PHILADELPHIA (April 18, 2023)—Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Camille Ragin, PhD, MPH, Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, was appointed chair of the Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR) Council for the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) at the AACR Annual Meeting 2023, which is being held April 14-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
The AACR works to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and funding for cancer research. The MICR is a group within the AACR that is dedicated to preventing and curing cancer while working to aid the careers and professional needs of minority scientists.
“The MICR serves as an advisory group for AACR as it relates to disparities and minorities in cancer research. We also have a number of different programs that we implement as part of the AACR activities both during the annual meetings and the AACR Cancer Health Disparities meetings,” said Ragin. “We also provide scholarships and travel awards for underrepresented investigators to participate in AACR conferences, as well as student awards.”
Ragin has been a member of the AACR since 2002 and has been a contributing member for groups like Women in Cancer Research in addition to the MICR. She also co-chairs the AACR-MICR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Awards committee, which is designed to increase the scientific knowledge base of minority scientists and to encourage them to pursue careers in cancer research by providing awards.
Ragin has earned many notable awards herself, including an International Community Service Award, several citations from the City Council of Philadelphia, and the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Control Award for her unique contributions to cancer education and training.
In addition, she collaborates with several organizations that connect underserved populations of African descent to critical healthcare and educational services, including the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs, the Caribbean Community of Philadelphia, the African Family Health Organization, the Coalition of African and Caribbean Communities, the city of Philadelphia, and many others.
“I am very honored to have the opportunity to be chair of this council. I am very excited about the year that I will have to work with the council to address some of the needs we have as it relates to diversifying our pipeline for cancer research, as well as empowering and mentoring early stage investigators who are underrepresented. This way we can truly have very strong, diverse teams doing science that matters,” she said.