The Professional Development Sessions at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025 consist of several opportunities to help early-career researchers find mentors, apply for grants, chart the beginning of their independent careers, and more.

The series is chiefly organized by the AACR Science Education and Career Advancement Committee, which provides support for AACR’s career development activities, including those held at the Annual Meeting.

“The goal of the Science Education and Career Advancement Committee is to foster the education and training of the next generation of leaders—introducing cancer research to them, connecting them to great mentors, and helping facilitate and nurture their progression toward a career in cancer research,” said Brian Rivers, PhD, MPH, Morehouse School of Medicine, chair of the Science Education and Career Advancement Committee. “That’s what I want attendees to take away from these experiences.”

The session organizers are proud to offer a variety of session types from lectures to panel discussions to one-on-one chats with experts. Returning this year is an annual attendee favorite, the Grant Writing Workshop, in which accomplished grantees share their tips for finding funding opportunities and making grant applications as strong as possible.

The Science Education and Career Advancement Committee also collaborates with other AACR committees and AACR constituency groups, including Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR), Women in Cancer Research (WICR), and the Associate Member Council (AMC) on professional development activities. Saturday’s Women and Power Workshop, sponsored by The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers, in partnership with Pelotonia and AACR, will help attendees recognize their professional sources of power, leverage their circles of influence, and deepen their connections with women colleagues.

For the next generation of cancer researchers, the program also offers a Special Program for High School Students and the annual Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition. Both provide opportunities for young researchers to present their data, network with other attendees, and compete for poster prizes.

“These undergrads are so talented, and the type of research that they’re doing is just outstanding,” Rivers said. “Presenting your science, building your confidence, and building your self-efficacy are all important character developments we know are germane to success in the future, and we want to see them happen.”

The Professional Development Sessions will run Friday, April 25 through Tuesday, April 29 at the McCormick Place Convention Center and the Marriott Marquis Chicago.

For the most up-to-date information on session dates, times, and locations, check the Annual Meeting App and Online Itinerary Planner.

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PDS01: Grant Writing Workshop: Tips for Success From Experienced Scientists

Friday, April 25, 1-4 p.m. CT
Hall C, McCormick Place North (Level 1)

Session Chairs: Mariana Stern, PhD, University of South Carolina Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Filippo Pederzoli, MD, PhD, Weill Cornell Medicine

This session aims to provide postdoctoral fellows and new faculty with practical tools to write competitive grants. The session will address different types of grants and the different elements of a grant and will include a panel where participants can ask experienced scientists about grants and grant reviews.

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PDS02: How to Design a Successful Career Path: From Doctoral to the First Five Years of a Cancer Research Career

Friday, April 25, 5-6:30 p.m. CT
Hall C, McCormick Place North (Level 1)

Session Chairs: Kathleen W. Scotto, PhD, Rutgers Cancer Institute; John M. Carethers, MD, FAACR, University of California San Diego; Sara Pedron Haba, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Valerie Odero-Marah, PhD, Morgan State University; and Wayne R. Lawrence, DrPH, MPH, National Cancer Institute

This session is intended for early-stage investigators to acquire skills and develop key strategies to enhance the probability of success in their first independent leadership position. The organizers have recruited an expert panel of established investigators with invaluable experience on how to navigate a successful career in cancer research.

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PDS03: Personalized Career Conversations

Saturday, April 26, 5-7 p.m. CT
Great Lakes AB, Marriott Marquis Chicago

Session Chairs: Christopher G. Sistrunk, PhD, City of Hope; Jose G. Trevino, MD, Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center; Arti P. Varanasi, PhD, MPH, CPH, Advancing Synergy, LLC; and Heather K. Beasley, PhD, Vanderbilt University

This “mentorship speed dating” session provides a unique opportunity for early-career AACR Associate members to participate in 15-minute one-on-one conversations with distinguished cancer researchers from across various sectors—including academia, government, and industry. Session chairs will moderate informal discussions on important topics in the general session while one-on-one discussions are underway.

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PDS10: Productive Peer Review: Improving Science While Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Monday, April 28, 5:30-7 p.m. CT
Regency CDE, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

Session Chairs: Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Christine M. Lovly, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

This interactive session, organized by the AACR Publishing Division, will focus on how to become a proficient reviewer and how to effectively respond to reviewers’ comments. The moderators, editors-in-chief of two AACR journals, will share examples and tips for communication and lead discussions with the session participants. This session requires preregistration.

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PDS05: Navigating the Path to a Successful Career in Cancer Research

Monday, April 28, 7-9 p.m. CT
Hall C, McCormick Place North (Level 1)

Session Chairs: Brian Rivers, PhD, MPH, Morehouse School of Medicine; Carmen E. Guerra, MD, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Luz Maria Rodriguez, MD, National Cancer Institute; and Pablo A. Sanchis, PhD, Institute of Biological Chemistry (CONICET)

This interactive session and networking reception provides a forum in which students, early-career researchers, and early-stage investigators can discuss career development topics during informal roundtable discussions facilitated by established scientists from a variety of sectors, including academia, government, and industry.

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PDS06: Building an Effective Mentorship Team: Essential Strategies at Every Stage in Your Career

Tuesday, April 29, 7-9 p.m. CT
Great Lakes EFG, Marriott Marquis Chicago

Session Chairs: Sandra W. Ryeom, PhD, Columbia University; Ruben A. Mesa, MD, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center; Shiva Malek, PhD, Novartis; and Kristin A. Altwegg, PhD, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

In this highly interactive session, cancer researchers with a strong commitment to mentoring will share their experience with leading mentoring teams. Learn how to build and take full advantage of an effective mentoring team whether you are a trainee, an early-stage investigator, or a later stage investigator considering a career change.