The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has named Antoni Ribas as the recipient of the 2026 AACR-Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research, recognizing a career that has profoundly shaped the course of cancer immunotherapy. The award will be presented during the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego, where Dr. Ribas will also deliver a featured award lecture on April 20.
This distinction honors not only scientific excellence, but also visionary leadership in translating discoveries into treatments that have changed outcomes for patients worldwide.
The Scientist Behind a New Era of Immunotherapy
Over the past two decades, Dr. Ribas has become one of the defining figures in melanoma research and immuno-oncology. As professor at the University of California Los Angeles and director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, he has led pioneering work that helped establish immune checkpoint blockade as a cornerstone of cancer care.
Among his most influential achievements was his leadership in the clinical development of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), one of the first anti-PD-1 therapies to transform melanoma treatment. As principal investigator of the landmark KEYNOTE-001 trial, Dr. Ribas guided one of the largest phase I oncology studies ever conducted, involving more than 600 melanoma patients across multiple international centers. The trial’s success directly contributed to pembrolizumab receiving FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation in 2013 and approval in 2014, marking a turning point in cancer therapeutics.
Source: UCLA Health
Redefining Melanoma Treatment and Beyond
Dr. Ribas’ work extends far beyond PD-1 inhibition. His research has also advanced understanding of BRAF, CTLA-4, and MEK-targeted therapies, helping define combination strategies that remain central in melanoma management today. His studies involving vemurafenib and cobimetinib opened new treatment avenues for patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma, while his investigations into resistance mechanisms have informed next-generation immunotherapy design.
These contributions have not only improved survival in melanoma but have influenced therapeutic approaches across multiple tumor types, expanding the reach of immunotherapy far beyond its early indications.
Leadership That Guided Oncology Through Crisis
Beyond laboratory and clinical milestones, Dr. Ribas has played a major leadership role within AACR itself. Serving as AACR President during 2020–2021, he led the organization during the unprecedented disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and chaired the AACR COVID-19 and Cancer Task Force, helping guide the oncology research community through one of its most challenging periods.
Margaret Foti, Chief Executive Officer of AACR, described him as a physician-scientist whose work has seamlessly connected foundational discovery with clinical innovation, saving countless lives and advancing the broader cancer field.
A Career Marked by Global Impact
Dr. Ribas’ influence is reflected in a long list of international honors, including election to the National Academy of Medicine, the Association of American Physicians, and the Academy of Immuno-Oncology. He has also received numerous major distinctions from global oncology societies, underscoring the breadth of his scientific and clinical legacy.
His current work focuses on molecular imaging and immune monitoring technologies, including advanced PET-based methods designed to better understand how novel immunotherapies function in real time at the molecular level an area likely to shape the next frontier of precision cancer treatment.
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Written by Nare Hovhannisyan,MD