The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) will hold elections for its 2026–2028 Board of Directors and next President-elect during the virtual UICC General Assembly on 20 October 2026.
Members will elect 14 Board members and one President-elect for the 2026–2028 term. The President-elect will serve ex officio on the Board before assuming the presidency in October 2028.
As the election approaches, OncoDaily takes a closer look at the candidates for the UICC Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.
Matti Aapro
Matti Aapro is a medical oncologist at the Genolier Cancer Center in Switzerland and President of Sharing Progress in Cancer Care (SPCC). A current UICC Board member and Past-President of the European Cancer Organisation, his work has focused on breast cancer, geriatric oncology, supportive care, and access to cancer treatment. He has held leadership roles across several major oncology organisations, including EORTC, MASCC, ESMO, and SIOG, and has worked with UICC for decades. He is also the Chair of the Editorial Board of OncoDaily Medical Journal.
Anurag Agrawal
Anu Agrawal is Vice President of Global Cancer Support at the American Cancer Society and a paediatric haematologist-oncologist whose work focuses on global oncology, patient-centred care, navigation, supportive care, and health disparities. He has worked across the United States, Vietnam, Botswana, and Lesotho, and now leads ACS global cancer support programmes that support partners in 78 countries.
Arasb Ahmadian
Arasb Ahmadian is CEO of MAHAK Charity Institute, a paediatric cancer support organisation in Iran, with more than 19 years of experience in healthcare and non-profit leadership. His work focuses on paediatric oncology, healthcare management, innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable cancer care.
Zipporah Ali
Zipporah Ali is a palliative care physician and public health specialist who serves on the boards of the Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association and the African Palliative Care Association. With more than 30 years in cancer and palliative care, she has contributed to Kenya’s national cancer control strategies, treatment guidelines, palliative care integration, and advocacy for pain relief and universal health coverage.
Stella Bialous
Stella Bialous is a Professor at the University of California, San Francisco, with a background in nursing, public health, tobacco control, and health policy. She has worked with the World Health Organization and the Secretariat of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, held leadership roles in the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care, and has served on the UICC Board of Directors for the past four years.
Maira Caleffi
Maira Caleffi is a breast surgeon, healthcare leader, and cancer-control advocate based in Brazil. She is Head of the Breast Unit and Prevention Programmes at Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Founder and Chair of FEMAMA, and a member of the UICC Board of Directors, with a career focused on equitable access to prevention, early detection, treatment, survivorship, and patient-centred cancer care.
Fatima Cardoso
Fatima Cardoso is a medical oncologist and breast cancer expert, currently Head of Clinical Trials, Scientific Affairs, and International Development in Breast Oncology at Centre Antoine Lacassagne in Nice, France. She is Founder and President of the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) Global Alliance and has been deeply involved in global cancer policy, access, inequalities, clinical trials, and the development of international consensus guidelines for advanced breast cancer. She received the Yvonne Lifetime Achievement Award.
Hesham Elghazaly
Hesham Elghazaly is Professor of Clinical Oncology at Ain Shams University, President of the Egyptian Cancer Society, and Chairman of Egypt’s Presidential Initiative for Women’s Health. His work focuses on breast cancer, cancer policy, and adapting global oncology standards to low- and middle-income settings, alongside leadership roles with IARC/WHO and the Advanced Breast Cancer Global Alliance. He was named among the 100 Most Influential Figures Worldwide in Oncology by OncoDaily.
Jesper Fisker
Jesper Fisker is CEO of the Danish Cancer Society, with a background in public-sector leadership, health policy, and organisational governance. He previously served as Permanent Secretary in several Danish ministries, has been a member of the WHO Executive Board, and chaired Denmark’s Health Structure Commission, with a focus on strengthening healthcare systems and advancing cancer control.
Jihui Hao
Jihui Hao is Executive Vice President of the China Anti-Cancer Association, President of Tianjin Medical University, and President of its Cancer Institute & Hospital. His work focuses on pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers, precision oncology, cancer research, and clinical translation, alongside leadership in national oncology strategy, education, and cancer-centre management.
Todd Harper
Todd Harper is CEO of Cancer Council Victoria and a current member of the UICC Board of Directors. His work spans cancer prevention, public health policy, research, and patient support, with major contributions to tobacco and vaping control, cancer screening, supportive care, and health advocacy. He previously served as President of the NCD Alliance and has led several major public health organisations in Australia. He was recently named one of OncoDaily’s 100 Most Influential CEOs in Oncology.
