Professor Gerry O’Sullivan, Immediate Past President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Director of the Cork Cancer Research Centre, was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) at the ACS conference in San Francisco, in October 2008.

Professor O’Sullivan joins a highly distinguished group of 413 surgeons who have been awarded Fellowship by the ACS over the last 95 years. He was one of five surgeons awarded Honorary Fellowship at the event. The other surgeons came from Brazil, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Australia.

Professor O’Sullivan said that he was delighted and very proud to be awarded the Honorary Fellowship. “The American College of Surgeons is one of the most prestigious medical organisations in the world and it is a great honour to receive this award. The honour that I’ve received is also recognition of the work of the organisations I have been a member of and is a testament to the strength of medical research in Ireland.”

Dr. Tom DeMeester, who read the citation for Professor O’Sullivan, and holds the Jeffrey P. Smith Chair in Surgery from the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, said that Professor O’Sullivan was a very worthy recipient. “Professor Gerry O’Sullivan is known and loved by many surgeons and physicians. His investigative studies, creative thinking, and provocative lectures have had a profound impact on Irish, European, and American surgery. He has achieved his objectives with indefatigable energy, innovative thinking, and collaboration with colleagues. He is a most worthy recipient of Honorary Fellowship from the American College of Surgeons.”

Dr. Declan Soden, General Manager of the Cork Cancer Research Centre believes that the award is well deserved. “Professor O’Sullivan has been instrumental in making the Cork Cancer Research Centre one of the leading cancer research centres in Europe. We are involved in cutting edge research on gene therapy, DNA vaccinations and combating ‘micro-tumours’. We are able to do this type of research because of the vision and dedication of Professor O’Sullivan, who has always given freely of his time, energy and expertise.”