Meet the 2026 Awardee: Kathleen M. Capaccione, MD, PhD
Kathy Capaccione, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist whose mission is to bring radioligand therapies (RLT) to cancer patients — offering a safe and effective treatment option, especially for those with no remaining alternatives. She recently joined Eli Lilly as Senior Director of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, where she serves as an imaging lead on the company's radioligand therapy clinical trials. Prior to joining Lilly, Dr. Capaccione was an Assistant Professor of Radiology at Columbia University Medical Center, where she founded and led a laboratory dedicated to developing RLT for lung cancer and other malignancies. Among the lab's key findings: FAP-targeted radiotherapy reduced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor growth by 50% in animal models — a result that underscores the promise of this approach for patients. In addition to her research, she served as an attending physician at the Columbia University PET Center and as the residency program's Director of Research Mentorship. Dr. Capaccione earned her B.A. in Biology from New York University, and her M.D. and Ph.D. from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, respectively. She completed her radiology residency at Columbia University through the Holman Research Pathway — a selective program that integrates postdoctoral research into clinical training — conducting her research at the Columbia University PET Center Imaging and Therapy Laboratory, where she focused on novel imaging and therapeutic agents for NSCLC. She subsequently completed fellowships in both Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging and Cardiothoracic Imaging, and is board certified in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. Dr. Capaccione has received multiple research grants and has authored over 65 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Her work reflects a deeply held conviction that patients with cancer deserve better options — and she has built her career around making that a reality.
Description
This award will be given to an individual who has made scientific contributions in clinical, translational, or laboratory-based research relevant to the field of thoracic oncology and/or made significant contributions to the Assembly through participation in Assembly and ATS Activities (committees, workshops, document development, etc.). Other considerations for this award include demonstrating meaningful contributions in the areas(s) of clinical care, teaching, innovative program development, and promoting diversity.
Nominees must be a TOA member (primary or secondary); preference will be given to a TOA primary member. We encourage nominations of diverse nominees in all dimensions, including gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, geographic residence, country, area of focus and primary occupation. The nomination package must include a 1-page letter from a member of the assembly describing the candidate’s contributions (scientific and/or Assembly contributions) and why the award is merited. The candidate’s curriculum vitae must also be included with the nomination packet.
Awardees will be recognized with a framed certificate at the annual TO Membership Meeting during the ATS International Conference.
Criteria
- Must be at the Assistant Professor level or at an equivalent rank in a non-academic institution
- Must be a TOA member with preference given to TOA primary member
- Must not have received a similar early career award from TOA or another ATS Assembly
- Limited to nominees that are ≤ 10 years from terminal doctoral degree (PhDs) or ≤ 10 years from completion of medical fellowship training (MDs or MD/PhDs).
Scoring
Applicants are scored on two criteria using a rating system (1-5 where 5 is best) across the following categories:
- Scientific Contributions/Products
- Participation in Assembly and ATS Activities (administrative, committees, workshops, documents, promoting diversity.)
- Teaching/ Mentoring/ Educational Contributions