Benjamin Izar, MD, PhD, has been named a Schaefer Research Scholar, an annual award that goes to four leading Columbia University scientists “whose current work is of outstanding merit with significant academic distinction.” Each awardee will receive a $50,000 cash prize and up to $200,000 in direct research support.

Dr. Izar is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and member of the Tumor Biology Microenvironment research program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research explores drug resistance and aims to understand underlying mechanisms in the context of targeted cancer therapies and immunotherapies.

Dr. Izar has received several recent honors for his innovative research, including a 2020 Gerstner Scholar, a V Scholar award, and a Velocity fellowship.