Awards – 22q11.2 Society

The Angelo DiGeorge Medal

The Angelo DiGeorge medal recognizes an outstanding contribution to our understanding and/or treatment of the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, and was inaugurated in 2010 to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Angelo DiGeorge.

Prospective recipients may be:  

(1) Basic scientists working on the molecular, cellular, or developmental basis of the condition,

(2) Clinical scientists working on diagnosis and treatment of any aspect of the syndrome,  

(3) Allied health professionals, educators or welfare workers who make major contributions to the wellbeing of patients and families affected,

(4) Exceptionally, organizations who fund or facilitate the above activities.

It is with enormous pleasure that the Trustees of the 22q11.2 Society bestowed the 2022 Angelo DiGeorge Memorial Medal of Honor to Professors Bruno Marino and Nicole Sarles-Philip as joint recipients due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drs. Marino and Sarles-Philip were selected in recognition of:

Their seminal contributions to the study of genotype-phenotype correlations in 22q11.2DS;
Their pivotal roles in establishing world renowned subspecialty clinics at Sapienza University and Ospedale Bambino Gesu in Rome, and the Centre of Expertise for Developmental Anomalies of South France in Marseilles, respectively;
Their unwavering commitment and service to individuals and families affected by chromosome 22q11.2 differences through their work with AIDEL22 in Italy and Generation 22 in France, as well as throughout the region and across the world, including as Medical Advisory Board Members for the International 22q11.2 Foundation and as founding Trustees of the 22q11.2 Society.
Their longstanding efforts to support collaborative work globally through innumerable basic science, clinical and educational initiatives as members of the International 22q11.2 Modifier Consortium and the International 22q11.2 Brain and Behavior Consortium, and in hosting biennial international 22q11.2 conferences in Rome ’00 and Marseilles ’06.

Without question, Profs. Marino and Sarles-Philip are recognized as experts on chromosome 22q11.2 CNVs nationally and internationally, but in addition they are acknowledged as world authorities in Pediatrics, Cardiology, Genetics, and Fetal Medicine. It is with inordinate pride that we consider Profs. Marino and Sarles-Philip as members of the 22q11.2 family, as we celebrate their individual and collective achievements conjointly with this award, the highest honor presented by the Society.

Profs Marino and Sarles-Philip were recognized in person as recipients of the DiGeorge Medal at the 12th Biennial International 22q11.2 Meeting in Split, Croatia, on June 29th, 2022

Previous The Angelo DiGeorge Medal Recipients

2018 – Bernice Morrow
2016 – Ann Swillen
2014 – Anne Bassett

2014 – Anne Bassett
2012 – Donna McDonald-McGinn
2010 – Peter Scambler

Junior Investigator Award

The Junior Investigator Award is presented for the outstanding abstract presentation by a junior faculty member or trainee at the International 22q11.2 Biennial Conference.

Eligibility
Junior investigators are eligible for awards based on top oral presentations.
Junior Investigators are involved in Pre-doctoral Research OR Have no more than 5 years post graduate training (post-doctoral)

Junior Investigators are divided by the following categories:
- Pre-doctoral Clinical
- Pre-doctoral Basic Science
- Post-doctoral Clinical
- Post-doctoral Basic Science
Top junior investigator presentations will receive a certificate and $500 travel stipend with complimentary registration for the subsequent conference. Top poster presentations will also receive recognition.
2022 Recipients
Congratulations to Daniel McGinn, Steven de Reuver, and Daniella Miller, who received the 2022 Junior Investigator Award at the International 22q11.2DS Biennial Conference in Split, Croatia in June 2022.
Previous Recipients Abstracts
2018 – Lisanne Vervoort from KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium: “Optical Mapping of 22q11.2 Low Copy Repeats Reveals Structural Hypervariability” and Tracy Heung from the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada: “Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Adults with 22q11.2DS”

2016 – Ania Fiksinski from University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands: “Autism Spectrum and Psychosis Risk in the 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Findings From a Prospective Longitudinal Study” and Wolfram Demaerel from KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium: “An inversion polymorphism on chromosome 22q11.2 predisposes for 22q11 deletions”

2014 – Pamela Mudd from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA: “22q11.2 deletion syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea”

Junior investigators are eligible for awards based on top oral presentations.

Junior Investigators are involved in Pre-doctoral Research OR Have no more than 5 years post graduate training (post-doctoral)

Junior Investigators are divided by the following categories:

Pre-doctoral Clinical
Pre-doctoral Basic Science
Post-doctoral Clinical
Post-doctoral Basic Science

Top junior investigator presentations will receive a certificate and $500 travel stipend with complimentary registration for the subsequent conference. Top poster presentations will also receive recognition.

