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AACI will honor Robert A. Winn, MD, with the inaugural AACI Cancer Health Equity Award during the 2021 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting, which will be held virtually October 19-21. Dr. Winn is AACI’s vice president/president-elect and director of VCU Massey Cancer Center.

AACI is recognizing Dr. Winn for his passionate commitment to improving health equity and his significant positive impact on cancer care in Virginia. Driven by a belief that community engagement is a central component of population health management,

Dr. Winn promotes services that reflect the unique needs and values of the populations they serve. He provides direction for the VCU Massey Office of Health Equity and Disparities Research, which offers a wide variety of health education programming, screenings, and resources for the public. The office aims to identify, communicate, and continuously monitor the cancer burden within the Massey catchment area; collaborate with community stakeholders to develop and implement evidence-based education and screening programs; promote cancer research that focuses on disparities; and promote policy and advocacy-relevant initiatives that impact cancer outcomes.

In addition to his work in the Massey catchment area, Dr. Winn is at the forefront of addressing health disparities, promoting health equity, and advocating for diversity and inclusion in cancer care at the national level. He currently serves as a principal investigator on several community-based projects funded by the NIH and National Cancer Institute, including the All of Us Research Program. He has received national and international acclaim for his efforts to empower underserved patient populations, improve health care delivery, and ensure equal access to cancer care.

Dr. Winn will also oversee the Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program, a partnership with National Medical Fellowships and Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation that seeks to advance clinical trial diversity and improve access to quality health care in underserved patient populations in the U.S., while developing a more diverse medical workforce.