AACR Expresses Sincere Appreciation to NIH Director Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD

PHILADELPHIA — The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) today expressed its gratitude to Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, for her outstanding service to the American people during her 14-month tenure as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Bertagnolli recently announced that she will step down as NIH director on Jan. 17, 2025, as the 17th director of the NIH and only the second woman to serve in this vital role.

“The entire medical research community has sincerely appreciated Dr. Bertagnolli’s decision to prioritize the challenges faced by rural communities to access medical care and participate in medical research during her year as NIH director,” said Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, president of the AACR; chief of the Early Phase Clinical Trials Program, Yale University; and associate center director of experimental therapeutics, Yale Cancer Center. “To this end, she visited many communities across the country who have poorer health outcomes and whose residents will benefit from participating in medical research, thus ensuring that NIH research is equitable and accessible to all people regardless of income or zip code.”

Prior to her position as NIH director, Bertagnolli served with distinction as director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Before accepting the NCI position, Bertagnolli was the Richard E. Wilson Professor of Surgery in the field of surgical oncology at Harvard Medical School, and professor and member of the Gastrointestinal Cancer and Sarcoma Disease Centers at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. An AACR member since 1996, Bertagnolli is currently a member of the AACR Tumor Microenvironment Working Group and the AACR Women in Cancer Research membership group. She has also served as chair and committee member on numerous award and grant review committees for the AACR.

“In her capacity as NIH director during the past year, Dr. Bertagnolli consistently communicated clear, science-based guidance to our elected leaders and displayed a passion for supporting the professional development of early-career and early-stage scientists and physicians,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. “The entire medical research community is very fortunate to have had Dr. Bertagnolli at the helm of the most important medical research institution in the world. Under her leadership, the NIH has continued to be at the forefront of medical breakthroughs that have significantly improved the well-being of millions and saved countless lives from human diseases, including cancer.”