A professor in the medical school received an award Friday for his role in developing new methods to treat cancer patients.

Steven Rosenberg, a clinical professor of surgery, received the 2018 Jacobson Innovation Award of the American College of Surgeons, according to a press release Monday. Rosenberg was recognized for his contributions to the development of new immunotherapy and gene therapy practices, the release states.

Rosenberg first began studying and working with immunotherapy in the late 1970s, and he later developed the first effective therapies targeting the immune system for patients with advanced cancer. He was also the first to inject humans with foreign genes successfully, according to the release.

His research led to the regression and, in some cases, remission of metastatic cancers of the skin, bone and lymph node, the release states.

Rosenberg currently oversees the extensive clinical program at the surgery branch of the National Cancer Institute, which works to develop immunotherapies for cancer patients. He currently acts as investigator for 14 clinical trials at the NCI’s Center for Cancer Research, according to the release.