Advancing Cancer Research and Therapies

The Academy’s role in combatting this deadly disease dates to the 1940s. Promoting cancer research remains a prominent part of the Academy’s conference programming today.

Published February 4, 2025

By Nick Fetty
Digital Content Manager

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and across the globe, causing significant health, emotional, and financial burdens for millions each year. The New York Academy of Sciences (the Academy) has long played a role in promoting and advancing research to combat this devastating disease.

A History of Advancing Cancer Research

The Academy’s role in advancing cancer research spans nearly nine decades. The earliest cancer-related papers published in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences include connections between botany and cancer (1947) and the potential biochemical genesis of cancer (1948). A 2016 article covering the role that iron can play in the growth of cancerous tumor cells ranks among Annals’ most cited papers on this topic.

The Academy also has ties to several pioneers in the field of cancer research and treatment. Former Academy president E. Cuyler Hammond, PhD, was an epidemiologist whose research linked cigarettes to lung cancer and other diseases. He was among the first researchers to make this connection. Former Academy vice president, Norbert J. Roberts, PhD, was a specialist in preventive medicine who served on the National Cancer Institute’s Board of Scientific Counselors. Both Dr. Hammond and Dr. Roberts passed away from cancer.

Women Pioneers in Cancer Research

May Edward Chinn, MS, advanced cancer research in the early 20^th century, despite the limitations imposed on her as a result of her gender and ethnicity. Chinn, an Academy member, is credited with developing the test for cervical cancer, now known as the Pap smear. She spent her 30-year career working in New York hospitals and clinics where “she developed techniques for early detection [of cancer] including consideration of personal and family medical histories.”

Anna Goldfeder, D.Sc., an expert in cancer and radiobiological science, was a recipient of the Academy’s presidential gold medal. This honor was awarded on the recommendation of the President of the Academy in consultation with the Committee on Awards for outstanding accomplishments in science or service in the cause of science. Throughout her career she was known for being in the lab seven days per week, often putting in 12-hour shifts, and working well into her retirement years. Dr. Goldfeder was particularly lauded for her work in “growing human breast cancer cells in cultures, researching radiation treatment and the effectiveness of different dosages and showing the importance of lead shielding of normal tissues during radiation.”

Cancer Metabolism

The Academy started hosting events to advance cancer metabolism research in 2007. The event brings experts together to discuss recent findings suggesting that discrete metabolic pathways and activities are over-utilized in certain cancer contexts, leaving cancer cells selectively vulnerable to specific metabolic interventions. Experts in this field of research share their findings which can be applied to the development of safe and effective, metabolism-targeted therapies.

The goal of this program is to improve communication and collaboration between junior- and senior-level researchers around the world from academia, government, and industry. Attendees are then encouraged to disseminate the knowledge and data from the conference to further maximize the impact for the research community.

“I’m so proud that the New York Academy of Sciences continues to bring the cancer metabolism community together year after year,” said Melanie Brickman Borchard, PhD, MSc, Director of Life Sciences for the Academy. “These gatherings are more than just opportunities to showcase groundbreaking work—they’re essential for fostering dialogue, sparking ideas, and creating new partnerships that drive the field forward.” 

Cancer Immunotherapies

Academy events focused on cancer immunotherapies have taken place since 2012.  These symposia unite immunotherapy and immunology experts to discuss emerging approaches, challenges, and opportunities. Carl June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, is a leader in the field and has presented at the immunotherapy conference numerous times.

 James “Jim” Allison, PhD, a Nobel Laureate and faculty member at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, also has presented multiple times at this event, including the highly-attended 2023 Frontiers in Cancer Research symposium.  He will return as a keynote for the 2025 meeting.  Alongside Tasuku Honjo, PhD, Dr. Allison won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation.” Dr. Allison’s research has been published in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences as well as other leading journals. He is the subject of the PBS documentary “Breakthrough” and is an honorary lifetime member of the Academy.

Shedding Light on Promising Novel Therapies

The 2025 Cancer Immunotherapy conference aims to shed light on promising novel therapies for cancer patients. While the field has seen many successes over the last few years, challenges remain in understanding the basic biology of some tumor types and in identifying targets for developing novel therapies. This year’s symposium aims for attendees to understand the therapeutic potential/limitations of antigen specific adoptive T cell immunotherapy. By being familiar with both established and novel checkpoint blockade proteins and therapeutic approaches to their inhibition, attendees gain awareness of the mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapies by the tumor microenvironment.  The New York Academy of Sciences has been convening cancer immunotherapy conferences since before the groundbreaking approval of the first PD-1-targeted drug in 2014.

“Witnessing the field’s remarkable transformation has been a privilege, as it has advanced from pioneering successes with checkpoint inhibitors like PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 to a diverse range of innovative treatments, including CAR-T cell therapies, bispecific antibodies, and other novel immune-modulating strategies,” said Dr. Brickman Borchard. “The growing focus on personalizing therapies and addressing resistance mechanisms underscores the commitment to improving outcomes and accessibility for all patients. Bringing together the academic and industry leaders driving these advancements year after year is an honor and central to the Academy’s mission.”

Sign up now for Cancer Metabolism and Signaling in the Tumor Microenvironment (April 8, 2025) and Frontiers in Cancer Immunotherapy 2025 (June 16-17, 2025).