The AACR and St. Baldrick’s Foundation Partner on a New Scientific Achievement Award and Grant to Support Pediatric Cancer Research

The American Association for Cancer Research and the St. Baldrick’s Foundation are pleased to announce the creation of the AACR-St. Baldrick’s Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement in Pediatric Cancer Research. This award will not only recognize an individual for outstanding achievement in pediatric cancer research but will also provide generous support for a junior faculty investigator at the level of Assistant Professor or equivalent conducting impactful research that has the potential to accelerate breakthroughs against pediatric cancer. 

The AACR-St. Baldrick’s Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement in Pediatric Cancer Research will be presented to an individual who has significantly contributed to any area of pediatric cancer research. The recipient will be selected by the AACR and the St. Baldrick’s Foundation based on the recommendation of a committee of internationally recognized pediatric cancer experts. The inaugural recipient will be recognized during the Opening Ceremony of the AACR Annual Meeting, to be held April 24-29, 2020, in San Diego, and will also present an award lecture during the meeting. 

Once selected, the awardee will be afforded the opportunity to nominate junior faculty level researchers to be considered to receive a one-year, $75,000 AACR-St. Baldrick’s Foundation Career Development Award in Pediatric Cancer Research. Candidates must be involved in cancer research, cancer medicine, or cancer-related science at any academic institution in the world and must have demonstrated promise for continued substantive contributions to pediatric cancer research. From the list of candidates provided by the awardee, a grant recipient will be chosen by the award selection committee. This individual will be formally announced at the AACR Annual Meeting 2020 and invited to present a research lecture in conjunction with the annual AACR Pediatric Cancer Research Special Conference, to be held in the fall of 2020. 

This program represents the first time that an AACR scientific achievement award has been linked to a research grant opportunity. The goal of this initiative will be to spotlight significant scientific accomplishments, while simultaneously fostering the career advancement of pediatric cancer researchers. Furthermore, it is intended to stimulate an ongoing mentor-mentee relationship between the award and grant recipients and will serve to further bolster both the AACR’s and the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s existing commitment to pediatric cancer research.

“Cancer is the leading cause of death from disease among children in the United States,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. “The AACR is thrilled to be partnering with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which has contributed so much to the pediatric cancer community, to establish a scientific achievement award and grant that will recognize extraordinary contributions to the field of pediatric cancer research and help further catalyze scientific innovation that will drive progress for children with cancer around the world.” 

“The realities of childhood cancer are grim. Worldwide, every two minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer. In the U.S., one in five kids diagnosed with cancer will not survive. This partnership between St. Baldrick’s and the AACR is one of many steps to help turn these statistics around,” said Kathleen Ruddy, CEO of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. “Recognizing the extraordinary efforts that scientists have already made through a scientific achievement award and this unique grant will inspire and support future progress toward cures for all childhood cancers.” 

Nominations for the inaugural AACR-St. Baldrick’s Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement in Pediatric Cancer Research will be accepted until January 20, 2020. For more information and to submit nominations, please visit www.aacr.org/research/awards.