AACR CEO Dr. Margaret Foti selected as the 2024 Beacon Award Winner for her significant impact in the fight against cancer

Rockville, MD (8/9/2024) – The AIM-HI Accelerator Fund today announces Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), is selected unanimously by the 2024 Blue Ribbon Selection Committee as the recipient of the 2024 Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology, from a pool of outstanding global nominees.

The Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology was established in 2022 by the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund and sponsored by the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR). The Beacon Award recognizes outstanding women leaders in health and life sciences who have significantly impacted cancer treatment, detection, and diagnosis for patients worldwide.

Dr. Foti has served as the CEO of AACR for more than 42 years. During this time, she has led the growth and transformation of AACR from a relatively small professional association into the leading international scientific organization focused on basic, translational, and clinical cancer research.  AACR currently has more than 59,000 members across 143 countries.

Throughout her career, Dr. Foti has been a powerful voice and advocate for women and underrepresented minority groups in science. As a result of her leadership, 45% of AACR members are women, 11% are from underrepresented minority groups, and 22% hail from countries with emerging economies.

In addition to expanding AACR’s membership to include a diverse base of scientific professionals, Dr. Foti has actively engaged with the public and private sectors to foster advances in cancer science and medicine for the benefit of patients worldwide. One of the critical programs Dr. Foti helped found is the AACR Scientist↔Survivor Program. Now in its 26th year, this unique program builds bridges and unity among the leaders of the scientific and cancer survivor and patient advocacy communities worldwide through communication and collaboration.

Under Dr. Foti’s guidance, AACR has significantly expanded its portfolio of high-impact journals from one to 10 journals, which are instrumental in disseminating cutting-edge cancer research to the global scientific community.  Dr. Foti’s leadership was also instrumental in the publication of two landmark annual reports, the AACR Cancer Progress Report and the AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report, which showcase how research continues to extend and improve lives and which highlight the critical need for increased federal funding to accelerate the pace of progress against cancer.

“As the CEO & Co-Founder of the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund, CEO of the National Foundation for Cancer Research, I have the unique privilege to work alongside some of the most accomplished, innovative, and respected leaders in cancer research and the fields of oncology. Dr. Foti epitomizes the attributes of impactful leadership and everything we at AIM-HI and NFCR seek to recognize in a Beacon Award recipient. I have known of the unwavering work of Dr. Foti for many years and have high respect for the impacts she has made on cancer research, science, and patient care worldwide,” said Dr. Sujuan Ba, Ph.D., President and CEO of the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund and National Foundation for Cancer Research and Co-Chair of the 2024 Beacon Award Selection Committee.

“Over the span of her career at AACR, Dr. Foti has become one of the most influential leaders in cancer science and research. As a former President of AACR, I have witnessed firsthand that she is an innovator, an advocate for patients, and a champion for under-represented scientists. Dr. Foti is tireless in her efforts to move the field, not only for AACR but also for the global cancer science and research community. No one deserves this award more than she does,” said Dr. Webster K. Cavenee, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of California San Diego and Co-Chair of the 2024 Beacon Award Selection Committee.

“I am deeply honored to be named the 2024 Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology recipient. This recognition is a testament to the relentless dedication and groundbreaking work of our members and entire team at AACR, as well as our partners in the cancer research community. Together, we are committed to accelerating the pace of scientific discovery and translating these findings into effective treatments that improve the lives of patients worldwide. This award inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation and collaboration in our ongoing fight against cancer. I would like to thank the Beacon Award Selection Committee and extend my heartfelt gratitude to AIM-HI Accelerator Fund and the National Foundation for Cancer Research for this prestigious acknowledgment and for their unwavering support of cancer research,”  said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.),  Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Dr. Foti will be honored as the 2024 AIM-HI Beacon Award recipient at a luncheon ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on October 18, 2024. The award ceremony is part of the 2024 Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship, which brings together world-renowned leaders in cancer research and drug development, business leaders, investors, government officials, supporters, and patient advocates.

2024 Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology Selection Committee:

• Sujuan Ba, Ph.D., Co-Chair, CEO & Co-Founder, AIM-HI Accelerator Fund; President & CEO, National Foundation for Cancer Research
• Webster Cavenee, Ph.D., Co-Chair, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of California San Diego
• Bahija Jallal, Ph.D., CEO & Director of the Board, Immunocore
• Raju Kucherlapati, Ph.D., Paul C. Cabot Professor of Genetics & Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
• Patricia Obermaier, MBA, Chief Growth Officer, Global Health and Life Sciences, Microsoft
• Libia Scheller, Ph.D., MBA, Global Head Oncology-Cooperative Groups & Strategic Alliances, Bayer Health Care Pharmaceuticals
• Thea Tlsty, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pathology and Director of the Center for Translational Research in the Molecular Genetics of Cancer, UCSF

The Past Recipients of the Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology:

• Anna D. Barker, Ph.D., 2022 Awardee, Chief Strategy Officer, Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine, Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Complex Adaptive Systems, Arizona State University
• Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D., 2023 Awardee, Director, National Institutes of Health and Past Director, National Cancer Institute.

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About the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund

The AIM-HI Accelerator Fund (AIM-HI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2019 with an initial capacity-building grant from the National Foundation for Cancer Research to accelerate the translation of cancer drug discoveries by investing in seed-stage oncology companies. AIM-HI Accelerator Fund bridges the gap between innovative cancer discoveries and high-impact cancer treatments and technologies and facilitates an ecosystem for early-stage companies and entrepreneurs. To learn more about the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund, visit AIM-HIAccelerator.org.

About the National Foundation for Cancer Research

The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization co-founded in 1973 by Nobel Laureate Dr. Albert Szent-Györgyi and Attorney/Business Entrepreneur Franklin Salisbury, Sr. NFCR provides scientists in the lab with the critical seed funding they need to make game-changing discoveries in cancer detection, treatments, prevention, and ultimately, a cure for all cancers. NFCR has distinguished itself in the cancer research sector by emphasizing “high-risk, high-impact” long-term and transformative pioneering research fields often overlooked by other major funding sources. With the support of more than 5.3 million individual donors over the last 50+ years, NFCR has provided more than $415 million in funding to cancer research, prevention, and public education. NFCR-supported research has led to some of the most significant life-saving discoveries that benefit patients today.