Christenson’s international service contributions were recognized in 2023 when he was presented with IFCC’s 2023 Henry-Wishinsky Award for Distinguished International Service.
Dr. Christenson is also active in clinical organizaitons. He was elected Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and has held a professional leadership position as a member of the
ACC’s Accreditation Management Board. Dr. Christenson is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine and is a contributor to Medscape.
Previous Winners
2022 - Michael J. Bennett, PhD, FRCPath, DABCC, FACB
2021 - Marilyn Huestis, PhD
2020 - Nader Rifai, PhD
2019 - Mitchell Scott, PhD
2018 - D. Robert Dufour, MD
2017 - Susan Evans, PhD
2016 - Edward R. Ashwood, MD
2015 - Gary L. Myers, PhD
2014 - Charles D. Hawker, PhD
2013 - Leslie M. Shaw, PhD
2012 - Thomas P. Moyer, PhD
2011 - Stephen E. Kahn, PhD
2010 - Jay M. McDonald, MD
2009 - Christopher P. Price, PhD
2008 - Mary F. Burritt, PhD
2007 - Greg Miller, PhD
2006 - Helen M. Free, DSc
2005 - Edward W. Bermes, PhD
2004 - Matthew McQueen, PhD
2003 - Morton K. Schwartz, PhD
2002 - Theodore Peters, PhD
2001 - Peter Wilding, PhD
2000 - Nathan Gochman, PhD
1999 - Lemuel J. Bowie, Phd
1998 - David E. Bruns, MD
1997 - Gerard M. Siest, PhD
1996 - Kurt M. Dubowski, PhD
1995 - Basil T. Doumas, PhD
1994 - Jack H. Ladenson, PhD
1993 - Jocelyn M. Hicks, PhD
1992 - Gerald R. Cooper, PhD
1991 - Carl A. Burtis, PhD
1990 - Samuel Meites, PhD
1989 - Norbet W. Tietz, PhD
1988 - George N. Bowers, MD
1987 - Martin Fleisher, PhD
1986 - Laurence M. Demers, PhD
1984 - William C. Purdy, PhD
1983 - John Savory, PhD
1982 - James O. Westgard, PhD
1981 - Robert F. Labbe, PhD
1980 - David Glick, PhD
1979 - Abraham Saifer, PhD
1978 - F. William Sunderman, MD
1977 - Donald S. Young, PhD
1976 - Norman G. Anderson, PhD
1975 - Bernard Klein, PhD
1974 - Bennie Zak, PhD
1973 - Irving Sunshine, PhD
1972 - Ralph E. Thiers, PhD
1971 - David Seligson, MD, ScD
1970 - Wendell T. Caraway, PhD
1969 - Sidney Udenfriend, PhD
1968 - Julius Sendroy, PhD
1967 - Richard J. Henry, PhD
1966 - Leonard T. Skeggs, PhD
1965 - Samuel Natelson, PhD
1964 - Donald D. Van Slyke, PhD
1963 - C.P. Stewart
1962 - Harry Sobotka, PhD
1961 - Warren Sperry
1960 - Albert E. Sobel, PhD
1959 - Oliver Gaebler
1958 - Marschelle Power, PhD
1957 - Joseph Gast, PhD
1956 - Joesph Roe, PhD
1955 - M.X. Sullivan, PhD
1954 - John G. Reinhold, PhD
1953 - Michael Somogyi, PhD
1952 - Jos Kahn, PhD