Fellows of the AACR Academy, Class of 2026

Twenty-four distinguished scientists whose major innovations have propelled progress against cancer elected as Fellows of the AACR Academy.

This April, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the entire cancer research community will honor 24 distinguished researchers and physician-scientists elected as Fellows of the AACR Academy at the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego. The groundbreaking contributions of the 2026 class span the entire cancer research continuum, from basic and translational discoveries to clinical research and patient care.

“We are deeply honored to induct this newly elected class of 2026 Fellows into the AACR Academy, and we look forward to celebrating their monumental scientific achievements at our upcoming Annual Meeting,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. “Together, these individuals from around the globe, specializing in various scientific disciplines, have fundamentally shaped cancer research and improved patient outcomes.”

The newly elected Fellows of the AACR Academy bring expertise across diverse fields, including tumor biology, genetics and genomics, early detection and prevention, population sciences, precision oncology, chemical biology, immunology, and pediatric cancer research.

Established to recognize leaders whose work has transformed cancer research and care, the AACR Academy stands as a global community of innovators whose collective expertise accelerates progress toward the prevention and cure of all cancers. Through research, education, collaboration, communication, and advocacy for robust and sustained funding, Fellows of the AACR Academy provide deep scientific leadership to the AACR and the broader cancer research community.

Election as a Fellow of the AACR Academy follows a rigorous peer-review process that recognizes scientists whose accomplishments have had a lasting impact on the cancer research field. Fellows of the AACR Academy represent many of the most significant contributors to advances in cancer science and medicine. With the addition of the 2026 class, the AACR Academy now comprises 399 Fellows, including 57 Nobel Laureates, all of whom have made significant contributions to our understanding of cancer biology and the improvement of patient outcomes. 

The 2026 class of Fellows of the AACR Academy will be formally inducted and recognized at the AACR Annual Meeting 2026, where the global cancer research community will gather to celebrate their achievements and reaffirm the AACR’s mission to drive transformative progress against cancer.