AACR President‑Elect on what’s next for cancer research

Keith T. Flaherty, AACR President‑Elect and incoming President, began his journey with the American Association for Cancer Research 25 years ago as a member during his medical oncology fellowship. In this SelectScience interview, he reflects on that path and shares his vision for the future of cancer research.

He discusses how multidisciplinary collaboration is rapidly accelerating progress in oncology, from the rise of targeted therapies and breakthroughs against long‑considered “undruggable” targets, to the growing impact of blood‑based cancer detection, functional tumor testing, and artificial intelligence. Flaherty also highlights the vital importance of supporting and mentoring early‑career researchers to drive the next generation of cancer discovery.

This video was filmed at AACR Annual Meeting 2026.