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Association of American Cancer Institutes president outlines plan to promote ‘good public policy’
Roy A. Jensen, MD, started his two-year term as president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes earlier this month.
Jensen has served as director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center since 2004. The center earned NCI designation in 2012.
Jensen also serves as director of Kansas Masonic Cancer Research Institute, as well as professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and anatomy and cell biology, at University of Kansas Medical Center.
The Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) — which includes 98 academic and freestanding cancer research centers in the United States and Canada — strives to reduce the burden of cancer by enhancing the impact of leading academic cancer centers.
For his presidential initiative, Jensen hopes to lead the development of a comprehensive cancer-specific clearinghouse of model legislation that AACI member centers can share with state legislators.
“Cancer centers are an enormous force for good and collectively have worked to lower cancer incidence and mortality rates for over four decades,” Jensen said in a press release. “Good public policy that limits carcinogen exposures or promotes the adoption of healthy behaviors can save hundreds — if not thousands — of lives and represents a critical tool in our efforts to lower cancer mortality.”
The University of Kansas Cancer Center has been engaged in a variety of public policy efforts, such as increasing tobacco taxes, banning indoor tanning for minors, and promoting the importance of state funding for biomedical research.
“AACI has an unprecedented opportunity to exert enormous influence on public policy,” Jensen said. “My hope is that by creating model legislation on a variety of key issues, we will be able to collectively push state policies forward to improve the prevention and treatment of cancer across the country.”
Jensen — as a member of AACI’s board of directors since 2013 — is recognized for his expertise in the molecular aspects of breast cancer pathology.
His research focuses on the , as well as their roles in breast and ovarian neoplasia. He also has studied the characterization of premalignant breast disease at the morphologic and molecular levels.
“With Dr. Jensen’s strong background in public policy, I’m confident he has what it takes to mobilize our members to speak out on issues that impact the cancer community,” Barbara Duffy Stewart, AACI’s executive director, said in the release. “His presidential initiative — a ‘legislation library’ — has real growth potential and we hope our members will find it useful for years to come.”