Caryn Lerman, PhD
Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD
Caryn Lerman, PhD, is the new President of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI). Dr. Lerman is Director of the University of Southern California (USC) Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles and Associate Dean for Cancer Programs and the H. Leslie and Elaine S. Hoffman Professor in Cancer Research at Keck School of Medicine of USC. Dr. Lerman joined the AACI Board of Directors in 2019 and was voted Vice President/President-Elect in 2020. She will begin her 2-year term 4 months early, as Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD, steps down to become Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society. Dr. Lerman will formally announce her presidential initiative at the 2021 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting in October.
“This is a time of rapid change—not only in cancer research, education, and patient care, but also in terms of social justice issues that we must tackle as we elevate our cancer centers and the national cancer program to the next level,” said Dr. Lerman. “I am looking forward to collaborating with AACI cancer centers to embrace change and address issues that matter most to them, including cancer equity and the diversification of the nation’s oncology leadership pipeline.”
An Experienced Leader
Internationally recognized for cancer prevention research that bridges the fields of genomics, pharmacology, and population science, Dr. Lerman has deep knowledge of multiple frameworks of cancer discovery and innovation—from basic and translational/clinical science to population-based research and biotechnology. A major focus of her research is on biology-driven science.
An elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Lerman has served as a member of the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, the National Human Genome Research Advisory Council, and the National Institutes on Drug Abuse Advisory Council. She is also Past President of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco and has received numerous awards for her work, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Control Award, the American Society of Preventive Oncology Joseph Cullen Award, the Alton Ochsner Award Relating Smoking and Health, and the National Institutes of Health Matilda White Riley Award.
“I am very excited to work with Dr. Lerman. She has a passion for the work of cancer centers and knows what it takes to be a leader,” said AACI Executive Director Jennifer W. Pegher. “As a researcher, clinician, and administrator, Dr. Lerman has a deep understanding of the needs of the talented individuals who work together to build and guide a cancer center....”
