The Rural Health and Cancer Conference aims to improve rural cancer outcomes by convening a wide-array of experts from across the nation in rural cancer healthcare delivery and building cross-disciplinary collaborations amongst rural cancer health experts.
AACI Update | June 2026
Headlines
Rudin Named Director at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Charles Rudin, MD, PhD, was appointed director of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), effective June 1, as reported in The Cancer Letter. Dr. Rudin has served as the cancer center deputy director since 2023. He also co-directs of the Druckenmiller Center focused on pre-clinical lung cancer research at MSK and has led the National Cancer Institute’s Small Cell Lung Cancer Research Consortium since its inception in 2015.
CRI Breakout Session: Five-Minute Wins
A new breakout session at the 18th Annual AACI Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) Meeting will give participants a forum to celebrate their successes and share replicable ideas with their peers.
"Five-Minute Wins" will highlight common challenges and proven solutions during two, one-hour breakout sessions at 10:45 am and 2:15 pm central time on Wednesday, June 24. Each presenter will have five minutes to share a challenge, their team's approach to the problem, and measurable outcomes.
2026 AACI Leadership Development Workshop Slated for October
Formerly a standalone meeting, the AACI Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) has been added to the slate of professional development opportunities offered in conjunction with the 2026 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting. AACI invites cancer center directors to select one emerging leader from their cancer center to attend the 2026 workshop, October 24-25, at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile.
AACI Seeks CRI Steering Committee Nominations
The AACI Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) Steering Committee is seeking nominations for a chair-elect and three new members. The CRI Steering Committee helps guide and implement activities at clinical trials offices at AACI member institutions. Nominations are due by 5:00 pm Pacific time on Wednesday, July 1.
United by Cancer Research: Advocates Come Together at 2026 AACI/AACR Hill Day
On Thursday, May 14, AACI co-hosted its annual joint Hill Day with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), making the signature advocacy event a centerpiece of National Cancer Research Month. The timing gave attendees an ideal opportunity to reflect on decades of progress against cancer while embracing the future of cancer research and the lifesaving discoveries it holds.
Photos by Phojestic Photography
AACI Executive Director Speaks at Press Conference in Support of K.O. Cancer Act
On Tuesday, May 19, AACI Executive Director Jennifer W. Pegher called on federal legislators to significantly expand support for cancer research and patient care by passing the Knock Out (K.O.) Cancer Act (H.R. 3873). Pegher joined the bill’s sponsors, Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), co-chairs of the bipartisan House Cancer Caucus, to deliver remarks outside the United States Capitol.
Photo by Jaren Love
Senate Appropriators Examine Research Funding Environment
On Thursday, May 21, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request. The hearing included testimony from NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, and NCI Director Anthony Letai, MD, PhD. Members discussed a range of issues relevant to academic cancer centers and the broader biomedical research enterprise, including grant funding, workforce stability, research infrastructure, and access to clinical trials.
AACI Forms CRI Task Force to Develop AI Resources, Guidance
A breakout session on artificial intelligence (AI) at the 2025 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting sparked thought-provoking conversations — and a new task force. Recognizing the growing role of AI in cancer clinical research, AACI formed the Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) AI Task Force last fall. The group meets monthly to discuss the responsible use of AI in cancer center operations and develop frameworks and best practices.
News from the Centers
Odunsi Receives Ellis Island Medal of Honor
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor on May 16, during a gala at the historic immigration gateway. Dr. Odunsi, a gynecolgic oncologist who hails from Nigeria, is the director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center and a former member of AACI's Board of Directors.
Saphier Nominated for Surgeon General
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) congratulates Nicole B. Saphier, MD, on her nomination to become the next Surgeon General of the United States. Over her decade of service to the MSK community, Dr. Saphier has been a tireless advocate for women’s health and early cancer detection, expanding access to breast cancer screening, and raising awareness at a community and national level.
