Since 1993, the AACR has awarded more than $540 million in grants to fund meritorious research projects across the spectrum of cancer science, including basic, translational, and clinical research. See how the AACR grants program has contributed to the AACR's mission.
AACR-supported investigators are contributing to advances in cancer research through studies spanning immunotherapy, tumor biology, genomics, and patient-centered care. Their accomplishments have been made possible, thanks to the support of the AACR and its funding partners.
2020 AACR Swim Across America Fellowship recipient Manisha Jalan, DPhil, reveals a novel DNA repair mechanism in human cells where RNA transcripts, once thought to be passive messengers, actively guide the repair of double-strand breaks. Mediated by the DNA polymerase ζ complex, this RNA-templated repair pathway introduces a new dimension to genome maintenance and challenges long-held biological dogma.
AACR is committed to supporting researchers beyond grant funding. To create opportunities for grantees to share their work, learn from leaders and peers, and build meaningful connections, AACR hosted its second annual Grantee Summit.
Pancreatic cancer outcomes can differ depending on where the disease metastasizes, with lung involvement generally associated with better prognosis than liver involvement. Supported by a 2022 AACR-MPM Oncology Charitable Foundation Transformative Cancer Research Grant, Rushika Perera, PhD and her team at UCSF uncovered a key insight: a protein player in cholesterol metabolism, PCSK9, predicts whether pancreatic cancer cells colonize the liver or lungs. This discovery provides new understanding of metastatic behavior and potential therapeutic strategies.
As breast cancer awareness month approaches, we spotlight the work of Adwoa Bemah Boamah Mensah, PhD, a 2022 recipient of the Beginning Investigator Grant for Catalytic Research (BIG Cat). Dr. Mensah is developing Mbreastcheck, a culturally tailored mobile health app designed to promote early detection and improve cancer care uptake among women in Ghana.
Mariana Bustamante Eduardo, PhD, received the 2023 AACR-Pfizer Breast Cancer Research Fellowship to investigate the early cellular changes in non-transformed breast cells – work that is shedding light on how a lipid metabolism-induced metabolic shift contributes to several hallmarks of cancer.
With support from end-of-year AACR funds, Dr. Yao Yu advanced a novel PROTAC therapeutic strategy targeting the SS18::SSX-WDR5 chromatin complex - disrupting tumor growth and reactivating p53 defenses in a rare but aggressive soft tissue cancer, synovial sarcoma.
A serendipitous observation made possible at least in part by an AACR-PanCAN grant helped lead the way of two-time AACR grant recipient Florencia McAllister, MD. Her journey continues to uncover how microbes play a key role in carcinogenesis and the effectiveness of cancer therapies.
The survival rate for nearly half of children diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma remains tragically low. This devastating outcome is often linked to the amplification of the MYCN gene. Dr. Daniel Harki, recipient of two AACR-Bayer Innovation and Discovery (IND) Grants.
The AACR Annual Meeting 2025 will welcome the global cancer community to the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago on April 25-30. We are thrilled to announce the AACR grantees selected to present their work in oral and poster presentations and are extremely proud and excited about the progress they have made with support from the AACR and its funding partners!