Liz Jaffee

Dr. Elizabeth M. Jaffee, also known as Liz Jaffee, is a renowned expert in cancer immunology and pancreatic cancer research. She has made significant contributions to the field of cancer research and holds several prestigious positions:

Professional Roles

Dr. Jaffee currently serves as:

• Deputy Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
• Co-Director of the Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center
• Associate Director of the Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
• Inaugural Director of the Convergence Institute for Integrating Technologies and Computational Sciences at Johns Hopkins2

Research Focus

Her research primarily focuses on:

• Developing novel immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer treatment and prevention
• Investigating complex inflammatory signals within the tumor microenvironment
• Identifying immune suppressive signals that regulate pancreatic cancer development and progression2

Contributions to AACR

Dr. Jaffee has been extensively involved with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR):

• Served as AACR President from 2018-2019
• Member of the AACR Board of Directors from 2013 to 2016
• Chair of the AACR International Affairs Committee
• Chair of the AACR Precision Combination Therapy Task Force
• Elected Fellow of the AACR Academy in 20181

Notable Achievements

• Appointed as chair of President Biden's Cancer Panel in 2022
• Co-chair of the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative Blue Ribbon Panel
• Past chair of the NCI's National Cancer Advisory Board (first woman in this role)
• Elected to the National Academy of Medicine
• Fellow of multiple prestigious organizations, including the American College of Physicians, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and SITC Academy of Immuno-Oncology123

Dr. Jaffee's work has been instrumental in advancing cancer immunotherapy, particularly in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Her research has led to the development of novel cancer vaccines and the identification of potential biomarkers for pancreatic cancer progression.4