AACR appoints Minorities in Cancer Research Council chair
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Camille Ragin, PhD, MPH, has been named chair of the Minorities in Cancer Research Council for the American Association for Cancer Research.
Ragin, associate director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has been a member of the AACR since 2002 and also co-chairs the AACR Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR) Council Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Awards committee, which is designed to increase the scientific knowledge base of minority researchers and encourage them to pursue careers in cancer research, according to a press release.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to be chair of this council,” she said in a release. “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 strong, diverse teams doing science that matters.”
Ragin spoke with Healio about what the MICR is and what they do, her priorities in this new role, and how others in the field can contribute to the mission.
Healio: What is the MICR Council group and what will your priorities be in this role?
Ragin: The MICR Council group includes members of minority investigators (individuals who are from underrepresented groups) who have formed a council to work directly with the AACR to address issues around the career advancement of those in minority groups.
We work closely with the head of the AACR and we provide recommendations to them.
We are also responsible for supporting and hosting the AACR Cancer Health Disparities Conference — the concept of which came out of a recommendation from the MICR Council. We are fully engaged and involved in that particular conference, as well as the AACR Annual Conference, and we have several programs that we are responsible for hosting during those meetings.
We also provide travel awards to minority investigators who are undergraduate or graduate students as well as faculty members who are based at Historically Black Colleges and Universities or minority-serving institutions and a number of other career advancement activities that we are responsible for overseeing either during the Cancer Health Disparities Conference or the AACR Annual Meeting. My responsibility as chair of the committee is to guide the process and the decision-making as the committee meets several times throughout the year.
Healio: How can others in the field contribute to the mission?
Ragin: All members of the AACR who are members of a minority group can freely join MICR. There are thousands of minority investigators who are members of the MICR who are up to date with all of the activities that we have ongoing and they also participate in all of the programs that the MICR Council presents at these conferences, which are geared toward minority investigators — especially those who are AACR members.
In addition, each year we have nominations for new council members and voting in our new members as other more senior members rotate off, which is another way that individuals can participate by being nominated to the council.
Most importantly, having minority investigators know that they can join the MICR as part of their membership is key. One of the things that institutions really need to be mindful of is to continue to ensure that minority investigators at their institutions are aware that they can join the MICR as part of their membership.
Also, just being engaged in knowing what’s happening at the AACR conferences and paying attention to the programs that are fully available so that they can see what types of professional development activities may be happening during the conference and can plan to participate in these meetings and take advantage of all the opportunities.
Healio: Why is a council like this so important?
Ragin: The council has been around for a very long time, and they have done such a tremendous job at supporting the career advancement of many minority investigators.
My hope is that the council will continue to do just that and that we’ll be able to continue to support the careers of investigators who are underrepresented so that they have the best chance of advancing and, most importantly, impacting science, which is what we are all here to do.
A council like this is important because we have to ensure that support is being provided to all investigators — to ensure that there is equity in the process so that all investigators have an opportunity to be able to do well in their careers.
This council focuses on the support of underrepresented minority investigators and addresses their career advancement needs so that we can churn out scientists that are going to be diversly represented across the continuum of cancer research.
Healio: Do you have anything else that you would like to mention?
Ragin: The MICR Council is made up of a tremendous team of investigators and leaders in the field and I am so honored to have the opportunity to work with them. This year I look forward to my term as chair and continuing to do the great things that I know MICR Council has been doing for so many years before I got here. I am happy to be a part of it.
Reference:
- Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Camille Ragin elected chair of AACR Minorities in Cancer Research Council (press release). Available at: https://www.foxchase.org/news/2023-04-18-fox-chase-cancer-centers-camille-ragin-elected-chair-of-AACR-minorities-in-cancer-research-council. Posted April 18, 2023. Accessed April 18, 2023.
For more information:
Camille Ragin, PhD, MPH, can be reached at camille.ragin@fccc.edu.
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