Jiang Recognized for Statistical Innovation
Siteman Cancer Center
WashU Medicine cancer biostatistician Shu (Joy) Jiang, PhD, has received the Annie T. Randall Innovator Award for early-career statistical innovators from the American Statistical Association. The award was named in honor of pioneering Black female statistician Annie T. Randall for her career in government amid pervasive racial discrimination.
Reddy Appointed to Top Medical Society Leadership Positions
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Sanjay S. Reddy, MD, FACS, was recently appointed vice chair of the Surgical Oncology Program Directors Committee within the Society of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Reddy was also appointed secretary of the new joint Pennsylvania chapter of the American College of Surgeons.
USF Student Wins Top Award at AACI CADEx Conference
Moffitt Cancer Center
Aarya Satardekar, MPH, received first place in the abstract competition at the 2026 AACI Catchment Area Data Excellence (CADEx) Conference in Atlanta this past March. Satardekar, a Class of 2026 graduate from the University of South Florida College of Public Health, addressed differences in cancer mortality based on distance to cancer screening and treatment locations. There were 48 total abstracts submitted to the conference.
Utah Investment in AI and Computing to Advance Health and Discovery
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Totaling more than $33 million, investments by the State of Utah in major new health and technology initiatives, including support for the Utah Health Artificial Intelligence Vault, will position the state to lead the nation in AI-enabled health innovation, while ensuring that impactful resources are stewarded responsibly.
CPRIT Awards More Than $12 Million for Cancer Research
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine
Researchers at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine have been awarded more than $12 million in grants by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to support innovative cancer research, treatments, and training programs. CPRIT awarded more than $103 million in grants to institutions across Texas, including eight grants to Baylor, to advance the fight against cancer.
Stanford and ACS Plan Hope Lodge for Patients and Families
Stanford Cancer Institute
Stanford Health Care commits $10 million to help the American Cancer Society (ACS) build a new Hope Lodge to provide temporary lodging for cancer patients and family members traveling to the Bay Area for treatment.
Researchers Help Lead National Effort to Improve Care for Patients With Glioblastoma
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center are part of a new multi-institution research effort aimed at improving care and outcomes for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, this initiative is part of $8 million in grants to teams across five cancer research centers to tackle some of the biggest challenges in glioblastoma.
$3.8 Million Grant Focuses on Molecular Studies That Could Improve Treatment for Inflammatory Disease, Cancer
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
A five-year, $3.8 million federal grant will help researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – The James study the workings of a signaling pathway molecule called STING (stimulator of interferon genes) and evaluate its importance in antitumor immune response following cancer treatment.
Researchers Awarded $1.9 Million to Study Treatment-Resistant Cancers
UK Markey Cancer Center
UK Markey Cancer Center researchers Xia Liu, PhD, and Ka Wing Fong, PhD, have each received a Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society, securing a combined $1.9 million to fund laboratory studies that may lead to new or more effective treatments for patients with few options.
Melanoma Research Alliance Announces Grant
Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center
The Melanoma Research Alliance has granted a Team Science Award to a team led by Poulikos Poulikakos, PhD. The team will develop novel tumor-selective RAF inhibitors for melanomas driven by RAS mutations or dimeric BRAF mutants, cancers that are intrinsically resistant or have acquired resistance to current therapies.
Altieri to Move to Jefferson in 2027
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson
Dario C. Altieri, MD, has been named special advisor to the director of Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and a professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology of Sidney Kimmel Medical College. He is the director of Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center of The Wistar Institute and a past member of AACI's Board of Directors.
Jernigan Named Cancer Service Line Director
LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center
Amelia Jernigan, MD, professor of Gynecological Oncology at LSU Health New Orleans, has been named cancer service line director at LCMC Health. The strategic leadership role is focused on advancing coordinated, high-quality cancer care across the health system and expanding access to comprehensive oncology services for patients throughout the region.
Zurawsky to Retire After 18 Years at AACI
Association of American Cancer Institutes
AACI announces the retirement of Chris Zurawsky, MS, MPPM, director of communications, effective June 1. Since 2008, Zurawsky has played a key role in shaping AACI publications, including AACI Update, Commentary, and the annual report. Drawing from decades of work in newsrooms, Zurawsky approached AACI communications with curiosity, a critical eye, and attention to detail. He is succeeded by Emily E. Stimmel, MA.