Congratulations to Daniel McGinn, Steven de Reuver, and Daniella Miller, who received the 2022 Junior Investigator Award at the International 22q11.2DS Biennial Conference in Split, Croatia in June 2022.

2018 – Lisanne Vervoort from KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium: “Optical Mapping of 22q11.2 Low Copy Repeats Reveals Structural Hypervariability” and Tracy Heung from the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada: “Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Adults with 22q11.2DS”

2016 – Ania Fiksinski from University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands: “Autism Spectrum and Psychosis Risk in the 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Findings From a Prospective Longitudinal Study” and Wolfram Demaerel from KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium: “An inversion polymorphism on chromosome 22q11.2 predisposes for 22q11 deletions”

2014 – Pamela Mudd from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA: “22q11.2 deletion syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea”

Previous Junior Investigator Award Recipients

2018 – Lisanne Vervoort
2016 – Ania Fiksinski

2014 – Pamela Mudd
2012 – Laurie Earls

The Unsung Hero Award

The Unsung Hero Award is presented to honor and individual having demonstrated outstanding contributions to the 22q11.2 community. In 2022, the 22q11.2 Society renamed the Unsung Hero Award in honor of Founding Member, Clodagh (Dot) Murphy, MD, PhD, who sadly passed during in 2020.

Eligibility
Qualities of Unsung Hero Award recipients include:
- Commitment (number of years of service)
- Hard Work (hours of service)
- Devotion (selfless hours of service)
- Collaboration and Inclusivity (with sister organizations and the research and healthcare community at large)
- Along with making a national and international impact on individuals with 22q11.2DS and/or their families and caregivers
2022 Recipients
The 22q11.2 Society was pleased to present the Unsung Hero Award to Candice Hamilton-Utgyensu and Ann Lawlor in June, 2022 at the Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference in Split, Croatia.

Qualities of Unsung Hero Award recipients include:

Commitment (number of years of service)
Hard Work (hours of service)
Devotion (selfless hours of service)
Collaboration and Inclusivity (with sister organizations and the research and healthcare community at large)
Along with making a national and international impact on individuals with 22q11.2DS and/or their families and caregivers

The 22q11.2 Society was pleased to present the Unsung Hero Award to Candice Hamilton-Utgyensu and Ann Lawlor in June, 2022 at the Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference in Split, Croatia.

Previous The Unsung Hero Award Recipients

2018 – The Dempster Family
Foundation Canada

2016 – Maria Kamper, President of 22q Foundation Australia and New Zealand

2014 – Sheila Kambin, President of the International 22q11.2 Foundation, Inc.

2012 – Julie Wootton, Chair of Trustees of Max Appeal! of the United Kingdom

The Peter Scambler Invited Lecture

The Peter Scambler Invited Lecture, inaugurated in 2022, is a featured lecture at the Biennial International 22q11.2 Scientific Conference in honor of Founding Trustee and inaugural Chair (2013-2019), Dr. Peter Scambler. The lecture, awarded by Dr. Peter Scambler and the Trustees of the 22q11.2 Society, kicks off the scientific program at the conference.

Previous Lecturers
2018 – Professor Robert G. Kelly from the Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille, Aix-Marseille University

2018 – Professor Robert G. Kelly from the Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille, Aix-Marseille University

Special Service Award

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the International 22q11.2 Society, a special award was inaugurated to recognize the long-term dedication of a group. The Special Service Award is presented to a center that demonstrates outstanding, longstanding, exemplary and unwavering commitment, and contributions to the chromosome 22q11.2 community.

2022 Recipients
The 22q11.2 Society was pleased to present the inaugural Special Service Award to Profs. Beverly Emanuel and Donna McDonald-McGinn, along with collaborators at the 22q and You Center at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania on July 12th, 2018, at the 11th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference in Whistler, BC.  
Along with Prof. Elaine Zackai, Prof. Emanuel published a seminal paper on the involvement of proximal 22q in DiGeorge Syndrome in 1982. Since then, Profs. Beverly Emanuel and Donna McDonald-McGinn, along with the whole group, have contributed significantly to patient care and research in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.

The 22q11.2 Society was pleased to present the inaugural Special Service Award to Profs. Beverly Emanuel and Donna McDonald-McGinn, along with collaborators at the 22q and You Center at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania on July 12th, 2018, at the 11th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference in Whistler, BC.  

Along with Prof. Elaine Zackai, Prof. Emanuel published a seminal paper on the involvement of proximal 22q in DiGeorge Syndrome in 1982. Since then, Profs. Beverly Emanuel and Donna McDonald-McGinn, along with the whole group, have contributed significantly to patient care and research in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.