William Hait, MD, PhD, FAACR, Named Chief Scientific Advisor for the American Association for Cancer Research

PHILADELPHIA – The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) today announced the appointment of William N. Hait, MD, PhD, Fellow of the AACR Academy, as Chief Scientific Advisor to the organization. Hait, a renowned physician-scientist and visionary leader in both academia and industry, will serve in this senior advisory role to provide expert guidance in conceptualizing and developing AACR’s scientific programs and initiatives and overall alignment with AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all cancers. 

In his new role, Hait will be responsible for advising AACR on emerging trends and opportunities in cancer science and medicine; for recommending novel, science-based programs that contribute to AACR’s goals and objectives of advancing cancer research; and for providing strategic guidance in building AACR’s capacity to lead new, high-impact initiatives. He will also offer insight to help AACR maximize collaborations and synergies across various key stakeholders in the cancer field.

Hait will work closely with AACR CEO Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), and the AACR Board of Directors to identify scientific priorities for the organization’s strategic plan, while keeping patient benefit at the heart of AACR’s research mission. In addition to his role as Chief Scientific Advisor, Hait will serve as chair of AACR’s Scientific Advisory Council, a body of national and international experts who will think creatively about how to accelerate advances against cancer and provide reports to the AACR Board of Directors on timely scientific matters.

“We are deeply honored to welcome Dr. Hait as Chief Scientific Advisor to AACR,” said Foti. “His vast expertise in cancer science and clinical research, deep understanding of the evolving biomedical research landscape, and unwavering commitment to developing therapeutics for patient benefit will enhance our ability to serve the cancer community and accelerate progress against cancer. We look forward to working with Dr. Hait in his new capacity as our organization continues to expand its role as the global leader in advancing cancer research, fostering collaboration, and improving outcomes for patients around the world.”  

“I am honored to serve as the Chief Scientific Advisor for AACR, an organization that I have been involved in and admired for many years,” said Hait. “I hope that my experience in both academia and industry will allow me to provide meaningful advice to an organization dedicated to the prevention and cure of cancer.”

Hait has been a member of AACR since 1986 and was elected a Fellow of the AACR Academy in 2013. Throughout his time as an AACR member, Hait’s dedication and remarkable leadership have had a significant impact on the organization, highlighted by his stellar service as AACR President from 2007 to 2008, during which he launched AACR’s Translational Cancer Medicine series of Special Conferences and cochaired the steering committee for the Cancer Biomarkers Collaborative (2007-2010), a program that united AACR, the National Cancer Institute, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He was later elected AACR treasurer in 2010, a role that he held with distinction and will hold until the Business Meeting at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025, to be held April 25-30 in Chicago, Illinois.

Notably, he has provided exceptional guidance to many of AACR’s committees and association groups, including but not limited to serving as cochair of the AACR Oncology Industry Partnering Event: From Cancer Discoveries to Patients (2024, 2025), scientific committee cochair (2006) and organizing committee cochair (2007, 2008) of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, member of the AACR New Jersey State Legislative Committee (1997-2007), member of the AACR Program Committee (1996, 2000), chair of the AACR Clinical Translational Cancer Research Committee (1995-2000), member of the AACR Annual Meeting Education Committee (1995), and member of the AACR Membership Committee (1990-1992). Further, Hait has contributed extensively to AACR’s scientific journals, serving as special advisor to the editor-in-chief for Cancer Prevention Research (2014-present), editor-in-chief of Clinical Cancer Research (2005-2007), and member of the editorial boards for Molecular Cancer Therapeutics and Cancer Research.

Hait has decades of experience in clinical oncology, cancer research, and scientific leadership. He most recently served as global head of Janssen Research and Development and executive vice president, chief of external innovation, and medical safety and global public health officer at Johnson & Johnson, where he led the discovery and development of 20 breakthrough products.

Prior to his career in industry, Hait was the chief of medical oncology at the Yale School of Medicine and associate director of the Yale Cancer Center. He then developed New Jersey’s first and only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute, where he served as director for 14 years. His extensive contributions to cancer research have spanned cancer pharmacology, signal transduction, drug resistance, drug discovery, precision medicine, cancer prevention and interception, and innovative public-private partnerships.

His scientific contributions have earned him numerous awards and honors, most recently the AACR-Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research (2025), the Johnson & Johnson Bill Hait Award for Oncology Evidence Generation (2024), the BioNJ Dr. Sol J. Barer Award for Vision, Innovation and Leadership (2019), recognition as a Mass General Cancer Center “the one hundred” honoree (2015), the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation Corporate Leadership Award (2014), the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Award (2006), the American Jewish Congress Maimonides Award (2003), the Community Leaders of Distinction Award (2001), the Thomas Edison Award of Excellence (2000), New Jersey Medicine’s Person of the Year (1998), the Burroughs Wellcome Award in Clinical Pharmacology (1987), and acknowledgment in New York Magazine’s Best Doctors (2003, 2004) and America’s Top Doctors: New York Metro Area (2001, 2002, 2003). He served on numerous scientific advisory boards and as a member of the Board of Directors for Research!America (2012-2023). Hait was elected as a member of the American Clinical and Climatological Association in 2005 and the American Society of Clinical Investigation in 1993.

Hait received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and his MD and PhD in pharmacology, cum laude, from the Medical College of Pennsylvania.