Association of American Cancer Institutes

Clinical Research Innovation

AACI's Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) provides a network for cancer center clinical research leaders to share best practices. Much of CRI’s activity is organized around an annual meeting attended by more than 400 clinical trials leaders from AACI cancer centers, industry representatives, and government agencies, who come together to address common challenges. Member services include access to active listservs, including a community outreach and engagement (COE) listserv, launched in 2021; and the opportunity to participate in working groups and task forces that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; staff retention; and the role of clinical trials office medical directors.

Physician Clinical Leadership

AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting

The AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting convenes hundreds of AACI cancer center members with leaders of national cancer research and advocacy groups, industry, and government health agencies. No other meeting presents information on cancer research and patient care as it directly pertains to academic cancer centers. It is also unique in providing cancer center leaders with a forum to discuss these issues and develop best practices with their peers.

CAR T Therapy

To advance the use of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapies use and establish best practices, AACI established the CAR T Initiative in 2018. AACI centers engage with the initiative through webinars, listserv discussions, calls, and meetings. Working groups focus on issues including clinical research and administrative barriers.

Government Relations

Public Policy Resource Library

The AACI Public Policy Resource Library (PPRL) was the presidential initiative of Roy A. Jensen, MD, immediate past president of AACI. The PPRL enables cancer centers and others in the cancer advocacy community to share resources—including talking points and legislation enacted across the U.S.—to foster collaboration, promote cancer prevention, and spur the development of policies that will improve the lives of Americans through lowered cancer incidence and mortality. The PPRL also highlights federal legislation endorsed by AACI.

Mitigating Cancer Disparities

AACI aims to mitigate cancer disparities by leveraging cancer center expertise to convert understanding of those disparities into meaningful, measurable actions to improve patients’ lives. Results of an AACI survey on cancer center catchment areas were published in a 2022 paper about reducing the burden of cancer through community outreach and engagement.

Leadership Diversity and Development

Recognizing the urgent need for diversity in the oncology leadership pipeline, Caryn Lerman, PhD, is focusing her presidential initiative on leadership development for emerging cancer center leaders from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Lerman and her steering committee are developing a leadership diversity and development curriculum as well as best practices for mentoring and onboarding.