The Endocrine Society chose 14 leading endocrinologists as winners of its prestigious 2025 Laureate Award, the top honor in the field. Among those receiving honors is Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) Program Leader Erik Nelson of the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology in the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology.
Endocrinologists are scientists and medical doctors who specialize in unraveling the mysteries of hormone disorders to care for patients and cure diseases. These professionals have achieved breakthroughs in scientific discoveries and clinical care benefiting people with hundreds of conditions, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, obesity, hormone-related cancers, growth problems, osteoporosis and infertility.
Established in 1944, the Society’s Laureate Awards recognize the highest achievements in the endocrinology field, including groundbreaking research and innovations in clinical care.
Cancer Center at Illinois Program Leader Erik Nelson is a professor of molecular & integrative physiology and the recipient of the 2025 Laureate Award from the Endocrine Society
“This award helps solidify my resolve to use endocrinology and metabolism to fine-tune immune cells within cancer tumors. By doing this, we hope to unlock the potential of our own immune system to eradicate tumors.”
Nelson was given the Richard E. Weitzman Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award. This award is presented to an exceptionally promising young clinical or basic investigator within 10 years of completion of post-doctoral training at the time of nomination. The award is based upon the contributions and achievements of the nominee’s own independent scholarship performed after completion of formal training and on the recipient’s entire body of work, rather than a single work.
The Endocrine Society’s Endocrine News recently published a feature on Nelson in their August issue. In it, Nelson discusses his road to research and what the Laureate Award means for him and his research career.
Nelson is an associate professor of molecular and integrative physiology and the Cancer Enginering and Biological Systems Research Program Leader at the CCIL. His work has defined biochemical links between dyslipidemia/hypercholesterolemia and the pathobiology of osteoporosis and breast cancer. His findings have contributed to novel therapeutic approaches being explored as breast cancer treatments and preventatives. Nelson’s work establishing cholesterol-derived oxysterols as agents which influence the pathology of disease is groundbreaking and clinically impactful. His work highlights the importance of studying biological processes at their most fundamental level to appreciate the best ways to intervene for therapeutic benefit.