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AACR members at the Annual Meeting

AACR Membership

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tooltip iconAACR Annual Meeting attendees write on the special mural wall commemorating the 25th anniversary of AACR Women in Cancer Research.

Membership by the Numbers

The members of the AACR advance its mission by catalyzing discovery in all areas of cancer science, from epidemiology, prevention, early detection, and interception to basic, translational, and clinical research. Through a wide range of programs and initiatives, the AACR enables communication and collaboration among these members, building the communities that power progress for cancer patients and their families.

Members by Category

Chart: AACR members by category: Active members, 32 percent; Associate members, 56 percent; Emeritus/Honorary members, 7 percent; Student members, 2 percent; Affiliate members, 3 percent.

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, nonscientific corporate professionals, and patient advocates)

56,065

Individuals were members of the AACR as of December 2024. The AACR is the first and largest cancer research organization dedicated to accelerating the conquest of cancer.

5,654

New members joined the AACR in 2024.

77

Nobel Laureates have been members of the AACR.

5,648

Individuals have been AACR members for more than 25 years.

340

Individuals have been AACR members for more than 50 years.

140

Countries are represented by AACR members.

All data as of December 31, 2024.

Members by Work Setting

Chart: AACR members by work setting chart: academic, 46 percent; cancer center 13 percent; industry/private sector, 10 percent; hospital/medical center/clinic, 16 percent; foundation/advocacy organization, 2 percent; nonprofit research institute, 2 percent; association/professional organization, 2 percent; government, 2 percent; other/not indicated, 7 percent.

Members by Race/Ethnicity

Chart: AACR members by race/ethnicity: Caucasian, 40 percent; Asian, 37 percent; Hispanic or Latino, 6 percent; African American/Black, 4 percent; Native American/Native Alaskan/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, <1 percent; Other/not indicated, 13 percent.

Members by Gender

Chart: AACR members by gender: Men, 50 percent; women, 44 percent; not indicated, 6 percent.

Diversifying the Cancer Workforce

MINORITIES IN CANCER RESEARCH
(2024 COUNCIL CHAIR: MELISSA B. DAVIS, PHD)

Minorities in Cancer Research (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 MICR Council acts as an advisory body to AACR leadership on issues of concern to minority investigators, including the elimination of cancer health disparities.

  • AACR-MICR Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship. This 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 2024 edition of the lectureship recognized Camille C.R. Ragin, PhD, associate director of diversity, equity, and inclusion and professor of cancer prevention and control at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Dr. Ragin presented her lecture at the AACR Annual Meeting in April.
  • Education and Training. MICR encourages minority scientists to pursue careers in cancer research through its Scholar Award programs, which provide support for minority scientists and faculty members at minority-serving institutions to attend AACR meetings. In 2024, a total of 52 MICR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research awardees and MICR Minority and Minority-serving Institution Faculty Scholars attended several AACR conferences, including the AACR Annual Meeting in San Diego.
Camille C.R. Ragin, PhD
  • Education and Training. MICR encourages minority scientists to pursue careers in cancer research through its Scholar Award programs, which provide support for minority scientists and faculty members at minority-serving institutions to attend AACR meetings. In 2024, a total of 52 MICR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research awardees and MICR Minority and Minority-serving Institution Faculty Scholars attended several AACR conferences, including the AACR Annual Meeting in San Diego.

WOMEN IN CANCER RESEARCH
(2024 COUNCIL CHAIR: SHIVA MALEK, PHD)

Women in Cancer Research (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.

  • 25th Anniversary. WICR marked its 25th year as an AACR membership group in 2024, and the AACR Annual Meeting 2024 was the focal point of a year of celebration. The AACR commemorated the milestone in several ways:
  • During a special anniversary reception titled “Celebrating Women in Cancer Research,” AACR CEO Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), and 2024-2025 AACR President (and past WICR Council Chair) Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), joined current members of the WICR Council in highlighting excellence and leadership among women in science.
  • The AACR Central booth in the exhibit hall featured a mural wall titled “Women in Cancer Research Is Important Because … .” Meeting attendees were encouraged to write on the wall and share their thoughts about the critical importance of WICR and of women in science.
  • The AACR Blog, Cancer Research Catalyst, interviewed past WICR Council Chairs Beverly D. Lyn-Cook, PhD, and Sheila K. Singh, MD, PhD, about the history and impact of Women in Cancer Research.
  • AACR-WICR Charlotte Friend Memorial Lectureship. This 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 2024 edition of the lectureship recognized Elizabeth L. Travis, PhD, professor of experimental radiation oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Travis presented her lecture at the AACR Annual Meeting in April.
Elizabeth L. Travis, PhD
  • Education and Training. WICR supports the inclusion of women scientists in the cancer workforce through the WICR Scholar Awards, which enable early-career, meritorious women scientists to participate in the AACR Annual Meeting. In 2024, a total of 22 women investigators were selected to attend the AACR Annual Meeting or the AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic and the Medically Underserved.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER COUNCIL
(2024 COUNCIL CHAIR: KRISTIN A. ALTWEGG, PHD)

The Associate Member Council (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.

  • Engaging with the NCI Director. In March, members of the AMC collaborated to produce an article titled “Resilience as an Early-Career Researcher” as a resource for AACR Associate Members. Council members also had the opportunity to interview NCI Director Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD. In the interview, which was published on the AACR blog in November, Dr. Rathmell discussed her career trajectory and a range of other topics, including resiliency in a scientific career, mentorship, women in leadership roles, and communicating science.
  • Early-Career Hill Day. In March, a total of 20 Associate Members participated in the ninth annual AACR Early-Career Hill Day. The early-career scientists—who represented 17 states—participated in more than 50 meetings with the offices of their senators and representatives and asked them to support continued robust funding for the NIH and NCI.
Participants in the AACR Early-career Hill Day
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