Honorary doctorate celebrates a transatlantic cancer research partnership
Jonathan Zager has received an honorary doctorate from Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg. The American cancer surgeon was formally awarded the distinction at a ceremony at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre on 23 October, in recognition of his contributions to melanoma research and international collaboration.
Gothenburg itself has been wonderful. There is a special warmth here, both at the university and in the city.
Jonathan Zager, senior member at Moffitt Cancer Center and professor at the University of South Florida, has worked closely with researchers in Gothenburg for more than a decade. Their joint work focuses on melanoma, surgical oncology, and perfusion-based therapies, in which cancer drugs are delivered to a specific part of the body.
“This is a profound honor, and one that means a great deal to me personally and professionally. It is not simply recognition of my own work. It is recognition of the relationships, shared ideas, and many years of collaboration that have made that work meaningful,” says Jonathan Zager.
A second scientific home
His visits to Gothenburg have also strengthened friendships, particularly with Roger Olofsson Bagge, a close colleague and collaborator.
“There is a special warmth here, both at the university and in the city, that makes every visit feel less like traveling abroad and more like returning to a second scientific home.”
Jonathan Zager also appreciates the opportunity to meet colleagues face to face, exchange ideas, and see the commitment of the clinical and research community at Sahlgrenska.
“Gothenburg itself has been wonderful. Its welcoming people, beautiful surroundings, and strong sense of history and community have made this an occasion I will not forget.”
More than a decade of collaboration
The partnership has produced joint research projects, publications, and clinical studies.
“Our collaboration with Jonathan and Moffitt Cancer Center has been enormously important for us in Gothenburg. It opens doors for our colleagues to undertake research and clinical exchanges at Moffitt. Above all, it has created opportunities for our patients at Sahlgrenska to access new and innovative treatments that would otherwise not have been possible,” says Roger Olofsson Bagge, professor of cancer surgery at the Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg.
New opportunities for research
The collaboration is now expanding into preclinical research. Through contacts at Moffitt, researchers in Gothenburg are gaining access to an advanced genetic mouse model for uveal melanoma, a form of eye cancer. The model will help researchers better understand the disease and develop future treatments.
“Gothenburg has brought outstanding clinical insight, scientific rigor, and a collaborative spirit. Together, we have been able to ask questions and publish outcomes that neither of us could advance as effectively alone,” says Jonathan Zager.
The partners also hope to expand laboratory-based research and create more exchange opportunities for doctoral students and younger researchers.
An invitation to deepen the partnership
For Jonathan Zager, the honorary doctorate is not only recognition of past achievements.
“This is both an honor and an invitation: an invitation to deepen a relationship that has already meant so much, and to ensure that our future work continues to serve patients first.”
“Jonathan’s honorary doctorate is also a symbol of what long-term international collaborations can achieve. It is about sharing knowledge, creating opportunities for the next generation of researchers, and, above all, giving our patients access to the best possible care,” says Roger Olofsson Bagge, adding:
“I really look forward to continuing to develop this collaboration for many years to come.”
Text: Jakob Lundberg