Johann S. de Bono – Candidate for Board of Directors of AACR

The voting for the 2025 AACR Annual Election is now open, where members will vote for the next President-Elect, Treasurer, five Board Members, and four members of the Nominating Committee.

This year, Johann S. de Bono, MD, PhD is a candidate for the Board of Directors of AACR.

Johann S. de Bono is a leading expert in experimental cancer medicine, currently holding the position of Regius Professor in Experimental Cancer Medicine at The Institute of Cancer Research and an honorary consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

He also serves as the head of the Clinical Studies Division, director of the Drug Development Unit, and leader of the Prostate Cancer Targeted Therapy Group.

Previously, he was a Reader in Experimental Cancer Medicine (2009-2010) and Senior Lecturer (2003-2009) at The Institute of Cancer Research/The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

He has also held faculty positions with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Clinician-Scientist Program (2002-2003) and as a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Drug Development, University of Texas Health Science Center (2000-2001).

Johann S. de Bono’s research focuses on advancing clinical cancer therapies, with a particular emphasis on prostate cancer.

His work spans clinical research, immunology, and experimental molecular therapeutics, aiming to improve treatment outcomes for patients.

He has played a key role in the clinical development of multiple PARP inhibitors, including talazoparib, niraparib, and olaparib, exploring their potential in treating advanced cancers.

Additionally, his research investigates the genomic landscape of advanced prostate cancer, seeking to identify molecular markers that can guide targeted therapies.

He is also deeply involved in studying circulating biomarkers to enhance early detection and monitoring of cancer progression.

Johann S. de Bono has made significant contributions to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) through various roles in service, honors, and awards.

He is currently a member of the Science Education and Career Advancement Committee (2022-2025) and has served as chair of the AACR Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research Committee (2022-2023).

He has been involved in multiple key committees, including the AACR Exploratory IND/Phase 0 Clinical Trials Task Force (2021-present), the Education and Training Committee (2012-2015, 2019-2022), and the Annual Meeting Clinical Trials Committee (multiple terms from 2013-2025).

His accolades include receiving the AACR-Joseph H. Burchenal Clinical Cancer Research Award in 2018, co-chairing the AACR Special Conference on Prostate Cancer (2017), and earning the Team Science Award in 2012.

Dr. de Bono has also served as a scientific editor for several AACR journals, including Cancer Discovery and Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, and was a senior editor for Clinical Cancer Research.

His leadership extends to committees such as the AACR Special Conferences Committee (2011-2017, 2020-2024) and the Chemistry in Cancer Research Working Group Steering Committee (2011-2014), where he has played an integral role in shaping the future of cancer research.

Education

Johann S. de Bono’s education includes an MBChB in Medicine (1989) and MRCP in Internal Medicine (1993) from the University of Glasgow.

He then pursued specialized training at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, earning an MSc in Medical Oncology (2000) and a PhD in Molecular Biology (1997).

After completing his studies, he trained as a senior fellow at the Institute for Drug Development at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (2000-2001), where he focused on cancer drug development.

Awards and Honors

• Elected Fellow, Royal Society of Biology (2020)
• Fellow, European Academy of Cancer Sciences (2019)
• Honoree, World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds (2015)
• Scientific Committee Chair, ESMO Congress Meeting (2014)
• Appointed Center Director, London Movember Centre of Excellence for Prostate Cancer (2014)
• Elected Member, Academy of Medical Sciences (2012)
• Lead Investigator, Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) Prostate Cancer Dream Team (2012)
• Member, European Male Urology Conference (EMUC) Organizing Committee (2012)

Interviews with Johann S. de Bono

Johann de Bono: Investing in Discovery – Prostate Cancer Foundation (14th, February 2020)

Professor Johann de Bono discusses his latest research – Prostate Cancer UK (7th July, 2016)

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