In 2006, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) established the Laboratory Improvement Programs Service Award to recognize individuals serving within the ranks of the Council on Scientific Affairs (CSA) who have demonstrated exceptional service.
The College of American Pathologists honors Dr. Jordan S. Laser, MD, FCAP and Dr. Annette S. Kim, MD, PhD, FCAP, with the 2025 CAP Laboratory Improvement Programs Service Award for their transformative leadership and innovative contributions as chair and vice chair of the Personalized Health Care Committee (PHC), respectively. Their work has advanced personalized care for cancer patients, addressed critical gaps in precision medicine, and laid the foundation for the future of the field.
Over the past decade, Drs. Laser and Kim have led the advancement of the PHC initiative, championing efforts that bridge disciplines and bring personalized medicine into routine clinical practice. Dr. Laser’s longstanding collaboration with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) led to the creation of the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Summit and the joint ASCO/CAP position statement on group labeling of companion diagnostics, establishing new standards for integrating diagnostics with treatment.
Drs. Laser and Kim continue to build on their previous successes, leading two major initiatives advancing the field of personalized health care. They oversee CAP Biomarker OneSource, a comprehensive, web-based educational platform developed in collaboration with industry leaders to serve as a central resource for biomarker information. This platform supports consistency in biomarker use by offering detailed descriptions, intended uses, training materials, and curated literature.
They also oversee several Harmonization Projects, based on a strategic three-phase program aimed at addressing the lack of standardization in diagnostic methodologies for key biomarkers. This effort seeks to improve reliability and consistency in biomarker testing, ultimately enhancing diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.
Through their work, Drs. Laser and Kim have fostered collaboration among multidisciplinary stakeholders, demonstrating pathology’s ability to lead advancements in medicine.