======================
                         JeffNEWS, June 7, 1994
                         ======================


Jefferson Honors Editor, Cancer Researcher at Commencement
----------------------------------------------------------

   Two prominent figures in the world of medicine will receive honorary
doctor of science degrees at Jefferson's 170th Annual Commencement,
10:30 a.m., Friday, June 10, at the Academy of Music.

   The degree recipients are Jerome P. Kassirer, MD, editor-in-chief of
The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), and Takashi Sugimura, MD,
president emeritus of the Japanese National Cancer Center.

   During commencement exercises, University president Paul C. Brucker,
MD, will confer Doctor of Medicine degrees on 211 students of Jefferson
Medical College.

   Dr. Brucker will also confer 26 Doctor of Philosophy degrees and 51
Master of Science degrees on students from the College of Graduate
Studies. In addition, 46 candidates for the Master of Science degree in
physical therapy, who will complete their degree requirements on August
26, 1994, will be recognized at this commencement.

   Since assuming his present post at NEJM in 1991, Dr. Kassirer has
written editorials on topics such as scientific misconduct, diagnostic
reasoning, quality of medical care, medical education and the hazards of
hand guns.

   From 1971 until 1991, Dr. Kassirer was associate physician-in-chief
of the New England Medical Center and vice chairman of the department of
medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. He retains his
appointment as professor of medicine at Tufts.

   Dr. Kassirer has published numerous original research and clinical
studies, textbook chapters and books on nephrology, medical decision
making and the diagnostic process. He has served on the editorial boards
of several journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine,
Hypertension, and Medical Decision Making.

   Dr. Kassirer was the 1989 Alpha Omega Alpha Distinguished Clinical
Teacher of the year and the 1991 recipient of the Distinguished Faculty
Award from the Tufts University School of Medicine.

   In addition, he is a director of the American Board of Internal
Medicine, a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy
of Sciences, a member of the American Society of Nephrology, a Master of
the American College of Physicians, and a charter member of the Society
for Clinical Decision Making.


Jefferson Also Honors Takashi Sugimura, MD
------------------------------------------

   The second honorary degree recipient, Dr. Sugimura, now serves as
advisor to his country's Ministry of Health and Welfare.

   From 1984 to 1991, during his tenure as president of the National
Cancer Center of Japan, he was instrumental in making it one of the
foremost cancer research sites in the world. 

   He has achieved international renown for his many discoveries and
achievements in cancer research 

   Among them are his discovery of the relationship between the ability
of chemicals to cause mutation in bacterial genes and to cause cancerous
changes in cells. He and his colleagues also observed that antimicrobial
agents, nitrofurans, can cause both genetic and cancerous cell changes.

   In addition, Dr. Sugimura noted the potent cancer-causing action of
furylfuramide, a preservative used for many years in some Japanese
foods, and was a pioneer in showing that broiled or smoked fish and meat
can produce certain cancer-causing substances in many areas of the body.

   His leadership roles include the post of editor-in-chief of the
Japanese Journal of Cancer Research and of the Japanese Journal of
Clinical Oncology, and chairmanship of the Scientific Advisory Board of
the Princess Takamatsu Cancer Research Foundation.

   On the international level, he helped establish a series of joint
conferences between the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
and the Japanese Cancer Association.

   In addition to membership in the Japan Academy, he has been honored
with a foreign associate membership in the United States' National
Academy of Sciences and in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. He is
the recipient of prestigious awards such as the Charles S. Mott Prize of
the General Motors Cancer Research Foundation and The Ernst W. Bertner
Memorial Award.

   R. Anthony Carabasi III, MD, professor of surgery and of radiology
and director of the division of vascular surgery, is the Grand Marshal
for the Jefferson Medical College/College of Graduate Studies
Commencement.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information provided by:  Editor, JeffNEWS
                          (215) 955-6204
------------------------------------------------------------------------------