Welcome to the first full day of the AACR Annual Meeting 2025! Today’s exciting program offers innovative discovery science, Educational Sessions, professional development events, and more.

Good luck to those participating in this morning’s AACR Runners for Research 5K Run/Walk and thank you for supporting cancer research!

The Educational Program continues today with even more sessions and workshops, including Rising Rates of Early-onset Cancers, Evolution of Cancer Hallmarks, Extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) in Cancer, Early Detection of Primary Cancer and Minimal Residual Disease by Liquid Biopsies, Social Determinants of Health and Cancer Outcomes, and the ever-popular Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy for Nonimmunologists, among many others.

A Methods Workshop on platform trial design for rare diseases will take place at 12:30 p.m. CT in Room S104, McCormick Place South (Level 1), and will address strategies for overcoming challenges facing clinical research on rare cancers, including the limited number of patients with a rare disease at any one cancer center. Rare cancers account for about 25% of all cancers in the United States but are too often underrepresented in clinical trials and at scientific meetings. We were both passionate about making sure that this topic is well represented at the Annual Meeting.

All Educational Sessions and Methods Workshops are accessible with the Educational Program Pass and will be available for on-demand viewing via the online meeting platform through October. There’s still time to register if you missed any of yesterday’s excellent sessions!

A great day of education will lead us into the meeting’s first Plenary Session: the Discovery Science Plenary on Novel Mechanisms Influencing Cancer Evolution at 4:15 p.m. CT in Hall B1, McCormick Place North (Level 3). This session’s distinguished speakers will consider recent advances in our understanding of cancer evolution and the impacts of somatic mutagenesis, systemic and cellular metabolism, the tissue microenvironment, and the human microbiome on this process.

Today’s schedule also includes the Cancer and Biomedical Research Career Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT in Room E354 B (Lakeside Ballroom), McCormick Lakeside Center (Level 3). This premier recruiting event is for scientists at all career levels seeking opportunities within academia, government, or industry. Candidates can upload their CVs to CancerCareers.org, search and apply for positions, and meet with potential employers.

The day will conclude with Personalized Career Conversations from 5 to 7 p.m. CT in Great Lakes AB, Marriott Marquis Chicago. 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.

Join us tomorrow for the Opening Ceremony at 7:45 a.m. CT in Hall B1, McCormick Place North (Level 3), featuring remarks from AACR Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), and AACR President Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, followed at 9:30 a.m. CT by the Opening Plenary: Unifying Cancer Science and Medicine—A Continuum of Innovation for Impact.

For the most up-to-date program information, visit the AACR Annual Meeting App or Online Itinerary Planner.