Study Dramatically Expands Therapeutic Range of Approved Kinase Drugs
Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Rare cancer expert Taran Gujral, PhD, cares more about what a cancer drug can do than what it is designed to do. His lab at Fred Hutch Cancer Center investigates a promising target for cancer drugs — enzymes called kinases, which send signals regulating almost every activity in a healthy cell’s life cycle including growth, division, and the controlled death of damaged cells.
Study Identifies PHIP as a Novel Dependency in Cancers Driven by SWI/SNF Mutations
Comprehensive Cancer Center St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
As many as one in four cancers are driven by mutations in the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, which controls access to DNA. A study led by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recently identified the gene-regulatory protein PHIP as a critical vulnerability in cancers driven by broad SWI/SNF inactivation. The work revealed PHIP as a potential therapeutic target for cancers, including rhabdoid tumors in children, and other hard-to-treat malignancies.
Challenging Understanding of mRNA Vaccines to Make Them More Effective
Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center
A study from Brian Brown, PhD, and colleagues provides insights into how different cell types can affect the immune response to mRNA-encoded antigens. The study introduces a powerful technology to control the expression of mRNA drugs, which the researchers demonstrate can enhance the effectiveness of mRNA cancer vaccines in preclinical studies of lymphoma.
Personalized Glioblastoma Vaccine Shows Promise
Siteman Cancer Center
A personalized glioblastoma vaccine is safe and elicits robust and broad immune responses that appear to increase recurrence-free survival in a subset of patients after surgery, according to an early-stage clinical trial co-led by WashU Medicine researchers at Siteman Cancer Center.
Targeted Therapy Drug Shows Early Promise Against KRAS-Driven Lung and Pancreatic Cancers
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
A first-in-human clinical trial led by an international team of researchers found that setidegrasib, an investigational targeted therapy drug designed to eliminate a key cancer-driving protein called KRAS G12D, shows encouraging early activity in patients with advanced lung and pancreatic cancers. The therapy shrank tumors in some patients and delayed disease progression, marking a potential step forward for cancers with few targeted treatment options.
Real-World Study Compares Leading ALK+ Lung Cancer Therapies
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
A team of researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the USC Shaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics have conducted a head-to-head comparison of five leading treatments for anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer. It is the first study to analyze two new drugs, lorlatinib and brigatinib, outside of clinical trials.
Phase I Trial of Alrizomadlin Shows Promise in Targeting Metastatic Salivary Gland Cancers
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Salivary gland cancers are a rare type of tumor, affecting approximately 2500 patients in the United States each year. The most common type of salivary gland cancer is adenoid cystic carcinoma, which affects the glands that release saliva, tears, and sweat. University of Michigan researchers, in partnership with Ascentage Pharma, have developed a drug known as alrizomadlin, or APG-115, to target metastatic salivary gland cancers.
Experimental Drug Shows Promise for Some Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer
Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina
An experimental drug that blocks a pathway involved in sphingolipid metabolism showed potential for a subset of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. A clinical trial led by researchers at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center and Winship Cancer Institute found that about 15 percent of patients taking the novel therapy along with abiraterone and 9 percent taking it with enzalutamide experienced disease control at 16 weeks.
A Blood Test Reveals Neighborhoods of Cells in Tumors, Predicts Immunotherapy Responses
Stanford Cancer Institute
Researchers at the Stanford Cancer Institute and Mayo Clinic detail the first blood test to study the tumor microenvironment. The study revealed nine spatial ecotypes that cancers of all types share, some of which correlate with a tumor's response to immunotherapy and a patient's prognosis.
Scientists Discover How Gut Bacteria Toxin Invades Colon Cells to Trigger Cancer
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Since a landmark 2009 study, researchers have known that a common gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, drives colon tumor formation, potentially leading to colorectal cancer, by secreting a toxin that damages the lining of the colon. But until now, how the toxin latches onto those cells remained a mystery. A multi-institutional team led by the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has identified the missing link.
