I appreciated the opportunity to meet so many MICR members during the recent AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, as well as during the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved in fall 2010. It is now my privilege to serve you as the Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR) council chair for 2011-2012, and to build on the foundation laid by Dr. M. Elena Martinez and Dr. Eddie Reed as your previous council chairs.
By being a part of MICR, you belong to a vibrant and growing membership group with an important mission within the AACR. There are currently 3,400 members on our rolls, and we are united in our commitment to preventing and curing cancer while meeting the professional needs and advancing the careers of minority scientists.
My role as council chair is to represent you when advising the AACR Board on issues of concern to minority investigators and to organize programs and activities related to the goals of the MICR. I hope that you, as an active and involved member of MICR, will also support our mission with your time and energy. There are many ways to become more involved in MICR:
During my time as council chair, I want to ensure that MICR programs continue to address the specific needs of minority scientists at critical points across their careers. Ultimately, my hope is that minority scientists can interface with MICR not only as a means to facilitate membership in the cancer research community, but also as an organization that helps to groom the next generation of scientific leadership. I welcome the involvement of every MICR member on this journey.
Please feel free to forward questions or comments to me in care of micr@aacr.org at any time.
Sincerely,
Levi A. Garraway, M.D., Ph.D.
MICR Council Chair 2011-2012