AACR Initiatives Accelerating Cancer Research
Mission
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research® (AACR) is to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and funding for cancer research. Through its programs and services, AACR fosters research in cancer and related biomedical science; accelerates the dissemination of new research findings among scientists and others dedicated to the conquest of cancer; promotes science education and training; and advances the understanding of cancer etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment throughout the world.
Membership
- AACR membership includes more than 58,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 141 countries and territories around the world.
- Presently, 34% of members live outside the United States and 20% of AACR’s international members are located in countries building cancer research capacity.
- With AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research and AACR-Women in Cancer Research, AACR supports the professional development and career advancement of underrepresented minority and women scientists in cancer research.
- Open to any AACR member are Scientific Working Groups to explore expanded research opportunities and advance discoveries that lead to greater knowledge and understanding of cancer.
Publications
- With 10 prestigious publications that collectively cover basic cancer biology, translational efforts, clinical investigation, epidemiology, and prevention, the journals of the AACR are trusted channels for rigorously vetted discoveries spanning from bench to bedside.
- Cancer Today® is a magazine for cancer patients and caregivers.
- Leading Discoveries is a magazine highlighting AACR members, programs, and philanthropic initiatives.
- The AACR Cancer Progress Reports are a cornerstone of AACR’s educational and advocacy efforts. The purpose of these reports is to inform Congress and the American public about the unprecedented progress against cancers; underscore the importance of and advocate for federal funding for cancer research; highlight the current challenges; and emphasize the urgent need to address cancer health disparities, with the overarching goal to achieve health equity for all people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or geographic location.
- Other AACR publications include the AACR Annual Impact Report and the blog Cancer Research Catalyst.
AACR Grants Program
- AACR funds research directly, as well as in collaboration with numerous cancer-focused organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, AACR provides expert peer-reviewed grant administration and scientific oversight of team science and individual grants for cancer research projects that have the potential to improve patient outcomes.
- Since establishing its grants program in 1993, AACR has awarded over $542 million in funding for cancer research projects.
Meetings
- AACR hosts more than 30 scientific conferences and educational workshops annually. The largest of these events is the AACR Annual Meeting. The next AACR Annual Meeting will be held April 17-22, 2026, in San Diego, California.
Policy and Advocacy
- The AACR Office of Science Policy and Government Affairs actively communicates with legislators and policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical sciences to reduce cancer-related morbidity and mortality. It also advocates for critical federal cancer research funding.
- The AACR Scientist↔Survivor Program® provides support for cancer survivors and their families.
AACR Project GENIE®
- AACR Project GENIE® is an open access, international, pancancer registry of real-world clinico-genomic data assembled through data sharing between a consortium of leading international cancer centers. The registry leverages ongoing clinical sequencing efforts at participating cancer centers by pooling their data to serve as an evidence base for the entire cancer community.
AACR Foundation
- The AACR Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the AACR. Funds raised by the AACR Foundation from individuals, foundations, corporate partners, and others provide vital support for the AACR’s groundbreaking programs and initiatives—helping advance the AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all forms of cancer.
Professional Development
- AACR supports education and training of cancer scientists and clinicians and provides professional development opportunities and resources to enhance and advance their careers. AACR CancerCareers.org is one resource that offers unparalleled career services and opportunities to cancer biomedical researchers and to potential employers who seek to recruit them.