Should Immunotherapy Become the First Line of Treatment for Metastatic Cancer?
Duke Cancer Institute
For many years, the focus of cancer treatment has been to kill or destroy cancer cells with chemotherapy and radiation. But new research from the Duke Cancer Institute is shifting how doctors view cancer and approach treatment decisions.
New AI Tool Could Replace Costly Cancer Gene Expression Profiling
Cedars-Sinai Cancer
A team led by Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University investigators has created a faster, cheaper way to determine the genes expressed in cancerous tumors. The AI-based tool could make personalized cancer treatment available to more patients. The new tool, called Path2Space, predicts gene expression across the tumor area based on digital images of biopsy slides.
UC Team First to Achieve Complete Remission of Aggressive Pituitary Tumor Through Immunotherapy
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute’s Brain Tumor Center have been confirmed as the first in the world to achieve complete remission of a rare pituitary cancer using a novel immunotherapy treatment.
Collaboration to Test Ultra-Sensitive Blood-Based Assay for Early-Stage Lung Cancer Recurrence Risk
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Fox Chase Cancer Center has announced a new clinical trial collaboration with Labcorp, a global leader of innovative and comprehensive laboratory services. The study will evaluate Labcorp Plasma Detect Genome MRD, a highly sensitive, tumor-informed, whole-genome sequencing-based test, to assess risk of recurrence in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.
Could K17 Be a Key Treatment Target for Pancreatic Cancer?
Stony Brook Cancer Center
A national team of cancer researchers led by scientists at Stony Brook Medicine and Yale School of Medicine investigated the role of Keratin 17 (K17) in the most common form of pancreatic cancer. They discovered that the protein is a key driver for chemoresistance to gemcitabine, an agent that is often used to treat a wide range of cancers, including advanced tumors of the pancreas, lung, and breast.
Inhibiting Regulator Protein Can Make Aggressive Prostate Cancers More Vulnerable
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Researchers at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center have shown that a key regulator protein plays a critical role in the development of the most aggressive form of prostate cancer. The newly reported findings resolve earlier conflicting reports about the role of BCL-2, a key regulator protein, in "castration-resistant" prostate cancer.
Inherited Long Telomeres May Drive Broad Risk for Lymphoid Cancers
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Telomere Clinic at Johns Hopkins have identified a genetic syndrome in which unusually long telomeres—the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes—allow immune cells to remain biologically "younger" for longer than normal, predisposing affected individuals to lymphoma and other cancers.
Using Light, AI to See Cancer in Real Time
Duke Cancer Institute
Researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) are working with collaborators to explore a faster, less invasive way to detect and analyze head and neck cancers using light and artificial intelligence. In a recent study, a DCI team partnered with the University of California, Los Angeles, to show how a light-based imaging technique combined with machine learning could help distinguish cancerous tissue with high accuracy. The work is continuing at Johns Hopkins University.
Despite Breakthroughs, Many Go Without Treatment for Metastatic Lung Cancer
Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina
Lung cancer pulmonologists at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center have reported that half of older patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer do not receive systemic therapy. Although it’s difficult to know how many were too sick to be treated by the time they were diagnosed, a significant minority appeared to be suitable candidates for treatment.
New Dual-Target Drug May Help Overcome Immunotherapy Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Only two treatment regimens are available for pancreatic cancers, and they have limited efficacy due to immunotherapy resistance. Now, a team of researchers from the College of Pharmacy and Rogel Cancer Center at the University of Michigan has developed a new strategy to improve immunotherapy treatments.
Multidrug Nanofiber Shows Promise for Treating Brain Cancer
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center
Researchers with the University of Cincinnati and Johns Hopkins University developed a potential treatment for brain cancer that uses nanofibers embedded with a combination of drugs that work in concert to target tumors. The drugs proved more effective in combination than when administered alone and can provide both immediate and long-lasting doses to kill cancer cells.
Study Finds Barriers to Hormone Therapy for Patients With Cervical Cancer
UK Markey Cancer Center
Most oncologists say they would prescribe hormone therapy to cervical cancer patients who experience early menopause from radiation treatment, but barriers are keeping many from doing so in practice, according to a new UK Markey Cancer Center study.
NCI Director Participates in 'Mountainside Chat'
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
National Cancer Institute Director Anthony Letai, MD, PhD, visited Huntsman Cancer Institute to discuss cancer research and care with AACI Vice President/President-elect Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS, chief scientific officer and executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Alana Welm, PhD, senior director of basic science. The event drew over 500 researchers, caregivers, and staff.
Global Conference Focuses on Indigenous Peoples and Cancer
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Rodney C. Haring, PhD, MSW (Seneca Nation, Beaver Clan), chair of the Department of Indigenous Cancer Health at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, co-delivered the opening plenary at the 2026 World Indigenous Cancer Conference in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand). More than 700 delegates representing over 30 countries attended the global conference.
Reminder: Register Today for the PCLI Medical-Legal Partnerships Webinar
Association of American Cancer Institutes
AACI's Physician Clinical Leadership Initiative (PCLI) will host a webinar titled "Medical-Legal Partnerships: Breaking Barriers in Cancer Care" at 2:00 pm eastern time next Tuesday, June 9. Attendees will explore the role of medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) in cancer care, the history and evolution of the model, and how MLPs can be integrated into cancer centers to better support patients and advance patient-centered care.
Stay Alert for Phishing and Fraud Attempts
Association of American Cancer Institutes
Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting associations and their members through phishing emails that use publicly available information to appear legitimate. AACI staff and leadership will never ask you to purchase gift cards, make payments to vendors, share passwords, or provide sensitive financial information. If you receive a suspicious message that appears to come from AACI, do not respond or click any links. Instead, contact AACI directly to verify the request.
Cancer Center Jobs
Faculty Position, Associate/Full Professor - Environmental Cancer Epidemiology
Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center
Read moreOpen Rank Faculty Positions, Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program
Houston Methodist Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center
Read moreProject Coordinator PRMC/DSMC
Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Read moreAssociate Professor or Professor of Head and Neck Cancer Oncology
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Read morePost-Doctoral Research Fellow - Functional Genomics and RNA Biology
Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Read moreMeeting Announcements
Rural Health and Cancer Conference
June 2, 2026
18th Annual AACI Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) Meeting
June 23, 2026
The 3-day CRI annual meeting includes panel discussions, breakout sessions, and presentations of abstracts and posters, which aim to establish best practices for cancer center clinical trials offices.
Support Opportunities
Cancer Center Community Impact Forum
September 27, 2026
The Cancer Center Community Impact Forum (CCCIF) is a national annual meeting of NCI Designated Cancer Center professionals and professionals at cancer centers working towards designation who are dedicated to advancing community-engaged cancer control. The meeting is hosted by the Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Cancer Consortium.
2026 AACI Leadership Development Workshop
October 24, 2026
The 2026 AACI Leadership Development Workshop will be held in conjunction with the 2026 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting.
This event convenes emerging leaders for didactic and experiential leadership development sessions. An offshoot of Dr. Caryn Lerman’s AACI presidential initiative, the workshop aims to enhance the oncology leadership pipeline with top talent.
Support Opportunities
2026 Impact Summit
October 24, 2026
The 2026 Impact Summit will be held in conjunction with the 2026 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting.
Co-hosted by AACI and the Cancer Center Network, the Impact Summit brings together cancer center leaders, researchers, and other stakeholders for a dynamic one-day event focused on strengthening the future of cancer center leadership and workforce development.
Support Opportunities
2026 New Cancer Center Directors Meeting
October 24, 2026
The 2026 New Cancer Center Directors Meeting will be held in conjunction with the 2026 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting. Participation in this meeting is by invitation only.
2026 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
October 25, 2026
The 3-day AACI/CCAF annual meeting offers AACI members the opportunity to network with cancer center colleagues, national cancer research and advocacy groups, industry, and government health agencies to develop solutions to common challenges.
Support Opportunities