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.

Eligibility
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.
2024 Recipient
It is with enormous pleasure that the Trustees of the 22q11.2 Society bestowed the 2024 Angelo DiGeorge Memorial Medal of Honor to Sólveig Óskarsdóttir
She was recognized in person as recipient of the Angelo DiGeorge Medal at the 13th Biennial International 22q11.2 Meeting in Portugal on July 16th, 2024

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 2024 Angelo DiGeorge Memorial Medal of Honor to Sólveig Óskarsdóttir

She was recognized in person as recipient of the Angelo DiGeorge Medal at the 13th Biennial International 22q11.2 Meeting in Portugal on July 16th, 2024

Previous Angelo DiGeorge Medal Recipients

2022 – Nicole Sarles-Philip

2022 – Bruno Marino

2018 – Bernice Morrow

2016 – Ann Swillen

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.
2024 Recipients
Congratulations to Daniella Miller, Jente Verbesselt, and Christina Blagojevic, who received the 2024 Junior Investigator Award at the International 22q11.2DS Biennial Conference in Óbidos, Portugal in 2024.

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 Daniella Miller, Jente Verbesselt, and Christina Blagojevic, who received the 2024 Junior Investigator Award at the International 22q11.2DS Biennial Conference in Óbidos, Portugal in 2024.

Previous Junior Investigator Award Recipients

2022- Daniel McGinn

2022- Steven de Reuver

2022- Daniella Miller

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
2024 Recipient
The 22q11.2 Society was pleased to present the Unsung Hero Award to Kim van Bekkum on July 16, 2024 at the Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference in Óbidos, Portugal.

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 Kim van Bekkum on July 16, 2024 at the Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference in Óbidos, Portugal.

Previous Unsung Hero Award Recipients

2022- Candice Uytengsu-Hamilton

2022 – Ann Lawlor, Co-Founder and Chair of 22q11 Ireland

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
2024– Dr. Stephen Scherer, Northbridge Chair in Paediatric Research and Director of The Centre for Applied Genomics at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
2018 – Professor Robert G. Kelly from the Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille, Aix-Marseille University

2024– Dr. Stephen Scherer, Northbridge Chair in Paediatric Research and Director of The Centre for Applied Genomics at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada

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 Conference, 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.

2024 Recipient
The 22q11.2 Society was pleased to present the 2024 Special Service Award to Dr. Anne Bassett and the The Dalglish Family 22q Clinic team on July 16th, 2024, at the 13th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference in Óbidos, Portugal. 
Established in 2012, the Dalglish Family 22q Clinic is the first clinic in the world devoted to the complex care of adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and their families. The team provides multi-disciplinary services across the adult lifespan, tailoring care to each individual’s unique situation. The Dalglish Family 22q Clinic demonstrates international clinical and research excellence, including their recent role in the development of the updated clinical practice recommendations.
2018 Recipient
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 2024 Special Service Award to Dr. Anne Bassett and the The Dalglish Family 22q Clinic team on July 16th, 2024, at the 13th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference in Óbidos, Portugal. 

Established in 2012, the Dalglish Family 22q Clinic is the first clinic in the world devoted to the complex care of adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and their families. The team provides multi-disciplinary services across the adult lifespan, tailoring care to each individual’s unique situation. The Dalglish Family 22q Clinic demonstrates international clinical and research excellence, including their recent role in the development of the updated clinical practice recommendations.

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.

Lifetime Achievement Award

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the International 22q11.2 Conference, a special award was inaugurated to recognize the achievements of an individual. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates outstanding and longstanding contributions to the chromosome 22q11.2 community.

2024 Recipient
The 22q11.2 Society was honored to present the Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Beverly Emanuel, former Chief of the Division of Human Genetics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Charles E.H. Upham Endowed Chair in Pediatric Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania.

The 22q11.2 Society was honored to present the Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Beverly Emanuel, former Chief of the Division of Human Genetics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Charles E.H. Upham Endowed Chair in Pediatric Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania.