Register today for the 2025 AACI/AACR Hill Day, Thursday, May 22, in Washington, DC.
AACI Update | May 2025
Headlines
Spring Filled With Advocacy Activities and Events for AACI
This spring, AACI participated in several activities to address the ongoing crisis in cancer research funding and other issues impacting AACI cancer centers. These included a Government Relations Forum in New York City, powerful testimony before a U.S. Senate committee on the importance of cancer research funding, and visits to congressional offices on Capitol Hill.
Register Today for the 2025 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
Registration is now open for the 2025 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting, which will take place October 19-21 at the Salamander Washington, DC. Preceding the meeting, on October 18, AACI will host the Impact Summit, in partnership with the American Cancer Society and the Cancer Center Network.
Abstract Winners Announced for 17th Annual AACI CRI Meeting
The AACI Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) Steering Committee, with the assistance of peer reviewers from CRI committees and volunteers, has selected three abstracts from 157 submissions for formal presentation at the 17th Annual AACI CRI Meeting, June 23-25, at the Loews Chicago O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL.
Cancer Research Ally Award Recipients Announced
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) will be honored with the Cancer Research Ally Award before the 2025 AACI/AACR Hill Day, which will be held Thursday, May 22 in Washington, DC. The awards will be presented during an evening reception on Wednesday, May 21.
Cancer Center Leaders Sign on to AACI Letter on NIH Policy Change
On April 24, AACI submitted a letter to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, which expressed concerns about the policy change proposed by NIH to move all grant reviews to the Center for Scientific Review beginning in January 2026. The letter was signed by AACI Executive Director Jennifer W. Pegher and by leaders from more than 40 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers.
Flatiron Joins AACI Tech Gold
AACI welcomes Flatiron to its Tech Gold members. Flatiron Health is a healthtech company expanding the possibilities for point of care oncology solutions and using data for good to power smarter care for every person with cancer. Through machine learning and AI, real-world evidence, and clinical trial breakthroughs, we are transforming patients’ experiences into knowledge and creating a more modern, connected oncology ecosystem.”
May is National Cancer Research Month
Initiated by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), National Cancer Research Month highlights the importance of lifesaving research to the millions of people around the world affected by the collection of devastating diseases we call cancer.
News from the Centers
Chernoff Elected to Association of American Physicians
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Fox Chase Cancer Center Director Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD, was recently elected to the Association of American Physicians (AAP). Founded in 1885 by Sir William Osler, who is considered the father of modern medicine, the AAP is an honorary medical society that fosters physician-led research across fields related to medicine and health.
Brown Inducted Into AIMBE College of Fellows
The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai
Brian Brown, PhD, director of the Icahn Genomics Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, has been elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).
Ruggero Receives Rare Renewal of ACS Professorship
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Davide Ruggero, PhD, has received a rare renewal of his American Cancer Society (ACS) Professorship – one of the most selective honors in cancer research. Reserved for visionary scientists whose work has reshaped their fields, the ACS Professorship is awarded to only a handful of researchers nationwide.
Locke Honored as Researcher of the Year
Moffitt Cancer Center
Each year, Moffitt Cancer Center recognizes outstanding faculty members with the W. Jackson Pledger Researcher of the Year Award. This year, the honor goes to Frederick Locke, MD, an expert in CAR T-cell therapy. Dr. Locke is a member of AACI's Cellular Therapy Initiative steering committee.
Four Cancer Center Members Named AAAS Fellows
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Four Rogel Cancer Center members earned election to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2024. They are: Kathleen Collins, MD, PhD; Andrzej Dlugosz, MD; David Markovitz, MD; and Arvind Rao, PhD.
Mackall Receives AACR Award
Stanford Cancer Institute
Crystal Mackall, MD, was announced as the recipient of the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-Cancer Research Institute Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology. She is being honored for her contributions to cancer immunotherapy, including enhancing CAR T-cell therapies, defining resistance mechanisms, advancing consensus treatment algorithms, and leading clinical trials.
$2 Million Grant to Study How Cancer Cells Evade Immune System
University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center
Eric Bartee, PhD, is studying how to use viruses to fight cancer. He has a $2 million grant to study how cells detect and rid themselves of viruses and hopes to make oncolytic therapy more effective by studying how cancer cells evade the immune system.
Rathmell Named CEO of The James
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, has accepted the role of CEO of OSUCCC – The James. Pending approval by the university board of trustees, she will start on May 27. Dr. Rathmell served as the 17th director of the National Cancer Institute from December 2023 to January 2025.
Leach to Step Down as Director
Dartmouth Cancer Center
Steven Leach, MD, director of the Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC) has announced his intention to step down as director in early 2026. He has led the DCC through two successful National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center renewals, increased total grant funding by more than 50 percent, and overseen a sevenfold increase in clinical trial accruals. Dr. Leach has been a member of AACI's Board of Directors since 2022.
OHSU Director Announces Departure
OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
Thomas A. Sellers, PhD, MPH, has stepped down as director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute after a year in the position. Lisa Coussens, PhD, FAACR, FAIO, has been named interim director. Dr. Sellers has served on the AACI Board of Directors and AACI’s Annual Meeting Program Committee.
Pounardjian Appointed to Administrative Leadership Roles
Rutgers Cancer Institute
RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute have appointed H. John Pounardjian, MBA, as chief financial and administrative officer and deputy director for administration and planning. Pounardjian will take over for Linda Tanzer who will be retiring after 30 years in the position.
Parekh Named Director of the Center of Excellence for Multiple Myeloma
The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai
Samir Parekh, MD, a hematologist and researcher, has been named director of the Center of Excellence for Multiple Myeloma at The Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Parekh comes from a family of hematologists in Mumbai, India, and developed his passion for hematologic research and patient care at an early age.
Kummar Appointed Interim Chief Executive
OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
Shivaani Kummar, MD, FACP, has been appointed as interim Knight Cancer Chief Executive of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. She fills the role previously held by Brian Druker, MD. Dr. Kummar will also serve in a newly established position as chief of the Cancer Business Unit.
Thompson Appointed Associate Director of Strategy
The University of Arizona Cancer Center
Patricia Thompson, PhD, has been appointed to serve the University of Arizona Cancer Center as associate director of strategy. She will join the center’s Scientific Leadership Council and will work closely with cancer center Director Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, and fellow associate directors to guide the implementation of a strategic roadmap for the cancer center.
New Target for Prostate Cancer Treatment
Duke Cancer Institute
Jenny Freedman, PhD, member of the Duke Cancer Institute Center for Prostate and Urologic Cancers, explains how a natural gene-splicing process can run amok, producing prostate cancer cells. Dr. Freedman’s team’s discovery provides a promising new target for cancer treatment.
Challenges and Opportunities in Training Cancer Researchers
Cancer Biology Training Consortium
Training the next generation of cancer researchers is essential for the cancer research enterprise. However, training programs and methods to evaluate their effectiveness vary greatly across the USA and other countries. Workshops held during national meetings of the Cancer Biology Training Consortium highlighted strategies to enhance cancer education and processes by which training may be standardized.
Patient Navigators Improve Colonoscopy Rates After Abnormal Stool Tests, Study Shows
The University of Arizona Cancer Center
A University of Arizona Health Sciences-led study found that patients are more likely to get colonoscopies following abnormal stool test results if patient navigators assist them through the process. The paper showed that 55 percent of patients who were assigned to a patient navigator received follow-up colonoscopies within a year, compared with 42.5 percent of those who received usual care without a navigator.
Scientists Publish Review of Groundbreaking Research Into Key Mechanism of Cancer
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Histone lysine demethylases, or KDMs, were first documented in 2004 in a groundbreaking study that led to new understandings about the genetic mechanisms of cancer and other diseases. Now, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have marked the 20th anniversary of this landmark discovery with a new paper that reviews two decades of research and advances.
Researchers Identify Gene That Could Lead to More Effective Treatment for Patients With Ovarian Cancer
University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center
In a study co-led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine, researchers have identified a "master regulator" gene, ZNFX1, that may act as a biomarker to help guide treatment in future clinical trials involving patients with therapy-resistant ovarian cancer.
A Comprehensive Map of the Human Cell
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center
Scientists at UC San Diego—in collaboration with researchers at Stanford University, Harvard Medical School, and the University of British Columbia—have created a comprehensive, interactive map of U2OS cells, which are associated with pediatric bone tumors.
Older Adults Respond Well to Immunotherapy Despite Age-Related Immune System Differences
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Older adults with cancer respond just as well as younger patients to immune checkpoint inhibitors despite age-related immune system differences, according to a study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and the Johns Hopkins Convergence Institute. The study was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.
Tumor Byproduct Blocks Immune Cells From Fighting Cancer
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
A team of researchers from the University of Chicago, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, has identified a novel oncometabolite that accumulates in tumors and impairs immune cells’ ability to fight cancer.
Study Reveals Key Mechanism Behind Prostate Cancer Drug Resistance
UK Markey Cancer Center
A team of UK Markey Cancer Center researchers have found the mechanism that grants prostate cancer resistance to enzalutamide. Prostate cancer patients who don’t respond to usual hormonal treatments are given enzalutamide. These medications block androgens from binding to their receptors, which disrupts their normal behavior and can slow down prostate cancer progression.
Research Reveals a Hidden Vulnerability of Lung Cancer
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Treatment resistance and relapse in the most common type of lung cancer can be traced to a protein called agrin, according to a preclinical study led by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Positive Lung Cancer Screening Exams More Frequent in National Clinical Practice Than Research Trials
Duke Cancer Institute
A recent study sheds new light on the prevalence of positive lung cancer screenings in patients following a low-dose chest CT (LDCT) for lung cancer screening. The research compared clinical screening results from the American College of Radiology’s Lung Cancer Screening Registry, a national registry of LDCT screening exams, to results from the National Lung Screening Trial.
Study Points to Strategy to Overcome Lung Cancer Drug Resistance
University of Florida Health Cancer Center
UF Health Cancer Center researchers have discovered a crucial mechanism by which a common gene mutation leads to resistance against platinum-based chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.
Markey Team Discovers Gut Hormone Role in Fatty Liver Disease
UK Markey Cancer Center
UK Markey Cancer Center researchers have identified a mechanism by which a gut hormone contributes to fatty liver disease, offering potential new targets for treating the common condition. The study examined both human liver samples and mouse models to show how neurotensin plays a direct role in the development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
Reflecting on the FDA Approval of Palbociclib to Treat Most Common Type of Breast Cancer
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
In the mid-2000s, when a team of researchers led by Dennis Slamon, MD, PhD, and Richard Finn, MD, began investigating a compound developed by Pfizer called PD-0332991, few thought it would fly. Today, that drug—palbociclib, marketed as Ibrance—has transformed the treatment of estrogen-receptor positive and HER2-negative breast cancer.
Editorial Supports Continued Immunotherapy After Surgery to Improve Outcomes for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients
Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University
An editorial argues that patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer who achieve a complete pathological response after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy should still receive adjuvant immunotherapy to increase their chances of long-term survival.
New Research Points to a Promising Strategy for Treating Metastatic Medulloblastoma
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and collaborating institutions have discovered a novel line of communication between metastatic medulloblastoma and leptomeningeal fibroblasts that mediates recruitment and reprogramming of the latter to support tumor growth.
RNA 'Typos' Can Highlight Leukemia Cells for Immune Attack
Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Looking beyond DNA, Fred Hutch and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center scientists found that common RNA splicing-factor mutations in myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia cells create cancer-specific "typos" that T cells can read. For the first time, they isolated these T cells, which could form the basis for a "surgically targeted" option for blood cancers that lack effective immunotherapies.
