This annual lectureship was originally established as a mechanism to honor the memory of Robert Sternlicht, late son of Himan and Mona Sternlicht, by helping to promote scientific interactions and dissemination of knowledge in cancer biology and pharmacology. In 2008 Himan Sternlicht, Ph.D. similarly passed away due to complications arising from cancer. Mona Sternlicht also passed away a year later. Both Himan and Mona were long-term members of the Department of Pharmacology, and the lectureship now honors all three members of the family.