MBP Scientists Recognized for Research Excellence
MBP scientists Dr. Cheryl Arrowsmith and Dr. Hansen He have been recognized with prestigious honours from the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), the largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research.
Dr. Arrowsmith has received the 2026 AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research. She is being recognized for pioneering contributions to chemical biology and cancer epigenetics. Her work has enabled the development of chemical probes targeting epigenetic regulators such as protein methyltransferases, methyl-lysine “reader domains,” bromodomains, and other chromatin-modifying enzymes, providing critical tools to interrogate cancer biology. Further, through her leadership of the Structural Genomics Consortium, she has advanced open science approaches that have accelerated the discovery of novel cancer therapeutic targets and strategies.
Dr. He has received the 2026 AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Basic Cancer Research. He is being recognized for pioneering contributions to cancer epigenetics and RNA medicine, particularly in revealing how chromatin accessibility and epigenomic landscapes govern oncogenic transcription. By bridging functional genomics with clinical insight, his work has generated foundational resources and opened new avenues for RNA-based precision therapies.
The awards will be presented formally at the AACR Annual Meeting 2026, to be held April 17-22 in San Diego, California.