Dr. Jim Heath Named Fellow of AACR Academy Class of 2022

isbscience.org/news/2022/03/22/dr-jim-heath-named-fellow-of-aacr-academy-class-of-2022/

ISB President Dr. Jim Heath has been named a Fellow of the AACR Academy Class of 2022.

Dr. Jim Heath has joined a prestigious group of cancer researchers as a newly elected Fellow of the American Academy for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy Class of 2022. 

The AACR Academy’s mission is to recognize and honor distinguished scientists whose scientific contributions have propelled significant innovation and progress against cancer. 

Heath was chosen as an AACR Academy Fellow for his pivotal contributions to the fields of biotechnology and cancer immunotherapy, bridging chemical synthesis and physics with biology to develop nanoscale technologies including single cell barcoding, the isolation of T cells recognizing neoantigens to generate novel T-cell therapies, and microfluidic chips for diagnostic purposes that provide an opportunity to stratify patients and analyze a patient’s antitumor response to drug treatment. 

“I am honored and humbled to be recognized as part of this renowned group of researchers who have done so much to move our understanding of cancer forward,” Heath said. 

Heath is one of 33 scientists elected for this year’s class of Fellows. The newly elected class joins 256 existing Fellows. Fellows of the AACR Academy serve as a global brain trust of top contributors to cancer science and medicine who help advance the mission of the AACR to prevent and cure all cancers through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and funding for cancer research.

“The 2022 class consists of various luminaries who span the gamut of scientific disciplines. Collectively, their work has significantly accelerated the pace of progress against cancer and has served as an inspiration for countless cancer researchers,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR.

Heath has led the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) as president and professor since 2018, and also serves as professor of molecular and medical pharmacology at UCLA and distinguished affiliate professor at the University of Washington’s Department of Bioengineering. He has directed the National Cancer Institute-funded NSB Cancer Center since 2005, and previously was the Elizabeth W. Gilloon Professor of Chemistry at Caltech and served as co-director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at UCLA until 2017.

About ISB

Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) is a collaborative and cross-disciplinary non-profit biomedical research organization based in Seattle. We focus on some of the most pressing issues in human health, including aging, brain health, cancer, COVID-19, sepsis, as well as many infectious diseases. Our science is translational, and we champion sound scientific research that results in real-world clinical impacts. ISB is an affiliate of Providence, one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the United States. Follow us online at www.isbscience.org, and on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About the American Association for Cancer Research

Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world’s first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes more than 50,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 129 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 30 conferences and educational workshops—the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting, with more than 74,000 attendees for the 2020 virtual meetings and more than 22,500 attendees for past in-person meetings. In addition, the AACR publishes 10 prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients, and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration, and scientific oversight of team science and individual investigator grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and other policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit www.AACR.org.