2018 Annual Report

Membership
by the Numbers

The AACR’s ambitious mission to prevent and cure all cancers is driven by its members. More than 40,000 member scientists, clinicians, and other health care professionals in 120 countries around the world advance the frontiers of understanding in all areas of inquiry, from epidemiology, prevention, early detection, and interception, to basic, translational, and clinical research. AACR programs foster communication and collaboration among these members, aligning their efforts and catalyzing progress for cancer patients.

MEMBERS BY CATEGORY


Active Members: Established laboratory researchers, physician-scientists, clinicians, and population scientists

Associate Members: Young laboratory scientists and physicians-in-training (graduate students, medical students and residents, and clinical and postdoctoral fellows)

Student Members: Undergraduate and high school students

Emeritus Members: Active members who have reached the age of 70 years

Affiliate Members: Other health care professionals (practicing oncologists, nurses, laboratory technicians, non-scientific corporate professionals, and patient advocates)

4,888

New members joined the AACR in 2018.

63

Nobel laureates have been members of the AACR, including James P. Allison, PhD, FAACR, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in October 2018 for his shared discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation.

3,416

Individuals have been AACR members for more than 25 years.

140

Individuals have been AACR members for more than 50 years.

120

Countries are represented by AACR members.

277

Patient advocates are members of the AACR.

Note: Totals may not equal 100% due to rounding.


MEMBERS BY LOCATION

MEMBERS BY RACE/ETHNICITY

MEMBERS BY GENDER

MEMBERS BY WORK SETTING

AACR Membership: Diversifying the Cancer Workforce

Early-career scientists participating in a roundtable discussion at the Minorities in Cancer Research Professional Advancement Session on “Navigating the Road to a Successful Career in Cancer Research,” held at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018.
The AACR fosters diversity in the cancer research workforce through the efforts of three vital groups: Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR), Women in Cancer Research (WICR), and the Associate Member Council (AMC). Through training and mentorship, these groups empower talented scientists from populations that have been historically underrepresented in the scientific community—ensuring that the AACR membership more comprehensively reflects the patients that it serves.

The AACR’s commitment to promoting diversity in the cancer research community is exemplified by CEO Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc). In October, Dr. Foti was honored with the 2018 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Women for Oncology Award for her role in supporting the career development of women in oncology. Dr. Foti received the award during the Opening Session of the ESMO 2018 Congress in Munich, Germany, during which she presented a lecture titled “The Professional Advancement of Women in Oncology: A Matter of Great Urgency for Patients.”

ASSOCIATE MEMBER COUNCIL (AMC; 2018 COUNCIL CHAIR: ALLISON S. BETOF WARNER, MD, PHD)

AMC serves as the leadership body for AACR associate members, who consist of graduate students, medical students and residents, and clinical and postdoctoral fellows. The council develops programs that address the particular needs of early-career scientists.

  • The AACR first offered the benefits of membership to early-career scientists in 1988 with the introduction of associate membership. In 2018, the AACR and the AMC commemorated the thirtieth anniversary of the Associate Member category with a series of events at the Annual Meeting and throughout the year. The highlight of the year-long celebration was the announcement of the elimination of annual dues for AACR associate members—ensuring that the benefits of AACR membership will be available to all early-career scientists.
  • In March, 14 associate members visited their senators and congressional representatives during the Third Annual Early-Career Investigator Hill Day. Organized by the AMC and the AACR Office of Science Policy and Government Affairs, the event gave early-career scientists the opportunity to thank their representatives for their February vote to pass the Bipartisan Budget Agreement Act of 2018—which facilitated a $2 billion increase to the 2018 NIH budget—and to advocate for predictable and sustained funding increases in the future.

Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR; 2018 Council Chair: Brian M. Rivers, PhD, MPH)

MICR is a membership group within the AACR committed to preventing and curing cancer while meeting the professional needs and advancing the careers of minority scientists.

  • The AACR-MICR Distinguished Lecture Series brings together leading researchers to present the latest developments in cancer research to students and faculty at Minority-Serving Institutions or other educational institutions that serve large minority populations in order to inspire these students and educators to pursue careers in cancer research. MICR organized two lecture sessions in 2018 that addressed the critical topic of cancer health disparities. At the AACR Annual Meeting in Chicago, Robert A. Winn, MD, director of the University of Illinois Cancer Center, hosted and chaired a session titled “From Bench to Community: Driving Innovative Cancer Research to Patient Care and Health Equity.” In November, at the AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in New Orleans, MICR hosted a session titled “Advances in Cancer Disparities Research: Understanding the Drivers vs. Passengers” at the Louisiana State Health Sciences Center.
  • The AACR-MICR Jane Cooke Wright Memorial Lectureship highlights an outstanding scientist who has made meritorious contributions to the field of cancer research and who has, through leadership or by example, furthered the advancement of minority investigators in cancer research. The 2018 edition of the lectureship recognized John D. Carpten, PhD (center), of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Dr. Carpten delivered his lecture, titled “Towards Understanding the Impact of Diversity in Cancer Genome Science,” at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018.

Women in Cancer Research (WICR; 2018 Council Chair: Lucile L. Adams-Campbell, PhD)

WICR is a membership group within the AACR committed to recognizing women’s scientific achievements and fostering their career development and advancement in cancer research.

  • The AACR-WICR Charlotte Friend Memorial Lectureship recognizes an outstanding investigator who has made meritorious contributions to the field of cancer research and who has, through leadership or example, furthered the advancement of women in science. The 2018 edition of the lectureship honored Dafna Bar-Sagi, PhD, of New York University Langone Medical Center. Dr. Bar-Sagi delivered her lecture, titled “Unraveling Mechanisms of Oncogenic Ras-mediated Tumorigenesis,” at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018 in Chicago, Illinois.
  • The AACR Annual Meeting 2018 also presented an opportunity for the WICR council to provide early-career scientists with critical career training through a Professional Advancement Session. Titled “Challenges and Solutions for Wonder Women in Science,” the session featured Annual Meeting Program Chair and AACR President-Elect Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, who delivered a keynote address on “Finding Your Inner Wonder(ful).”