WHAT: Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center will present new research findings and receive honors and awards at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, one of the world's largest gatherings of cancer researchers.
WHEN and WHERE: April 17–22, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California
HONORS AND DISTINCTIONS
Kimmel Cancer Center Director Named AACR Academy Fellow: William Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., Marion I. Knott Professor and Director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, was elected a fellow of the AACR Academy, an honor recognizing scientists whose discoveries have significantly advanced cancer research and care. Nelson was recognized for pioneering work that led to the first noninvasive, epigenetic-based test for prostate cancer.
Ashani Weeraratna, Ph.D., Named to AACR Board of Directors: Weeraratna, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Cancer Biology and Co-Leader of the Kimmel Cancer Center Cancer Invasion and Metastasis Program, was elected to the AACR board of directors, a leadership role guiding the organization's global efforts in cancer research, education and advocacy.
Elizabeth Platz, Sc.D., M.P.H., Receives Cancer Prevention Award: Platz, professor and Martin D. Abeloff Scholar in Cancer Prevention and Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, will receive the AACR-American Cancer Society Award for Research Excellence in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention. A leader in cancer prevention research, Platz has made foundational contributions to understanding prostate cancer risk and progression. Her research continues to shape strategies for cancer prevention and population health.
Andrew Feinberg, M.D., M.P.H., Honored for Landmark Discoveries in Cancer Biology: Feinberg, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and King Fahd Professor, will receive the AACR–G.H.A. Clowes Award for Outstanding Basic Cancer Research, the AACR's oldest award. Feinberg is recognized for discoveries that established the central role of epigenetics in cancer. His work showed how large-scale changes in DNA methylation contribute to tumor development and variability, helping define how cancers evolve and opening new paths for detection and treatment.
Daniel Rabzideh Receives Scholar-in-Training Award: Rabzideh will receive the AACR–Margaret Foti Foundation Scholar-in-Training Award for his work on PlasmaCHORD, a machine-learning method designed to identify clonal hematopoiesis variants (a condition in which a group of blood cells is produced from a single original cell that has acquired a genetic mutation) in liquid biopsies.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Advancing Liquid Biopsy for Detecting Residual Disease: Valsamo "Elsa" Anagnostou, M.D., Ph.D., will present research on using blood-based tests, called liquid biopsy, to detect minimal residual disease — the small number of cancer cells that can remain after treatment and lead to recurrence. Her presentation will highlight advances in circulating tumor DNA technologies that improve sensitivity and clinical usefulness and have the potential to guide treatment decisions and monitor patients more precisely.
Rethinking Ovarian Cancer Prevention: Rebecca Stone, M.D., will lead a session on emerging strategies to prevent ovarian cancer. Her presentation reflects a major scientific shift related to the understanding that many ovarian cancers start in the fallopian tubes, not the ovaries. Instead of removing the ovaries, which causes immediate menopause, researchers are exploring removal of the fallopian tubes as a lower-risk option for women. Watch Dr. Stone explain.
Understanding Cancer Metabolism and Growth: Chi V. Dang, M.D., Ph.D., will participate in an educational session focused on cancer metabolism and how cancer cells use energy and nutrients to grow and survive, and ways it can inform new treatment strategies.
Targeting Hard-to-Treat Pancreatic Cancer: Sandra Misale, Ph.D., was awarded a prestigious AACR Cancer Discovery Early Career Award to study new treatment strategies for pancreatic cancer. Her research focuses on targeting HER2 in KRAS-mutated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a particularly aggressive and difficult-to-treat form of cancer. The work aims to identify new therapeutic vulnerabilities, and it could open the door to more effective, targeted treatments.
A full listing of Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center presentations is available at AACR Annual Meeting 2026 Itinerary Planner | Sessions.
