AG Oettlé Memorial Award 2025 to Prof Sharon Prince
Prof Sharon Prince
Professor Sharon Prince has been selected to receive the coveted AG Oettlé Memorial medal from CANSA in recognition of her outstanding contributions to cancer research.
CANSA honours Professor Sharon Prince, Professor of Cell Biology and Deputy Dean of Research in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town, in recognition of her remarkable contribution to cancer research, mentorship, and leadership in advancing cancer control in South Africa and globally.
Over the past two decades, Professor Prince has become one of South Africa’s most accomplished and internationally recognised cancer scientists. Her pioneering research on the transcription factors TBX2 and TBX3 has transformed understanding of their role in aggressive cancers such as breast, cervical, melanoma, sarcoma, and pancreatic cancers – diseases that carry a high burden in South Africa. Her work focuses on developing affordable, locally relevant cancer therapies, including repurposing accessible drugs and developing new agents from marine-derived and Platinum Group Metal compounds. This approach unites scientific innovation with South Africa’s national strengths and public health needs.
Professor Prince has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, holds 10 international patents, and her work has been cited more than 5 900 times, reflecting its global impact. She has secured over ZAR 35 million in competitive research grants, including major awards from the Wellcome Trust, National Research Foundation, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), CANSA, and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), while building strong South-South collaborations with Brazil, China, India, and France. Her scientific leadership and advocacy for African research visibility have recently been recognised through her appointment as Co-Chair of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) | Federation of African Societies of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (FASBMB)| the South African Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SASBMB) Congress 2027, the first time this major global meeting will be hosted on the African continent.
As a mentor and leader, Professor Prince has supervised over 130 postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, the majority of whom are women and scholars from historically marginalised groups. M any now hold academic and leadership positions nationally and internationally, a testament to her commitment to transformation and excellence.
Her contributions extend beyond academia. She actively leads cancer awareness and prevention initiatives, works with community and patient advocacy groups, and promotes evidence-based health communication to counter misinformation and strengthen early detection efforts. As Deputy Dean of Research, she has driven reforms in research governance, inclusivity, and the establishment of a national Centre for Cancer Research at the University of Cape Town.
In recognition of her scientific excellence, visionary leadership, transformative mentorship, and unwavering commitment to advancing equitable cancer research and care, CANSA proudly presents the 2025 A.G. Oettlé Memorial Award to Professor Sharon Prince.
