UNC LCCC News Release	November 28, 2007

2007 Norma Berryhill Distinguished Lecture

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Dr. Shelley Earp, UNC Lineberger director, delivered the 2007 Berryhill Lecture on November 28. Former Lineberger faculty came from as far away as California to hear the talk and to honor Dr. Earp. More than 300 people attended the lecture and reception at the Carolina Club.

His talk traced his first 40 years- calling them a “brief sojourn” - at UNC and gave a look at his next years here. He explored the UNC scientific culture of collegiality and discussed why UNC is a superb setting for science and for families, saying, “There isn’t any place in America where it is more fun to live and where you can do biomedical research at the highest level.”

He also talked about the “tremendous love affair” that the people of North Carolina have with UNC-Chapel Hill. “Part of the reason for that is the University’s health care system and its influence on people’s lives across the state. It is thrilling to see how much consistent support there is from the people and their legislative representatives for what we are doing here.”

Dr. William Roper, Dean of the UNC School of Medicine and CEO of UNC Health Care, said about Dr. Earp, “Shelley is unsurpassed in his passion for fighting and conquering cancer and in his commitment to the Cancer Center, the Medical School and the University.”

(L – R) Dr. William Roper, UNC School of Medicine Dean; Dr. Jeffrey Houpt, UNC School of Medicine Dean Emeritus; Dr. Christopher Fordham, UNC Chancellor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus of the School of Medicine; and Dr. Stuart Bondurant, UNC School of Medicine Dean Emeritus.

UNC School of Medicine Dean Emeritus Dr. Jeffrey Houpt said,” Obviously, Shelley has been a very effective Cancer Center Director.  But what makes Shelley stand out is his willingness to work as hard for other parts of the medical school as he does for his own area of responsibility. This commitment to excellence for the entire enterprise separates Shelley from many others."

Earp joined the School of Medicine faculty in 1976. He is now the Lineberger Professor of Cancer Research and a professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology.

Dr. Joseph Pagano, UNC Lineberger founding Director and now Director Emeritus, said, “He has taken the Cancer Center to new levels. The University is fortunate to have a leader of Shelley’s caliber, and I don’t believe there is a better cancer center director in the country.”

Earp has helped establish cancer epidemiology and prevention research programs with faculty in the School of Public Health.

Dr. Michael O’Malley, Center Associate Director, said, “We are recognized as one of the most outstanding and truly comprehensive cancer centers in the country, with strong programs of basic research, clinical translational research and population science research. Under Shelley’s leadership, we have built wonderful partnerships with the School of Public Health, with the behavioral sciences and other schools and department on campus.”

His laboratory conducts basic research on the behavior of cancer cells, studying signals that regulate cell growth, differentiation and death. 

Dr. David C. Lee, former program leader for Cancer Cell Biology at UNC Lineberger  and now Vice President for Research at the University of Georgia, explained, “I think Shelley sees himself first and foremost as a scientist. The fact that he maintains such a high-impact research program is truly awe inspiring, particularly to those of us who have done this firsthand and know what it takes to be competitive in today’s scientific world.” Lee and his wife, Leslie, traveled from Georgia to attend the lecture.

The recipient of several UNC School of Medicine teaching awards, Earp has served on boards and chaired national review committees for the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.  He is an elected member of the American Association of Professors, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and served as President of the Association of American Cancer Institutes.

The Norma Berryhill Distinguished Lecture began in 1985. Established to honor the medical school's “most able scientists and scholars,” the lectureship is named after the late Norma Berryhill, whose late husband, Dr. Walter Reece Berryhill, was dean of the school from 1941 to 1964. Along with her husband, she is considered the co-founder of UNC's four-year School of Medicine.

Norma and Reece Berryhill’s daughter Cat Berryhill (in middle) and their granddaughter Jane Williams Meyer with husband David Meyer (on left). Dr. Shelley Earp, UNC Lineberger Director, and Dr. William Roper, Dean of the School of Medicine (on right).

While honoring an eminent member of the School of Medicine faculty, the Norma Berryhill Distinguished Lecture series serves as an occasion to welcome new faculty members in an academic convocation and to further the sense of community created and nurtured by Mrs. Berryhill.

UNC Lineberger Cancer Center contact:
Dianne Shaw, Director of Communications, (919) 966-5905