AACR Global

Cancer is a global scourge, and the AACR spearheads a global effort to eradicate it. With more than 30% of its members located outside the U.S.—and with a member presence in 142 countries—the AACR works to reduce cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality around the world.

Extending the Global Reach of AACR Membership

In August, the AACR Board of Directors approved a comprehensive program to extend the benefits of membership to an expanded number of cancer researchers located in countries building research capacities. Moving beyond the World Bank classification of countries based solely on gross national income, the new AACR classification system takes into account factors that are better proxies for cancer research capacity, such as national research and development budgets, the United Nations’ Human Development Index (a statistical composite index of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators), and general health expenditures.

This new AACR model better reflects the unique circumstances facing emerging economies and expands the number of countries that are classified as building cancer research capacities. The Board of Directors also decided to eliminate AACR membership dues for all researchers located in countries covered by the expanded classification, significantly expanding the number of investigators worldwide who can enjoy the benefits of AACR membership and participate in the global effort to prevent and cure all cancers for all patients.

Joint Conference and Workshops

The AACR worked with cancer research organizations around the world to produce the following joint conferences, educational workshops, and symposia in 2024:

EACR-AACR-IACR Basic and Translational Research Conference: How to Bring Basic Science Discoveries to the Clinic
February 27–29; Dublin, Ireland
In 2023, the AACR collaborated with the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) to launch a new Basic and Translational Research Conference. That collaboration continued in 2024 with a new program developed in partnership with the Irish Association for Cancer Research (IACR). The conference—which was chaired by Rene Bernards, PhD, FAACR, Christine M. Lovly, MD, PhD, and Tracy Robson, PhD—convened experts in the fields of immunology, drug development, tumor microenvironment, genomics, and epigenetics to present cutting-edge innovations in areas ranging from preclinical models to patient care.
JCA-AACR Special Joint Conference on the Molecular Renaissance in Colorectal Cancer
June 27–29; Kyoto, Japan
The eighth edition of this collaboration with the Japanese Cancer Association (JCA) was chaired by Luis A. Diaz, MD, FAACR, and Koshi Mimori, MD. The conference brought together basic scientists and clinical researchers from Japan and the U.S. to showcase the latest developments in colorectal cancer research.
EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics
October 23–25; Barcelona, Spain
This symposium—on which the AACR has collaborated with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer since 1999—is widely regarded as the premier forum for drug development and translational research. The 36th edition of the conference, which was chaired by E.G. Elisabeth de Vries, MD, PhD, Tim F. Greten, MD, and Timothy A. Yap, MD, PhD, welcomed experts from Europe and around the world to share the latest discoveries in drug development, target selection, molecular biology, and early clinical trials.
AACR-KCA Joint Conference on Precision Medicine in Cancer
November 21–22; Seoul, Korea
Kyong Hwa Park, MD, and Anthony G. Letai, MD, PhD, chaired the sixth edition of this conference, which is collaboratively organized by the AACR and the Korean Cancer Association (KCA). A highlight of the conference was the presentation of the Waun Ki Hong Memorial Lecture; Yeul Hong Kim, MD, PhD, discussed "Target identification in cancer precision medicine" in a lecture that honored the memory of AACR Past President Waun Ki Hong, MD, FAACR.

AACR on Campus

AACR on Campus is an international outreach program designed to support early-career scientists at research institutions in countries that are building cancer research capacities. The AACR partners with a local host organization to develop a program tailored to serve the interests and needs of the community, including education and training in cancer research and clinical innovations, scientific publishing and communication, research integrity, and career development.

AACR on Campus in Brazil
(In Partnership with the Institute of Cancer of São Paulo and the Universidade de São Paulo)
February 19–23; São Paulo, Brazil / Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
The AACR partnered with the Institute of Cancer of São Paulo (ICESP) and Universidade de São Paulo (USP) in the cities of São Paulo and Ribeirão Preto to host the 2024 AACR on Campus in Brazil. AACR President (2024–2025) Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, and a team of AACR leaders joined faculty and staff at ICESP and USP to present a comprehensive program focused on three critical topics:

From Bench to Bedside: Concepts, theory, frameworks, tools, methods, and models of cancer immunology research
Best Practices in Collaborative Clinical Trial Design: Clinical trials and research and their role in prevention, early detection, and patient care
Collaboration, Scientific Communication, and Grant Writing: Preparing and publishing high quality manuscripts, improving scientific communication, and developing career paths

2024–2025 AACR President Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, at an AACR on Campus session in Brazil

Other International Collaborations

12th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research
May 6–9; Virtual
The theme of this year’s symposium—which the AACR organized in partnership with the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO), the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH), the National Cancer Grid of India, and the Red de Institutos Nacionales de Cáncer (RINC)/Sociedad Latino Americana y del Caribe De Oncología Médica (SLACOM)—was “Collaborating for Impact.”
The goals of the event were to enable researchers and program implementers from low-resource settings to share their work; to support the global oncology research community in their efforts to exchange information and identify potential areas for collaboration; and to share science-based initiatives that are reducing the burden of cancer in low-resource settings.

