Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD, FAACR, and Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD, FAACR, Named New Editors-in-Chief of the AACR Journal Cancer Immunology Research
PHILADELPHIA – The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) today announced the appointment of Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD, FAACR, and Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD, FAACR, as editors-in-chief of Cancer Immunology Research, one of the 10 highly esteemed journals published by the AACR.
Cancer Immunology Research publishes original articles reporting advances in cancer immunology and immunotherapy that span the spectrum of science and medicine, from basic investigations in host–tumor interactions to developmental therapeutics in model systems, early translational studies in patients, and late-stage clinical trials. The journal disseminates the latest developments in the field to cancer researchers across all disciplines, catalyzing work that yields better clinical outcomes.
“I am honored to serve as editor-in-chief of Cancer Immunology Research alongside Dr. Ribas,” said Jaffee. “Together, we will ensure that the journal continues to serve as the leading publication for original research spanning the full spectrum of cancer immunology—from foundational discoveries to translational and clinical studies. We are committed to high standards of rigor and reproducibility and to fostering collaboration across disciplines to drive advances in immunotherapy that improve patient outcomes.”
“Cancer immunology has transformed cancer care, and the next wave of advances will be driven by data-rich science,” said Ribas. “Dr. Jaffee and I envision Cancer Immunology Research as the leading journal for studies that harness computational biology, systems immunology, and advanced technologies to interrogate patient samples, decode mechanisms of response and resistance, and accelerate clinical trials of next-generation therapies. We look forward to highlighting research that propels the field toward more effective treatments for patients worldwide.”
Jaffee and Ribas shared their goals for the journal in an editorial published in this month’s issue of Cancer Immunology Research.
Jaffee is the Dana and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli Professor in Oncology and deputy director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) at Johns Hopkins University, as well as inaugural director of the Convergence Institute and associate director of the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at SKCCC. She is also codirector of the Gastrointestinal Cancers Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and codirector of the Skip Viragh Center for Pancreas Cancer Clinical Research and Patient Care. An internationally heralded expert in cancer immunology, Jaffee has spearheaded innovative research that has resulted in the development and clinical evaluation of several immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer. Her research has also focused on exploiting genomic and proteomic technologies to define biomarkers of pancreatic cancer onset and progression.
A member of the AACR since 1994, Jaffee served as President of the AACR in 2018-2019 and as a member of the AACR Board of Directors from 2013-2016. She was elected as a Fellow of the AACR Academy in 2018 and served as President of the AACR Academy in 2024-2025. She has greatly contributed to the growth and success of the AACR through her extensive involvement with numerous committees, conferences, and association groups. Jaffee is the current chair of the AACR Global Affairs Committee and previously served as chair of the AACR Precision Combination Therapy Task Force, cochair and member of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference Program Committee, cochair and member of the Annual Meeting Program Committee, and chair and member of the AACR Cancer Immunology Working Group, among many other leadership positions within the organization.
Jaffee has been a deputy editor for Cancer Immunology Research since 2012. Her other past AACR journal service includes positions as a scientific editor for Cancer Discovery and as an associate editor for Cancer Research. She has also served on the editorial boards for Clinical Cancer Research and Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, as well as for Cancer Today, the AACR’s magazine for cancer patients, survivors, and their family members and friends.
Nationally, Jaffee served as chair of the President’s Cancer Panel from 2023-2025 and cochair of the Blue Ribbon Panel established in 2016 to guide the scientific direction of the original National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. She has received many honors and awards throughout her career, including the AACR-Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research in 2023 and the AACR-Joseph H. Burchenal Award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Cancer Research in 2015. She is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Academy of Immuno-Oncology, and the American College of Physicians. She is also an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. Jaffee received her medical degree from New York Medical College and completed her training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Johns Hopkins.
Ribas is professor of medicine, surgery, and molecular and medical pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), as well as director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA. A world-renowned physician-scientist in cancer immunology, Ribas has spearheaded critically important studies that have resulted in new therapeutic options for patients with melanoma. Ribas’ clinical research contributions led to the development of pembrolizumab, the first-in-class approved anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for the treatment of melanoma. His research has also contributed to the understanding of how proteins such as BRAF, CTLA-4, and MEK may be exploited for the treatment of cancer and has helped to decipher the molecular mechanisms responsible for immunotherapeutic resistance, fueling additional efforts to understand the relationship between the immune system and cancer.
A member of the AACR since 1999, Ribas served as President of the AACR in 2020-2021 and as a member of the AACR Board of Directors from 2016-2019. He was elected as a Fellow of the AACR Academy in 2020. Ribas has provided exceptional guidance to the AACR through his service on the organization’s committees and association groups over many years. After assuming the AACR Presidency in April 2020, Ribas launched and served as chair of the AACR COVID-19 and Cancer Task Force to help the organization navigate the pandemic. Past highlights of his AACR service have included, among many other roles, serving as cochair of the AACR Precision Combination Therapy Task Force, chair and vice chair of the Annual Meeting Program Committee, steering committee member of the AACR Cancer Immunology Working Group, and cochair of the AACR-NCI-EORTC Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Conference.
In 2025, Ribas served as chair of the inaugural AACR Immuno-Oncology Conference (AACR IO). He will serve again as chair of AACR IO 2026, to be held February 18-21 in Los Angeles. This conference will feature the very best of basic, translational, and clinical research in immunology, inflammation, and immunotherapies for cancer, including IO drugs, inflammatory modulators, vaccines, and cellular therapies.
Ribas has long provided editorial guidance to AACR journals, previously serving as a scientific editor of Cancer Discovery and a member of the editorial board for Clinical Cancer Research.
Ribas has been recognized with myriad honors and awards throughout his career, including the AACR-CRI Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology in 2018 and the AACR-Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Memorial Award in 2016. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, the Royal Academy of Medicine of Catalonia, and the American Society for Clinical Investigation. Ribas received his doctorate from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, and his medical degree from the University of Barcelona. After serving as an intern and resident at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, he moved to UCLA, joining the faculty in 2001. “The AACR is absolutely thrilled to welcome two Past Presidents, Dr. Jaffee and Dr. Ribas, as editors-in-chief of Cancer Immunology Research,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. “These dedicated and highly esteemed researchers are international authorities in the field of cancer immunology and immunotherapy whose discoveries have greatly contributed to spectacular breakthroughs benefiting cancer patients. The AACR is deeply grateful for the expertise and exceptional leadership that they will bring to this important scientific journal. We very much look forward to working with them in their new editor-in-chief roles.”
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