Scientists Create a Type of Catalog of Non-Cancerous Cells' Influence on Cancer
Stanford Cancer Institute
Stanford Medicine scientists are using artificial intelligence to better capture how healthy cells surrounding tumors influence cancer cell behavior and how those interactions can inform treatments.
Space-Age Lessons Could Protect Childhood Cancer Survivor Bone Health
Comprehensive Cancer Center St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
In the 1960s, astronauts returned from microgravity with decreased bone density. This decrease revealed that bones must undergo constant stress to grow and maintain themselves. Survivors of childhood cancer are one group unexpectedly impacted by this revelation. These two distinct groups share a connection in the loss of bone density occurring during a significant life event.
How to Prime Tumors to Be Defeated by Cancer Immunotherapy
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
The latest UCSF research has reexamined immunotherapy clinical trial data on bladder and skin cancer and found that "cold" tumors, ones that haven’t yet been infiltrated by immune cells, are just as vulnerable to checkpoint inhibitors as "hot" tumors, which have. These study findings create the possibility that a wider range of tumors could be treated with immune-stimulating drugs.
Quitting Menthol Cigarettes is Hard, But a New Study Will Test the Best Way to Do It
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Nearly half of Americans who smoke use menthol cigarettes, which are harder to quit. A new University of Michigan study will test the best way to help menthol cigarette smokers break that habit. The five-year, multimillion dollar study, funded by the nonprofit Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), will work with 1,200 adults who smoke menthol cigarettes.
Genetic Mutations Link Could Lead to New Therapies for AML
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York have found a link between two genetic mutations in a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which could lead to new ways to treat the disease.
Mutated Blood Cells Define Clinical Risks in LCH, Paving Way for Better Diagnosis and Treatment
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine
A nationwide team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh has proposed a major revision to how Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is diagnosed and treated after analyzing patients with LCH for several years.
Breaking Ground on a New Facility
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah broke ground on its second comprehensive cancer center on April 8. Situated in Vineyard, the new site will reduce travel time by more than an hour each way for thousands of patients. Mary Beckerle, PhD, (pictured) is chief executive officer of Huntsman.
Capital Projects to Expand Health Care Access Across West Virginia
WVU Cancer Institute
The West Virginia University (WVU) Health System has unveiled a new round of projects totaling more than $460 million that will further expand access to health care in West Virginia and create hundreds of jobs. The projects include a four-story, 127,000-square-foot outpatient cancer center affiliated with the WVU Cancer Institute in Wheeling.
YesRx, Karmanos and McLaren Partner to Help Michigan Cancer Patients
Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University
Michigan residents impacted by cancer have a new resource to help address the financial burden and the waste of unused cancer medication. YesRx coordinates and supports Cancer Drug Repository Programs that help individuals with cancer get the medication they need for free and donate unused medication to others in need across Michigan.
Supporting Families Through Pediatric Cancer
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
For pediatric psychologist Carolyn Bates, PhD, understanding how family life is upended during a child’s cancer treatment has become her life’s work, revealing the impact of disrupted routines on the well-being of both children and their families.
Cardio-Oncology Symposium Cultivates Innovative Research
University of Florida Health Cancer Center
By bringing together clinicians, patient advocates, and researchers across disciplines, the UF Cardio-Oncology Symposium provided an engaging forum to spark new research collaborations. The event showcased how innovations in precision medicine, early detection, and multidisciplinary collaboration are ensuring that the cancer patient of today does not become the cardiac patient of tomorrow.
Frontiers Symposium Showcases Innovations in Cancer Care and AI
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Frontiers Symposium on Transformation in Cancer Care Delivery brought together top researchers, clinicians, and industry innovators to explore transformative models in cancer care.
Cancer Center Jobs
Chief Administrative Officer /Associate Director Research Administration
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Read moreMeeting Announcements
17th Annual AACI CRI Meeting
June 23, 2025
Register today for the 17th Annual AACI CRI Meeting, June 23-25, 2025, at Loews Chicago O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL.
2025 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
October 19, 2025
Save the date for the 2025 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting, October 19-21, at Salamander Washington DC.