Shushan Hovsepyan
Shushan Hovsepyan is Senior Vice President of P53 Inc., the parent organisation of OncoDaily and CancerWorld, and Editor-in-Chief of OncoDaily Medical Journal. Her work focuses on international collaboration, research capacity, education, and equitable cancer care, particularly in paediatric and young adult oncology, alongside leadership roles within SIOP, Yerevan State Medical University, and international sarcoma and oncology initiatives.
Julia Ismael
Julia Ismael is Scientific and Technical Director of the Latin American Initiative for Cancer Control (ILACC) and a clinical oncologist and health policy researcher. She previously served as Director of Argentina’s National Cancer Institute, and her work focuses on cancer control, health systems strengthening, implementation science, health equity, and improving access to quality cancer care across low- and middle-income countries.
Christopher Jackson
Christopher Jackson is Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Otago and National Clinical Lead for Cancer Services in New Zealand. His work spans clinical oncology, cancer policy, health-system leadership, quality improvement, and advocacy, and he currently serves on the UICC Board of Directors, contributing to several policy, finance, congress, and scientific committees.
Boguslawa (Bogda) Koczwara
Boguslawa (Bogda) Koczwara is Director of the Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship and a medical oncologist, researcher, and leader in cancer survivorship. She established one of Australia’s first survivorship programmes and has held leadership roles across Cancer Council Australia, the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, and international supportive care and cardio-oncology organisations.
Zhengchen Liu
Zhengchen Liu is Founder and Chairman of the New Sunshine Charity Foundation, one of mainland China’s largest healthcare charities. After being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2001, he established a non-governmental bone marrow registry, later expanding New Sunshine’s work across patient support, healthcare professional training, policy advocacy, cancer prevention, and community assistance.
Sri Navaratnam
Sri Navaratnam is a medical oncologist and health system leader at CancerCare Manitoba and the University of Manitoba, with expertise in lung cancer, cancer systems, and health equity. She served as President and CEO of CancerCare Manitoba from 2014 to 2025 and previously chaired the Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies, advancing patient-centred care and collaborative cancer control across Canada.
Joanne Ngeow
Joanne Ngeow is Head of the Cancer Genetics Service at the National Cancer Centre Singapore and Associate Professor of Genomic Medicine at Nanyang Technological University Singapore. Her work focuses on hereditary cancer, precision prevention, translational genomics, and expanding equitable access to genetic testing and screening, particularly for diverse Asian populations.
Omar Nimri
Omar Nimri is President of the Jordan Cancer Society and a physician and public health expert specialising in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and control. He previously led the Jordan Cancer Registry and the Ministry of Health’s Cancer Prevention and Control Department, contributing to national cancer strategies and collaborations with IARC, WHO, IAEA, UICC, and other international organisations.
Christian Ntizimira
Christian Ntizimira is Founder and Executive Director of the African Center for Research on End-of-Life Care (ACREOL Global) in Rwanda. His work focuses on palliative and end-of-life care, culturally responsive care, and healthcare equity, and he has developed a community-based palliative care model scaled across 13 districts and 16 hospitals in Rwanda.
Timothy Rebbeck
Timothy Rebbeck is the Vincent L. Gregory Professor of Cancer Prevention at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His work focuses on cancer genetics, epidemiology, prevention, early detection, and disparities, with particular emphasis on African populations, global research partnerships, and building locally led cancer research capacity.
Kathleen Schmeler
Kathleen Schmeler is Associate Vice President of Global Oncology and Professor of Gynaecologic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her work focuses on cervical cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, workforce development, and strengthening cancer systems in underserved settings, and she currently serves on the UICC Board of Directors.
Beatrice Wiafe-Addai
Beatrice Wiafe-Addai is Founder and President of Breast Care International and a breast surgeon and cancer advocate based in Ghana. Her work focuses on breast cancer awareness, early detection, patient support, advocacy, and health equity, with a strong emphasis on improving cancer outcomes for women across Africa.
Han-Kwang Yang
Han-Kwang Yang is President of the National Cancer Center, Korea, and Professor Emeritus at Seoul National University. A gastric cancer surgeon and researcher, he has work spanning minimally invasive surgery, gastric cancer clinical trials, translational research, and national cancer leadership, alongside senior roles in the International Gastric Cancer Association and Asian Oncology Society.
Read further on OncoDaily: UICC President-elect Election 2026: Meet the Candidates
