The AACR’s Academy Awards

July 28, 2014 by

Throughout its history, one of the main goals of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has been to promote the acceleration of progress in cancer research. The AACR is devoted to all aspects of high-quality, innovative cancer research, and serves as a home for some of the most talented physicians and scientists in the world. As a means to honor, reward, and engage illustrious members of the AACR and the cancer research community, the AACR established the AACR Academy in 2013.

Medals for the Fellows of the AACR Academy at the AACR Annual Meeting 2014

Medals await the incoming class of fellows of the AACR Academy at the AACR Annual Meeting 2014.

The AACR Academy serves to recognize distinguished scientists whose major scientific contributions have propelled significant innovation and progress against cancer. Academy membership is granted after a rigorous peer-review process that evaluates individuals on the basis of their scientific achievements in cancer research and is restricted to only those individuals who have made exceptional contributions to cancer and/or cancer-related biomedical science. Once elected, AACR Academy members are referred to as fellows of the AACR Academy (FAACR). The academy currently consists of 144 fellows representing all areas of cancer-related biomedical science, 39 of whom have also been awarded the Nobel Prize.

Together, these fellows work annually to select all new academy classes. Moving forward, classes will be composed of 11 individuals, in honor of the AACR’s 11 founding physicians and scientists. Once selected, all newly elected fellows are formally honored in the presence of their academy peers at the AACR Academy’s induction ceremony and celebration dinner, held annually on the Friday preceding the start of the AACR’s annual meeting.

In addition to the induction ceremony, academy members also convene at the AACR’s annual meeting for strategic planning sessions to brainstorm and discuss the organization’s overall scientific agenda as well as to offer their expert insights into key issues affecting progress in the cancer research field. These meetings provide a unique forum where fellows are given the opportunity to provide their opinions as to how the AACR may best achieve its mission of preventing and curing cancer through research, education, communication, and collaboration.

Beyond their academy-related activities, many fellows serve or have served the AACR in a variety of other capacities, including as AACR officers, directors, trustees, journal editors, committee members and chairs, meeting co-chairs and speakers, and grant reviewers.

Click on these links for a complete listing of all fellows and more information on the academy.