American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.) is the 2008 recipient of the George Washington University Cancer Institute's Distinguished Public Service Award, presented to an individual who has provided outstanding public leadership in cancer healthcare and public policy. Foti was honored during the Fifth Annual GW Cancer Institute Gala on May 3, 2008 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

"I am deeply honored to receive this award from the George Washington University Cancer Institute," Foti said. "The cancer institute's mission, which encompasses research, collaboration, education and community outreach is vitally important to progress against this terrible disease."

"Dr. Foti's contributions to cancer research are extraordinary. Through a distinguished career filled with contributions to scientific publishing, educational programs, innovative research grants and advocacy activities, her leadership has fostered significant progress in cancer research," said Steven Patierno, Ph.D., executive director of the GW Cancer Institute.

Foti has dedicated her career to cancer research and the AACR. Progressing through several key editorial and management roles at the AACR, she was appointed to her current position of CEO in 1982 by the AACR's board of directors. In addition, she serves as secretary-treasurer and CEO of the AACR Foundation for the Prevention and Cure of Cancer and managing editor of Cancer Research. During Foti's tenure, AACR membership has grown to nearly 27,000 cancer scientists residing in more than 70 countries.

In addition to serving as managing editor of Cancer Research, the most highly cited cancer journal in the world, Foti has launched five additional high-quality AACR journals: Clinical Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics;Molecular Cancer Research and Cancer Prevention Research, AACR's most recent publication dedicated exclusively to cancer prevention. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors, patient advocates, their families, physicians, and scientists.

Among her many outside professional activities, Foti has served as a board member, and later as president of the National Coalition for Cancer Research; member of the Melanoma International Foundation board of directors; member of the executive committee of Friends of Cancer Research; and board member of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; and board member and president of the Council of Science Editors and the Society for Scholarly Publishing. She has previously served as a board member of the Translational Genomics Institute (TGen); medical advisory board member of the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation; and member of the Council of the European Association for Cancer Research. She has served in various capacities for the International Federation of Science Editors, the General Motors Cancer Research Foundation, the European Life Science Editors Association, the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association, among other organizations. Foti has also been a consultant to several nonprofit organizations and lectures widely at academic institutions in the United States and abroad.

Foti has received many national and international awards for her contributions to cancer research including: the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of American Cancer Institutes for her contributions to the progress of cancer research and commitment to the next generation of cancer scientists; the Ville de Paris Award; the Cina del Duca Award for raising public awareness of cancer globally; the Community Caring Award from the William S. Graham Foundation for Melanoma Research; and the Special Recognition Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology for her work in advancing clinical cancer research. For her work, she has also been awarded honorary memberships in the Japanese Cancer Association and the European Association for Cancer Research, and an Honorary Doctorate in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Rome La Sapienza. She will receive another Honorary Doctorate in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Catania in Sicily in July 2008.

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For more information about the GW Cancer Institute 2008 Gala, please visit gwcancerinstitute.

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes nearly 27,000 basic, translational, and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 70 other countries. AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment, and patient care. AACR publishes five major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Its most recent publication and its sixth major journal, Cancer Prevention Research, is the only journal worldwide dedicated exclusively to cancer prevention, from preclinical research to clinical trials. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors, patient advocates, their families, physicians, and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship, and advocacy.

Source: Jennifer Ryan
American Association for Cancer Research