AACR Initiatives

AACR Officers

President 
Keith T. Flaherty, MD, FAACR 

President-elect
Robert H. Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, FAACR 

Past President 
Lillian L. Siu, MD, FAACR, FRCPC 

Treasurer 
Michael A. Caligiuri, MD, FAACR 

Chief Executive Officer
Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc) 

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 65,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 143 countries and territories around the world.
  • Presently, 34 percent of members live outside the United States and 20 percent of AACR’s international members are located in countries building cancer research capacity.
  • AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR) and AACR-Women in Cancer Research (WICR), AACR support 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.
Learn More About AACR Membership

Publications

  • AACR proudly publishes 10 scientific journals of high quality, covering the full spectrum of cancer science and medicine, including the online-only, open access journal, Cancer Research Communications.
  • 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 report(s) 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 Cancer Research Catalyst blog.

AACR Grants Program

  • AACR funds research directly, as well as in cooperation 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 provided over $551 million in funding for cancer research projects in the United States and 32 countries abroad.
Learn More About AACR Research Funding

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 2–7, 2027, in Orlando, Florida.

View the Current List of AACR Conferences

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.
Learn More About AACR Policy and Advocacy Initiatives

AACR Project GENIE®

AACR Project GENIE® is an open-source, international, pan-cancer registry of real-world data assembled through data sharing between a cohort 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.

Learn More About AACR Project GENIE

AACR Foundation

The AACR Foundation provides vital philanthropic support for AACR. Funds raised by the AACR Foundation from individuals, foundations, corporate partners, and others help make AACR’s groundbreaking programs and initiatives possible, advancing the shared mission to prevent and cure all forms of cancer.

Learn More About the AACR Foundation

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’s 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.

Visit AACR Cancer Careers Next Section: AACR President’s Vision: Envisioning the Next Era of Cancer Medicine Through Biological Discoveries Previous Section: AACR Call to Action