EACR Congress
June 10–13; Rotterdam, Netherlands
The AACR organized a Joint Session with the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) on the topic of “Spatial Analysis of Tumours/Spatial Transcriptomics.” The session was chaired by Rene Bernards, PhD, FAACR, and Peter Sorger, PhD.

SBOC 2024 Congress
November 7–9; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The AACR collaborated with the Brazilian Congress of Clinical Oncology (SBOC) to organize a joint session on “Leveraging Technology to Enhance Equity and Dissemination of Knowledge.” The AACR-affiliated presenters included Benjamin Haibe-Kains, PhD; Rita Nanda, MD; Ticiana Leal, MD; and Shawn M. Sweeney, PhD, senior director of the AACR Project GENIE® Coordinating Center. Dr. Sweeney’s presentation focused on how AACR Project GENIE® is powering precision medicine through real-world clinico-genomic data.

Frontiers in Cancer Science
November 13–15; Singapore
The AACR worked with the Singapore-based organizers of the Frontiers in Cancer Science (FCS) conference to offer three joint Education Sessions:

“From Understanding to Modulating the Tumor Microenvironment,” presented by Zemin Zhang, PhD
“Unleashing the Power of NK Cells: From Biological Insights to Therapeutic Frontiers,” presented by Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD
“Cancer Metabolism in Time and Space,” presented by Sarah-Maria Fendt, PhD

Peter Sorger, PhD, and Rene Bernards, PhD, FAACR

SBOC 2024 Congress
November 7–9; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The AACR collaborated with the Brazilian Congress of Clinical Oncology (SBOC) to organize a joint session on “Leveraging Technology to Enhance Equity and Dissemination of Knowledge.” The AACR-affiliated presenters included Benjamin Haibe-Kains, PhD; Rita Nanda, MD; Ticiana Leal, MD; and Shawn M. Sweeney, PhD, senior director of the AACR Project GENIE® Coordinating Center. Dr. Sweeney’s presentation focused on how AACR Project GENIE® is powering precision medicine through real-world clinico-genomic data.

Frontiers in Cancer Science
November 13–15; Singapore
The AACR worked with the Singapore-based organizers of the Frontiers in Cancer Science (FCS) conference to offer three joint Education Sessions:

“From Understanding to Modulating the Tumor Microenvironment,” presented by Zemin Zhang, PhD
“Unleashing the Power of NK Cells: From Biological Insights to Therapeutic Frontiers,” presented by Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD
“Cancer Metabolism in Time and Space,” presented by Sarah-Maria Fendt, PhD

2024 Chinese Congress of Holistic Integrative Oncology (2024 CCHIO) in Conjunction with the Fourth International Congress of the Asian Oncology Society (AOS 2024)
November 15–17; Xi’an, China
AACR President Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, chaired a joint session and panel discussion on “Innovation in Cancer Research.”

ESMO Asia Congress 2024
December 6–8; Singapore
The AACR and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) partnered to present two Collaborative Sessions:

“Walkthroughs in Clinical Trials in the Era of Molecular Oncology,” chaired by Benjamin Haibe-Kains, PhD, and Nadia Harbeck, MD, PhD
“The Expanding Portfolio of Targeted and Cellular Therapies in Oncology: Mechanisms of Action and Proofs of Principle,” chaired by William R. Sellers, MD, and Eric Vivier, DVM, PhD

TRAVEL AWARDS AND SEED GRANTS

Through a wide range of grants and awards, the AACR champions emerging scientists from around the world—directly supporting their research projects or enabling them to share their work with the cancer research community at the AACR Annual Meeting.

AACR on Campus Poster Prizes. The AACR on Campus program launched a new poster prize program in 2024. Two meritorious poster presenters from the AACR on Campus events in São Paulo and Ribeirão Preto were granted travel awards of up to US $2,500 to support their attendance at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025 to present their work.
AACR Global Scholar-in-Training Awards (GSITA). The AACR GSITA program supports attendance at the AACR Annual Meeting of meritorious early-career scientists from countries that are building cancer research capacities. The 2024 scholars, who were selected through a rigorous peer-review process, represented Argentina, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Jordan, Malaysia, and South Africa.