The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) announced that its members have elected Lillian L. Siu, MD, FRCPC, FASCO, FAACR, as the 2024–2025 President-Elect of the AACR.
Lillian L. Siu, MD, FRCPC, FASCO, FAACR
Professional and Research Background
Dr. Siu currently serves as Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto; as well as a senior medical oncologist, Director of the Phase I Clinical Trials Program, Co-Director of the Robert and Maggie Bras and Family Drug Development Program, Clinical Lead for the Tumor Immunotherapy Program, and the BMO Chair in Precision Cancer Genomics at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre at the University Health Network in Toronto. Throughout her career, Dr. Siu has made significant contributions to anticancer drug development and has focused her translational and clinical research on optimizing clinical trial design and execution in order to accelerate the discovery and development of novel immunotherapeutics and molecularly targeted therapeutics in patients with head and neck cancers and gastrointestinal malignancies.
Having been a member of the AACR since 1996, Dr. Siu was recently elected as a Fellow of the AACR Academy. She has been an elected fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences since 2023 and ASCO since 2015. Dr. Siu has long supported the growth of the AACR through her leadership and involvement with numerous AACR committees and association groups and has been a member of the AACR International–Canada Board of Directors since 2020 and AACR Finance and Audit Committee since 2019. She also previously served as a member of the AACR Board of Directors from 2017 to 2020, Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting Clinical Trials Committee from 2016 to 2017, a member of the Annual Meeting Program Committee in 2014, a member of the Annual Meeting Clinical Trials Committee from 2012 to 2013 and 2014 to 2016, and a member and Chair of the Annual Meeting Education Committee in 2011 and 2012, respectively. She helped shape the AACR Annual Meetings as a Co-Chair in 2012.
She has expertly contributed to other AACR meetings, special conferences, and workshops by serving as Co-Chair of the Scientific Committee at the AACR–National Cancer Institute (NCI)–European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Symposium from 2021 to 2022 and Co-Chair of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advancing Precision Medicine Drug Development in 2020. At the AACR/ASCO Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop, she served as Co-Chair from 2008 to 2010 and faculty member in 1998 and from 2003 to 2007.
Additionally, Dr. Siu has provided important guidance as a member of the AACR Asian/Asian American Task Force since 2023, Clinical Trials Advisory Council since 2023, International Affairs Committee from 2018 to 2020, Regional Advisory Committee on Canada from 2016 to 2019, SU2C/AACR Catalyst Initiative Grants Executive Committee in 2016, Women in Cancer Research Council from 2013 to 2016, Clinical and Translational Cancer Research Grants Committee in 2010, Henry Shepard Bladder Cancer Research Grants Scientific Review Committee in 2009, and International Membership Committee from 2002 to 2003. She has supported the AACR’s Scientific Achievement Awards Program by serving as a member of the AACR–Waun Ki Hong Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cancer Research Committee from 2017 to 2019, a member of the Nominating Committee from 2014 to 2016, Chair of the Landon Foundation–AACR Innovator Award for International Collaboration in Cancer Research Committee from 2012 to 2014, and a member of the AACR–Women in Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Memorial Lectureship Committee in 2008.
As Editor-in-Chief of Cancer Research Communications since 2021, a member of the Publications Committee since 2016, and a scientific editor of Cancer Discovery from 2011 to 2021, Dr. Siu has supported the AACR’s journals.
Dr. Siu received her medical degree at the University of Toronto. She completed the Canadian Association of Medical Oncology Fellowship in Oncopharmacology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the Clinical Research Fellowship in New Drug Development at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Awards
Dr. Siu has been recognized with numerous awards throughout her career. Among them are:
- The Canadian Cancer Trials Group Maria Ricci Lectureship in 2023
- The ASCO International Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award in 2020
- The European Society for Medical Oncology Targeted Anticancer Therapies Honorary Award in 2020
- The University of Toronto Michael Hutcheon Mentor Award in 2017
- Eaton Research Scholar Researcher of the Year in 2016
- Elsie Winifred Crann Memorial Trust Award in Medical Research in 2001
- The NCI Michaele C. Christian Oncology Development Lectureship and Award in 2010.
Looking Ahead
As the AACR’s next President-Elect, Dr. Siu plans to collaborate with the Officers and Directors of the AACR Board and the AACR membership at large—which includes over 58,000 members in 141 countries and territories. She will work to further the AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all cancers through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and funding for cancer initiatives.
Dr. Siu will serve as Chair of the 2025 Annual Meeting Program Committee.
Conclusions
Dr. Siu will become President-Elect during the AACR’s Annual Business Meeting of Members at the AACR Annual Meeting 2024 on April 8, 2024; and will assume the presidency at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025 in April 2025.
“Dr. Siu’s visionary leadership as a researcher and clinician has led to transformative advancements in cancer research and patient care,” highlighted Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), Chief Executive Officer of the AACR. “Moreover, her extensive service and sincere dedication to the AACR have been truly remarkable. We are thrilled that Dr. Siu has been elected to serve as the AACR’s 2024 [to] 2025 President-Elect and 2025 [to] 2026 President. We look forward to working with her in support of our shared mission to prevent and cure all cancers,” she stated.
“I am deeply honored to serve as the AACR President-Elect for 2024 [to] 2025. I am excited to have the opportunity to connect with AACR members globally, working collaboratively to translate promising cancer research into meaningful improvements in patient care. Additionally, I am thrilled to play a part in expanding [the] AACR’s educational initiatives through workshops and conferences on a global scale,” Dr. Siu concluded.
