Presenting your research at a large international conference is a thrilling—and often nerve-wracking—rite of passage for many scientists. This year, dozens of undergraduate students had the opportunity to experience this excitement as they participated in the 19th Annual Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024.
For almost two decades, this event has underscored AACR’s commitment to supporting researchers at the earliest stages of their careers and advancing the next era of pioneering cancer research.
The young participants in this year’s event heard from esteemed cancer researchers, participated in professional development discussions, and had the opportunity to present their research findings in a competitive poster session.
Keep scrolling for some glimpses into the excitement and energy of this year’s event.
Learning from the Experts
Brian M. Rivers, PhD, MPH, director of the Cancer Health Equity Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, welcomes participants to the 19th Annual Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition. Rivers served as the 2023-2024 chair of the AACR Science Education and Career Advancement Committee. His research aims to understand and mitigate disparities in cancer. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 John M. Carethers, MD, FAACR, vice chancellor for health sciences at University of California San Diego (UCSD), delivers a presentation on understanding cancer. Carethers is a gastroenterologist whose research has focused on understanding cancer inheritance, progression, and disparities. He is a member of the AACR Board of Directors and the AACR Science Education and Career Advancement Committee. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 Michelle Audoin, from Toronto, Canada, speaks to attendees about her experience as a breast cancer survivor and patient advocate. Audoin is a part of the AACR Scientist↔Survivor Program®. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 Quyen T. Nguyen, MD, PhD, a professor of surgery at UCSD, shares tips on navigating the AACR Annual Meeting. Nguyen is the associate director of education and training at the UCSD Moores Cancer Center and a member of the AACR Science Education and Career Advancement Committee. Her research focuses on developing methods for fluorescence-guided surgery. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 Time to Present Their Research!
An undergraduate researcher presents her poster to lead judge Oliver Bogler, PhD, director of the Center for Cancer Training at the National Cancer Institute and a member of the AACR Science Education and Career Advancement Committee. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 A participant discusses his research with Carethers. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 An undergraduate researcher presents her poster. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 Engaging with a Professional Development Panel
From left to right: Moderator Jose Trevino, MD, and panelists Heather Beasley, PhD; Safa Majeed, MS; Francesco Caiazza, PhD; and Pablo Sanchis, PhD; provide career development advice. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 Participants engage in a Q&A session with panelists. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 Insights from Last Year’s Winner
Isaiah Boateng, the winner of the 2023 poster competition, speaks to this year’s participants. Boateng won first place last year for his poster, “Identification of known and novel gene fusions in African American patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML),” which summarized his research on genetic factors that may contribute to survival outcomes in patients with AML. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 Honoring this Year’s Winners
AACR Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), announces the winners of this year’s poster competition. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 First-place winner, Abhay Sheeri, with Foti and Carethers. Sheeri is a junior at the University of Pittsburgh and was recognized for his poster, “Novel anti-PD-L1-IL15 diabody immunocytokine in combination with radiation therapy improves response rates in immune-resistant murine head and neck cancer.” Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 Foti with the first-, second-, and third-place winners and honorable mention recipients. Photo by © AACR/Phil McCarten 2024 
