Professional and Career Development Sessions
The AACR is dedicated to the education, training, and professional development of cancer research investigators and the Professional Development Series of sessions are an integral part of the AACR Annual Meeting experience. Organized as a collaborative effort by the AACR Science Education and Career Advancement Committee, Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR) Council, Women in Cancer Research (WICR) Council, and Associate Member Council (AMC), these exciting sessions are available to Annual Meeting registrants who are AACR members free of charge and provide important skills to investigators at all stages in their careers. Email [email protected] with questions.
2025 Professional Development Series Sessions
Several Professional Development Sessions took place during the AACR Annual Meeting 2025, including one-on-one personal time with esteemed cancer researchers to discuss science and obtain career advice, intimate roundtable discussions on specific topics facilitated by leaders from various sectors, timely panel discussion sessions offering important insights on critical topics to investigators at all stages in their careers.
Grant Writing Workshop: Tips for Success from experienced scientists
Friday, April 25 | 1-4 p.m.
N Hall C | McCormick Place Convention Center
Chairs:
Oliver Bogler, PhD, NCI-Center for Cancer Training, Bethesda, Maryland
Mariana C. Stern, PhD, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
Filippo Pederzoli, MD, PhD, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
This session provided new investigators (postdoctoral fellows and new faculty) practical tools to write competitive grants. Focus was on how to write well for grants, how to structure an aims page to help the reviewer “get” all the information you want them to, and how to write an aims page that makes a reviewer excited about your grant. Different types of grants from NIH (Rs, Ks, Fs etc.) as well as grants from other countries were addressed. Summary Statements (“pink sheets”) were also discussed, and the session concluded with a roundtable that allowed participants to network and ask experienced scientists questions about the grants they were working on.
HOW TO DESIGN A SUCCESSFUL CAREER PATH IN CANCER RESEARCH: FROM DOCTORAL TO THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF A CANCER RESEARCH CAREER
Friday, April 25 | 5-6:30 p.m.
N Hall C | McCormick Place Convention Center
Chairs:
John M. Carethers, MD, FAACR, UC San Diego Health, San Diego, California
Sara Pedron Haba, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
Valerie Odero-Marah, PhD, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland
Kathleen W. Scotto, PhD, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Wayne R. Lawrence, DrPH, MPH, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
This session offered early-career investigators an opportunity to acquire skills and learn key strategies to support their pursuit of a first independent research position. The discussion centered around advice for avoiding common pitfalls and developing alternative tactics to improve the likelihood of success. An expert panel of established investigators shared invaluable insights on navigating the initial stages of a career in cancer research. The session was designed specifically for those transitioning from trainee roles to the next phase of their careers in both academic and non-academic settings.
PERSONALIZED CAREER CONVERSATIONS
Saturday, April 26 | 5-7 p.m.
Great Lakes AB | Marriott Marquis McCormick
Chairs:
Christopher Sistrunk, PhD, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California
Jose G. Trevino, MD, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, Virginia
Arti P. Varanasi, PhD, Advancing Synergy, LLC, Baltimore, Maryland
Heather K. Beasley, PhD, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
This session offered early-career AACR Associate Members the opportunity to participate in 15-minute one-on-one conversations with distinguished cancer researchers from academia, government, and industry. While these personalized discussions took place, session chairs moderated informal group conversations on key career-related topics. Participants also had the chance to network with peers and members of the organizing groups for broader perspective and guidance. The general session was open to all attendees, and on-site registration was available for those who had not pre-registered for one-on-one meetings.
Meet the MentorsNAVIGATING a PATH TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN CANCER RESEARCH
Monday, April 28 | 7-9 p.m.
N Hall C | McCormick Place Convention Center
Chairs:
Brian M. Rivers, PhD, MPH, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Luz M. Rodriguez, MD, NCI Division of Cancer Prevention, Rockville, Maryland
Pablo Sanchis, PhD, University of Buenos Aires, Institute of Biological Chemistry (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
This exciting and interactive session and networking reception provided a forum for students, early-career researchers, and early-stage investigators to explore key career development topics through informal, mentored roundtable discussions. Tables with pre-assigned professional development themes were facilitated by established scientists from academia, government, industry, biotech, nonprofit, and nontraditional sectors.
BUILDING YOUR EFFECTIVE MENTORSHIP TEAM: CHALLENGES, SUCCESSES, AND ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES AT EVERY STAGE IN YOUR CAREER
Tuesday, April 29 | 7-8:30 p.m.
Great Lakes EFG | Marriott Marquis McCormick
Chairs:
Shiva Malek, PhD, Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research, Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Ruben A. Mesa, MD, Wake Foret Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Sandra W. Ryeom, PhD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
Kristin A. Altwegg, PhD, NIH-NCATS (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences), Bethesda, Maryland
Navigating a successful career in cancer research, whether in academia, industry, or government, can be daunting. Establishing a team of mentors to guide you along the way is an essential step as you begin your journey. This session featured experienced cancer researchers who shared their personal mentoring stories and offered guidance on forming and leveraging an effective mentoring team. Attendees learned strategies applicable to every career stage, from trainee to established investigator.
Additional Professional development Opportunities
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP: WOMEN AND POWER-ADVANCING AND SECURING YOUR CAREER IN SCIENCE
Saturday, April 26 | Lunch: 11-11:45 a.m.; Workshop: 12-4 p.m.
S505 | McCormick Place Convention Center
Sponsored by The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers, in partnership with Pelotonia and AACR-Women in Cancer Research (WICR), this highly interactive, professional development workshop focused on leadership training for women in science, at all stages of their careers. The four-hour workshop consisted of a plenary session and small group exercises where attendees honed their ability to learn how they can build and maintain their personal resilience; identify external as well as internal stressors over the lifespan; be empowered to drive positive change to decrease their stress levels and to enhance mental and physical well-being; and strengthen their connection to and network with women colleagues. The workshop was led by hfp consulting, a globally-recognized firm who specializes in career development and leadership training exclusively for scientists. Email [email protected] with questions.
Productive Peer Review: Improving Science while Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Monday, April 28 | 5:30-7 p.m.
Jackson AB | Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
Chairs:
Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Christine M. Lovly, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
Moderated by Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue, Editor-in-Chief of Cancer Research, and Christine M. Lovly, Scientific Editor of Cancer Discovery, this interactive session focused on best practices for peer review. The Editors shared practical tips, real-world examples, and led discussions to help attendees become stronger reviewers and more effective communicators in the peer review process.