Winship researcher Rafi Ahmed, PhD, has been named a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy, one of the highest honors in cancer research.
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University researcher Rafi Ahmed, PhD, has been named a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy, one of the highest honors in cancer research.
Ahmed was selected for his groundbreaking contributions to immunology, particularly his work defining the regulation of T-cell memory and exhaustion, which helped pave the way for PD-1 pathway blockade therapies—a transformative approach to cancer treatment. These therapies work by releasing the immune system’s natural “brakes,” enabling T cells to more effectively recognize and attack cancer cells.
“It is an honor to be named a Fellow of the AACR Academy,” says Ahmed, co-leader of the Cancer Immunology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute, director of the Emory Vaccine Center and professor of microbiology and immunology at Emory University School of Medicine. “I thank the AACR for this recognition and look forward to continuing our work on immuno-oncology and viral-mediated cancers.”
Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research is the world's oldest and largest professional association dedicated to advancing cancer research. With over 58,000 members in 142 countries and territories, the AACR's mission is to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and funding for cancer research.
The mission of the Fellows of the AACR Academy is to recognize and honor extraordinary scientists whose groundbreaking contributions have driven significant innovation and progress against cancer. Fellows of the AACR Academy constitute a global brain trust of leading experts in cancer science and medicine, working to advance the AACR’s mission.
Fellows of the AACR Academy are nominated and elected through a meticulous, multistep, peer-reviewed process that rigorously evaluates each candidate’s scientific achievements and contributions to the global cancer research community. Only those whose work has made a profound and lasting impact on cancer research and related fields are considered for election and induction into the AACR Academy.
The Class of 2025 has elected 33 new Fellows into the AACR Academy, bringing the total number of Fellows to 375.
Ahmed joins this esteemed group in recognition of his pioneering discoveries in immunology, which have shaped modern cancer immunotherapy and continue to influence research aimed at improving patient outcomes.