The Gideon A. Rodan Excellence in Mentorship Award is given annually in recognition of outstanding support provided by a senior scientist who has helped promote the independent careers of young investigators in bone and mineral metabolism. The award includes a $2,000 honorarium and a plaque which is presented at a morning plenary session at the Annual Meeting.

Throughout his career, Gideon A. Rodan, M.D. — the 9th ASBMR President and the first recipient of the ASBMR Excellence in Mentorship Award (now named the Gideon A. Rodan Excellence in Mentorship Award) — was a major contributor to the field of bone cell biology. As a pioneer in this field, Dr. Rodan carried out early, seminal studies in bone cell characterization, signal transduction and cellular and molecular biology.

His outstanding scientific contributions include: isolation and characterization of the first transformed osteoblastic cell line (ROS 17), the dissection of the PTH signal transduction mechanisms, the concept of osteoblast-osteoclast interactions, the cloning of alkaline phosphatase, and the roles of steroids and prostaglandins in bone metabolism. As Director of the Department of Bone Biology and Osteoporosis Research at Merck, he fostered the development of the first bisphosphonate approved for treatment of osteoporosis and provided detailed studies of the mechanisms of action of the bisphosphonates.

Besides his distinguished scientific accomplishments, Dr. Rodan was a leader in service to the field, to the ASBMR, and to the education and training of young investigators.