AACR CEO Margaret Foti to Receive Prestigious Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology

Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology in recognition of her tireless and innovative leadership in the fight against cancer.

The Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology was established in 2022 by the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund and sponsored by the National Foundation for Cancer Research. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding women leaders in health and life sciences who have significantly impacted cancer treatment, detection, and diagnosis for patients worldwide.

“I am deeply honored to be named the 2024 Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology recipient. This recognition is a testament to the relentless dedication and groundbreaking work of our members and entire team at AACR, as well as our partners in the cancer research community,” said Foti. “Together, we are committed to accelerating the pace of scientific discovery and translating these findings into effective treatments that improve the lives of patients worldwide. This award inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation and collaboration in our ongoing fight against cancer. I would like to thank the Beacon Award Selection Committee and extend my heartfelt gratitude to AIM-HI Accelerator Fund and the National Foundation for Cancer Research for this prestigious acknowledgment and for their unwavering support of cancer research.”

Foti has served as CEO of AACR since 1982, driving decades of remarkable growth for the organization. During her tenure, AACR’s membership has grown exponentially, from 3,000 to more than 58,000 cancer researchers, physicians, and advocates in 142 countries and territories. The organization’s portfolio of peer-reviewed scientific journals has increased from one to 10. Attendance at AACR’s scientific conferences has surged, with more than 23,200 individuals registered for the AACR Annual Meeting 2024 last April—the largest Annual Meeting in the organization’s history.

Foti has launched AACR programs in several areas, including scientific conferences, educational workshops for young investigators, scientific review and grants administration, health equity, science policy and government affairs, and patient advocacy, notably the unique AACR Scientist↔Survivor Program, which has built enduring partnerships among leaders of the scientific, cancer survivor, and patient advocacy communities worldwide.

Foti and her staff have guided AACR as the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, lending expertise in scientific peer review of projects, scientific project management, grants administration, communications, and science policy. She has consistently led efforts to foster a diverse scientific workforce, including through the establishment of AACR constituency groups such as Minorities in Cancer Research and Women in Cancer Research as well as through her personal mentorship.

She has been instrumental in the launch and production of various publications, including the annual AACR Cancer Progress Report; the biennial AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report; Cancer Today, a magazine for cancer patients, survivors, and their families and caregivers; and Leading Discoveries, a publication that highlights groundbreaking work of AACR members, novel scientific programs, and philanthropic initiatives that fund meritorious cancer research grants and awards.

In 2023, Foti collaborated with preeminent U.S. cancer center directors to form the AACR Cancer Centers Alliance, an innovative initiative that brings together the nation’s cancer centers with the goal of markedly expanding the scope and impact of these world-class institutions for the benefit of all patients across geographies and diverse populations.

Foti’s contributions have been widely recognized with more than 45 awards from organizations around the world. She was awarded honorary doctorates in medicine and surgery from the University of Rome La Sapienza in 2003 and the University of Catania in 2008. In 2009, she received a third honorary doctorate in medicine from the University CEU San Pablo.

Foti was recently selected as a 2024 Women of Influence honoree by the Philadelphia Business Journal. In 2023, she received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, and in 2021, she received the Tara Withington Public Service Award from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer as well as the 23rd Annual Gallery of Success Award from the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University. In 2019, she was honored as one of the Women of Inspiration and Influence by the Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Health Care Industry Foundation. She was also recognized with the 2018 Women for Oncology Award from the European Society for Medical Oncology, the 2016 PHL Life Sciences Ultimate Solution Award, the Ovarcome Excellence 2016 Award, the 2016 James Ewing Layperson’s Award from the Society of Surgical Oncology, the 2016 Honorary Member Award from the Oncology Nursing Society, and as a 2015 honoree of “the one hundred” by Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. Additionally, she received the 2015 Children’s Champion Award from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the 2014 Ellen V. Sigal Advocacy Leadership Award from Friends of Cancer Research, the 2014 Morton M. Kligerman Visiting Professorship Award from the University of Pennsylvania, the 2013 Stanley P. Reimann Honor Award from Fox Chase Cancer Center, and the 2013 Distinguished Partner in Hope Award during the Annual Colorectal Cancer Conference hosted by the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. In 2007, AACR established the AACR-Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research, which is given annually in her honor.

Foti will be honored as the Beacon Award recipient at a luncheon ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on October 18, 2024. The award ceremony is part of the 2024 Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship, which brings together world-renowned leaders in cancer research and drug development, business leaders, investors, government officials, supporters, and patient advocates. Past recipients of the Beacon Award include Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, in 2023, and Anna D. Barker, PhD, FAACR, in 2022.