AACI members are invited to submit nominations for the 2026 Cancer Health Equity, Champion for Cures, and Distinguished Scientist awards. The submission deadline for all awards is Monday, February 23. Any faculty and staff at AACI member institutions are eligible to submit nominations for all three awards; recipients will be selected from the slate of nominees by AACI's Board of Directors.
Established by AACI in 2021, the Cancer Health Equity Award recognizes an individual or group who demonstrates exceptional leadership in promoting health equity, mitigating cancer disparities, and advocating for diversity and inclusion at their cancer center.
AACI established the Champion for Cures Award in 2018 to recognize an individual or individuals who, through direct financial support of an AACI cancer center, demonstrate exceptional leadership in advancing cancer research and care and in inspiring others to do the same. Through their transformational philanthropy, the cancer center can focus beyond immediate needs to foster creativity and innovation and multiply its impact on patient health, research, and its surrounding community.
The AACI Distinguished Scientist Award was created in 2002 to recognize a major contributor to the field of cancer research. The awardee should be widely known in the cancer community through their research accomplishments. This award, historically nominated exclusively by the AACI Board of Directors, is now open to nominations from all AACI members.
The Cancer Health Equity, Champion for Cures, and Distinguished Scientist awards will be presented during the 2026 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting, October 25-27, at the Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile in Chicago, IL. To nominate recipients for any of the awards, please complete this survey. Please contact AACI Program Coordinator Chloe Boothby with any questions about the 2026 awards cycle.