Oliver W Press

Oliver "Ollie" W. Press (September 10, 1952 – September 29, 2017) was an American cancer researcher and physician. Press was best known for his contributions to the development of targeted cancer therapies for blood cancers.

Biography Press was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Press described being passionate about zoology as a child, and frequently captured snakes and frogs from the parks near his home. Press completed internship and residency at Mass General Hospital in 1982 before returning to the University of Washington to serve as chief resident and pursue a fellowship in oncology.

Press met his future wife, Nancy, through a study-abroad program as an undergraduate. He was instrumental in the subsequent development of lymphoma radioimmunotherapy and the eventual FDA approval of Ibritumomab tiuxetan.

In addition to his clinical service and research achievements, Press was well-regarded as a mentor. He directly trained more than 70 physicians and scientists over the course of his career, and served as associate director of the University of Washington Medical Scientist Training program from 2014-2017.

Awards

Oliver W. Press Distinguished MSTP Alumnus Award Research Visionary Champion Award from the Washington/Alaska chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Gold Award for Achievement in Medical Research from Seattle Business Magazine; and several awards from the Lymphoma Research Foundation, including the organization's Distinguished Service Award, Lymphoma Research Foundation SAAS Foundation for Medical Research's John Ultmann Award for Contributions to Lymphoma Research (posthumous) American Society of Hematology's 2017 Mentor Award (posthumous) Excellence in Mentorship Award, UW Department of Medicine Sources: