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14 APR, 2025
PHILADELPHIA – The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has honored Shelley L. Berger, PhD, FAACR, with the prestigious 2025 AACR-Women in Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Lectureship, recognizing her groundbreaking contributions to cancer epigenetics and her unwavering advocacy for women in science.
Dr. Berger, the Daniel S. Och University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, holds joint appointments in the Perelman School of Medicine's Department of Cell & Developmental Biology and in the School of Arts & Sciences. She is a Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) Professor, as well as the founder and director of the Penn Epigenetics Institute, and codirector of the Tumor Biology Program at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC).
The Charlotte Friend Lectureship, a key part of AACR’s Scientific Achievement Awards program, celebrates scientists who have not only advanced cancer research but also actively championed the advancement of women in biomedical science. Dr. Berger will present the honorary lecture at the 2025 AACR Annual Meeting, held April 25–30 in Chicago.
Dr. Berger’s impact is due in part to her exceptional ability to galvanize groups for trailblazing collaborative research, as she has done in epigenetics and more recently in cancer immunology, said Robert Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, director of the ACC. We are deeply impressed by her commitment to fostering the careers of women faculty and trainees, both here at Penn and at the national level.
A global leader in cancer epigenetics, Berger’s research has illuminated how histone modifications, transcription factors, and chromatin remodeling govern cancer, aging, and immune function. Her pioneering studies have revealed key mechanisms underlying tumor suppressor p53 regulation and the epigenetic programming of T cells, laying a foundation for novel cancer therapies.
Beyond the lab, Berger is a nationally recognized mentor and advocate for inclusive excellence in science. Her current lab includes 20 trainees across educational levels, and many of her former mentees now thrive in academia, industry, and science communication. Her influence also extends to national policy and workforce development in biomedical research.
A member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and AACR Academy, Berger has authored over 250 publications in leading journals such as Nature, Science, and Cell.