Dr. Sharma, who heads the Research Institute’s Center for Translational Science, is honored by the Arizona Bioindustry Association
Sunil Sharma, MD, MBA
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Sept. 23, 2026 — Sunil Sharma, M.D., FACP, M.B.A., director of the Center for Translational Science at HonorHealth Research Institute, has been named by the Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio) as the Arizona Bioscience Researcher of the Year.
Dr. Sharma will be honored at the 2026 AZBio Awards, on Oct. 7 at the Phoenix Convention Center. The 23rd annual awards banquet is part of Arizona Bioscience Week, Oct. 5-9.
“Recognized for his outstanding contributions to biological research and drug discovery, Dr. Sharma exemplifies what it means to push the frontiers of modern medicine,” according to Joan Koerber-Walker, President and CEO of AZBio. “As Chief of Translational Research and Drug Discovery and Director of the Center for Translational Science at the HonorHealth Research Institute — as well as an ASU Research Professor at the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering — Dr. Sharma has built a career around translating bench science into real-world patient outcomes.”
“Dr. Sharma has directly shaped global healthcare by contributing to the development of landmark therapies during his tenure in pharmaceutical leadership,” said Koerber-Walker. “His work supported the development of breakthrough immunotherapies — including pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo) — which train the human immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells, as well as targeted therapies like ceritinib for lung cancer.”
The Institute’s leadership agrees, praising Dr. Sharma for his emphasis on treating patients:
- Mark Slater, Ph.D., the Institute’s CEO and Vice President of Research for the HonorHealth network: “We here at the HonorHealth Research Institute are so proud to have Dr. Sharma as our head of the Center for Translational Research. What really distinguishes him is his ability as an innovator to not only develop new understandings of disease, but to develop new tools and therapies from that understanding that makes a real difference for patients.”
- Michael Gordon, M.D., F.A.S.C.O., the Institute’s Chief Medical Officer: “He has spent his career focusing on … patient care. When you hear him speaking about treating a patient, he comes to it with a depth of experience that really drives you to appreciate and understand that his goal is patient care.”
- Chad Adams, M.P.H., the Institute’s Chief Operating Officer: “I think Dr. Sharma particularly brings to the table a very strong scientific mind. He also has collaborators from all over the world. He really wants to find solutions. He’s willing to collaborate to find solutions to the gaps that exist in healthcare.”
Dr. Sharma, who describes himself as a physician-scientist, said he has always been interested how basic scientific research can lead to innovation, and how new treatments and new technologies, especially now, can benefit cancer patients.
Of his award, Dr. Sharma said, “I think mostly it’s recognition for the kind of work that we’re doing and it’s hopefully a great recognition for translational science in general, that it’s important and that it can add something to the (Arizona) bioscience corridor that we’re all trying to build.”
According to Koerber-Walker: “By uniting academic research, industry collaboration, and clinical execution, Dr. Sunil Sharma is not only advancing our fundamental understanding of biological processes — he is actively changing what is possible for patients in Arizona and around the world.”
For more about HonorHealth Research Institute clinical trials: call 833-354-6667; or email clinicaltrials@HonorHealth.com.
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About the HonorHealth Research Institute
HonorHealth Research Institute is an international destination that is at the forefront of providing patients with a better quality of life through its clinical trials and innovative treatment options. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, the institute’s team of physicians and researchers collaborate with experts from across the nation to offer life-changing therapies, drugs and devices. At HonorHealth Research Institute, patients have access to tomorrow’s health innovations, today. Learn more at: www.honorhealthresearch.org.
For information about the AZBio Awards, visit AZBioAwards.com