Dr. Shepherd's contribution to the development and conduct of clinical trials is recognized internationally. She was the President of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer from 2005-2007. She was a member of the US National Institutes of Health Concept Evaluation Panel for Lung Cancer clinical trials. This body of CTEP (the Cancer Treatment Evaluation Program of the US NCI) was responsible for evaluating and approving all multi-center lung cancer clinical research studies submitted by the large US cooperative groups.
Currently, she sits on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. She also Chairs the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Protocol Review committee. Dr Shepherd has served as Chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Membership and Publications Committees.
Dr. Shepherd has been instrumental in the design and conduct of research studies evaluating the new targeted agents and anti-angiogenesis agents in lung cancer. She has also undertaken translational research studies in this field. Most recently she has developed several large international randomized trials for some of the novel anti-cancer agents that are directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor and other molecular targets.
Dr. Shepherd has been devoted to collaboration with the basic scientists of the Ontario Cancer Institute to develop a Translational Research Program related to Lung Cancer. She was instrumental in the creation of NCIC trial-associated Lung Cancer Tumour Banks that contain both cancer and normal lung samples. These precious samples will play a critical role in furthering understanding of the molecular abnormalities of lung cancer in the future. It is also anticipated that future studies using these samples will help to identify patients who are most likely to derive benefit from specific therapies.
Dr. Shepherd was the recipient of the Jacqueline Seroussi Memorial Foundation for Cancer Research Award in 2004; the National Cancer Institute of Canada 0. Harold Warwick Award for Research Excellence in 2006; the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Research Award in 2007; the Ontario Premier’s Summit Award for Research in 2009, and a Boehringer-Ingelheim Innovation Award in 2010. In recognition of her contributions to cancer research and treatment, she received the Order of Ontario in 2007. In 2012, she won the British Thoracic Oncology Group International Award for Contributions to Lung Cancer, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Whiteman Award and Visiting Professorship, the Wan Ki Hong Award and Visitinig Professorship, MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas (USA) and a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal. Most recently in 2015 she won the 2015 Claude Jacquillat Award for Cancer Research (France). Dr Shepherd has designed and led more than 100 clinical trials over the past three decades, and her studies have changed treatment and outcomes for lung cancer patients at a global level. In recognition of this, in 2015, she was awarded the Dr. Joseph Pater Excellence in Clinical Trials Research Award of the NCIC Clinical Trials Group.
Dr. Shepherd sits on numerous national and international lung cancer advisory boards, and chairs and/or sits on several data and safety monitoring boards for international lung cancer trials. She has mentored more than 30 post-doctoral research fellows from around the world, many of whom now hold senior academic positions in their home countries. This was recognized in 2013 by a Novartis Canada Oncology Award for Mentorship. She has authored or co-authored more than 450 peer reviewed publications and 35 book chapters.