Professional and Career Development Sessions

The AACR is dedicated to the education, training, and professional development of cancer research investigators and the Professional Development Series of sessions are an integral part of the AACR Annual Meeting experience. Organized as a collaborative effort by the AACR Science Education and Career Advancement Committee, Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR) Council, Women in Cancer Research (WICR) Council, and Associate Member Council (AMC), these exciting sessions are available to Annual Meeting registrants who are AACR members free of charge and provide important skills to investigators at all stages in their careers. Email pas@aacr.org with questions.

2025 Professional Development Series Sessions

Several Professional Development Sessions are taking place during the AACR Annual Meeting 2025, including one-on-one personal time with esteemed cancer researchers to discuss science and obtain career advice, intimate roundtable discussions on specific topics facilitated by leaders from various sectors, timely panel discussion sessions offering important insights on critical topics to investigators at all stages in their careers.

Grant Writing Workshop: Tips for Success from experienced scientists

Friday, April 25 | 12-4 p.m.
N Hall C | McCormick Place Convention Center

Chairs:
Oliver Bogler, PhD, NCI-Center for Cancer Training, Bethesda, Maryland
Mariana C. Stern, PhD, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
Filippo Pederzoli, MD, PhD, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York

This session aims to provide new investigators (postdoctoral fellows and new faculty) practical tools to write competitive grants. Focus is on how to write well for grants, how to structure an aims page to help the reviewer “get” all the information you want them to, and how to write an aims page that makes a reviewer excited about your grant. We will address different types of grants from NIH (Rs, Ks, Fs etc.) as well as grants from other countries. We will also discuss Summary Statements (“pink sheets”) and have a round table where participants can network and ask experienced scientists questions about the grants they are working on.

HOW TO DESIGN A SUCCESSFUL CAREER PATH IN CANCER RESEARCH: FROM DOCTORAL TO THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF A CANCER RESEARCH CAREER

Friday, April 25 | 5-6:30 p.m.
N Hall C | McCormick Place Convention Center

Chairs:
John M. Carethers, MD, FAACR, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California
Sara Pedron Haba, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
Valerie Odero-Marah, PhD, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland
Kathleen W. Scotto, PhD, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Wayne R. Lawrence, DrPH, MPH, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland

This session offers early-career investigators an opportunity to acquire skills and learn about key strategies that can aid in the pursuit towards their first independent research position. The discussion will center around advice in avoiding “pitfalls” and developing “alternative” tactics to enhance the probability of success in this process. We have recruited an expert panel of established investigators with invaluable advice on navigating the first steps in a successful career in cancer research. This session is designed specifically for those who are making the transition from trainee positions to their next career stage in academic and non-academic settings.

PERSONALIZED CAREER CONVERSATIONS

Saturday, April 26 | 5-7 p.m.
Great Lakes AB | Marriott Marquis McCormick

Chairs:
Christopher Sistrunk, PhD, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California
Jose G. Trevino, MD, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, Virginia
Arti P. Varanasi, PhD, Advancing Synergy, LLC, Baltimore, Maryland
Heather K. Beasley, PhD, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

This session provides a unique opportunity for early-career AACR Associate members to participate in 15-minute one-on-one conversations with distinguished cancer researchers from across various sectors—including academia, government, and industry. Distinguished session chairs will moderate informal discussions on important topics in the general session while one-on-one discussions are underway, and participants will have an opportunity to informally network with peers and members of the organizing groups to gain additional perspectives about various career topics. Participation in general session discussion of important topics is open to all. Pre-registration is required to participate in one-on-one conversations.

NAVIGATING a PATH TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN CANCER RESEARCH

Monday, April 28 | 7-9 p.m.
N Hall C | McCormick Place Convention Center

Chairs:
Brian M. Rivers, PhD, MPH, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Luz M. Rodriguez, MD, NCI Division of Cancer Prevention, Rockville, Maryland
Pablo Sanchis, PhD, University of Buenos Aires, Institute of Biological Chemistry (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

This exciting and interactive session and networking reception provides a forum in which students, early-career researchers, and early-stage investigators can discuss critical career development topics and survival skills during informal mentored roundtable discussions. Tables with pre-determined professional development topics are facilitated by established scientists from a variety of sectors, including academia, government, and industry and biotech, nonprofit, and nontraditional.

BUILDING YOUR EFFECTIVE MENTORSHIP TEAM: CHALLENGES, SUCCESSES, AND ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES AT EVERY STAGE IN YOUR CAREER

Tuesday, April 29 | 7-8:30 p.m.
Great Lakes EFG | Marriott Marquis McCormick

Chairs:
Shiva Malek, PhD, Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research, Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Ruben A. Mesa, MD, Wake Foret Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Sandra W. Ryeom, PhD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
Kristin A. Altwegg, PhD, NIH-NCATS (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences), Bethesda, Maryland

Navigating a successful career in cancer research, whether in academia, industry, or government, can be daunting. Establishing a team of mentors to guide you along the way is an essential step as you begin your journey. This session features cancer researchers with a strong commitment to mentoring and supporting the professional development of cancer research investigators. Hear their stories and learn how to build and take full advantage of an effective mentoring team, whether you are a trainee, an early-stage investigator or a later stage investigator considering a career change.

Additional Professional development Opportunities

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP: WOMEN AND POWER-ADVANCING AND SECURING YOUR CAREER IN SCIENCE

Saturday, April 26 | Lunch: 11-11:45 a.m.; Workshop: 12-4 p.m.
S505 | McCormick Place Convention Center

Sponsored by The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers, in partnership with Pelotonia and AACR-Women in Cancer Research (WICR), this highly interactive, professional development workshop will focus on leadership training for women in science, at all stages of their careers. The four-hour workshop will consist of a plenary session and small group exercises where attendees will hone their ability to learn how they can build and maintain their personal resilience; be able to identify external as well as internal stressors over the lifespan; be empowered to drive positive change to decrease their stress levels and to enhance mental and physical well-being; and strengthen your connection to and network with women colleagues. The workshop will be led by hfp consulting, a globally-recognized firm who specializes in career development and leadership training exclusively for scientists. Email wicr@aacr.org with questions.

Productive Peer Review: Improving Science while Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Monday, April 28 | 5:30-7 p.m.
Jackson AB | Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

Chairs:
Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Christine M. Lovly, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee

Moderated by Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue, Editor-in-Chief of Cancer Research, and Christine M. Lovly, Cancer Discovery Scientific Editor, this interactive session will focus on how to become a proficient reviewer and how to effectively respond to reviewers’ comments. The Editors will share examples and tips for communication and lead discussions with the session participants.