Newswise — In 2007, in a bipartisan show of support for cancer research, the United States Congress declared May as National Cancer Research Month. Senate Resolution 394 was sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK). House Resolution 448 was sponsored by Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) with support from Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY), Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA) and Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). Both resolutions passed with unanimous consent.
In its resolution, Congress dedicated National Cancer Research Month to the important work of the American Association for Cancer Research, which as the world's leading organization for cancer research, continues to highlight the important scientific work of its more than 28,000 members, and others, as it works toward its mission to prevent and cure cancer.
As part of National Cancer Research Month, the AACR is offering interview opportunities with its leaders that can be scheduled for your program through the AACR Office of Communications and Public Relations.
The following leaders of the AACR are available:
"¢ Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer. Foti assumed her role as CEO in 1982. During her tenure, the AACR membership has grown from 3,000 to more than 28,000 scientists in 80 countries and she has received numerous awards for her contributions. Foti is a recognized expert in the field of cancer research and the challenges that young scientists face. "¢ Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., will become the immediate past president of the American Association for Cancer Research at the AACR 100th Annual Meeting 2009 in April. As provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, DuBois provides essential leadership to the institution that is consistently ranked as the number one cancer center in the world. DuBois is a recognized expert on cancer prevention and the challenges facing cancer centers as they work to provide the best therapies for patients. "¢ Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., will become president of the American Association for Cancer Research at the AACR 100th Annual Meeting 2009 in April. As director of the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Jacks is working toward a greater understanding of the cellular pathways regulated by cancer-associated genes. Jacks is a recognized expert on how today's basic laboratory science provides a foundation for the miracle cures of tomorrow.
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes more than 28,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and 80 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes five major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The AACR's most recent publication and its sixth major journal, Cancer Prevention Research, is dedicated exclusively to cancer prevention, from preclinical research to clinical trials. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.