The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) expressed its gratitude to Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, for her outstanding service to the United States during her 14-month tenure as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Background
Dr. Bertagnolli recently announced that she will step down as 17th NIH Director on January 17, 2025. She was just the second woman to serve in this vital role. Prior to her position with the NIH, Dr. Bertagnolli served as the Richard E. Wilson Professor of Surgery in the field of Surgical Oncology at Harvard Medical School as well as Professor and a member of the Gastrointestinal Cancer and Sarcoma Disease Centers at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. She then served with distinction as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). An AACR member since 1996, Dr. Bertagnolli is currently a member of the AACR Tumor Microenvironment Working Group and the AACR Women in Cancer Research membership group. She has also served as Chair and a committee member on numerous award and grant review committees for the AACR.
AACR Statement
“The entire medical research community has sincerely appreciated Dr. Bertagnolli’s decision to prioritize the challenges faced by rural communities to access medical care and participate in medical research during her year as NIH Director,” emphasized Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, President of the AACR, Chief of the Early Phase Clinical Trials Program at Yale University, and Associate Center Director of Experimental Therapeutics at the Yale Cancer Center. “To this end, she visited many communities across the country who have poorer health outcomes and whose residents will benefit from participating in medical research, thus ensuring that NIH research is equitable and accessible to all [patients] regardless of income or zip code,” she indicated.
“In her capacity as NIH Director during the past year, Dr. Bertagnolli consistently communicated clear, science-based guidance to our elected leaders and displayed a passion for supporting the professional development of early-career and early-stage scientists and physicians,” underscored Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), Chief Executive Officer of the AACR. “The entire medical research community is very fortunate to have had Dr. Bertagnolli at the helm of the most important medical research institution in the world. Under her leadership, the NIH has continued to be at the forefront of medical breakthroughs that have significantly improved the well-being of millions and saved countless lives from human diseases, including cancer,” she concluded.
