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Carol Baldwin, Brian J. Druker, M.D., to speak, receive honorary degrees at SUNY Upstate Commencement May 16

Carol Baldwin, a breast cancer survivor who founded a breast cancer research fund, and Brian J. Druker, M.D., a hematologist/oncologist whose research led to the development of FDA-approved cancer drug Gleevec, will address graduates and receive honorary degrees at SUNY Upstate Medical University's 2004 Commencement Ceremony Sunday, May 16 at 1 p.m. in the John H. Mulroy Civic Center Crouse Hinds Theater in Syracuse.

SUNY Upstate Medical University President Gregory L. Eastwood, M.D., will award degrees to 301 students from the colleges of Medicine, Health Professions, Nursing and Graduate Studies.

Baldwin will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and Druker will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree. Both degrees will be awarded by a member of the State University of New York Board of Trustees.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990 and treated at SUNY Upstate's University Hospital, Baldwin turned her personal medical challenge into a powerful and widespread crusade to accelerate the search for a cure for breast cancer. In 1996, she founded the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund Inc. which exclusively funds research at SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY Stony Brook. Since 1996 her organizations has awarded a combined $2.5 million for breast cancer research to these two SUNY campuses.

Druker is recognized for leading the molecular research that inspired the development of Gleevec and for his efforts to convince the pharmaceutical industry to invest in molecularly targeted drugs like Gleevec, the first of a new breed of drug compounds that are reverse-engineered to disrupt abnormal molecular processes.

Druker is the director of the Cancer Institute Leukemia Center at the Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland, professor of medicine in OHSU's division of hematology and medical oncology, an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and program leader in hematologic malignancies at the OHSU Cancer Institute. He holds a joint appointment in OHSU's Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.

The College of Medicine will confer 151 medical degrees.

The College of Health Professions will award 92 degrees, including 66 bachelor of science degrees, four bachelor of professional studies degrees (BPS), and 22 combined bachelor/master of physical therapy degrees (MPT).

The College of Graduate Studies will award 18 degrees, including four master's degrees, 12 doctoral degrees and two combined M.D./Ph.D. Degrees.

The College of Nursing will award 40 degrees, including 23 bachelor's degrees and 17 master's degrees.

Awards ceremonies for each of SUNY Upstate's colleges will take place Saturday, May 15. The College of Health Professions will hold its awards ceremony at 10 a.m. in the John H. Mulroy Civic Center Carrier Theater. The College of Nursing awards ceremony will be held 12:30 p.m. in the Weiskotten Hall Medical Alumni Auditorium. The award ceremony for the colleges of Medicine and Graduate Studies will be held at 3 p.m. in the Carrier Theater of the John H. Mulroy Civic Center.

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