Press Releases

The American Cancer Society has announced that Elvan “Ellie” Daniels, MD, MPH, has been named senior vice president of Extramural Discovery Science after serving as the interim lead since April 1. She has also served as a member of the ACS Office of Cancer Research and Implementation (OCRI) leadership team since mid-January.

"Ellie’s leadership these last five months has been outstanding, and her list of accomplishments in this short period of time is impressive. She has a broad vision for expanding and diversifying our extramural research programs, along with detailed operational experience in all areas," said American Cancer Society Chief Medical and Scientific Officer William Cance, MD. "I have the utmost confidence that she is the right person for the job. She is passionate about cultivating a diverse research community and addressing health disparities which is so critical to our success."

Cance said that under Daniels’ leadership this year, ACS has launched three innovative programs to broaden the organization’s impact and extend the reach of its mission work: Diversity in Cancer Research – Internships, Institutional Development Grants to each of the four Historically Black Colleges and Universities medical schools, and Cancer Health Equity Research Centers at Minority Serving Institutions.

Daniels joined ACS in 2012 as a senior scientific director for clinical and cancer control research, overseeing research program development, pre-application management, peer review, and grant management in the areas of cancer prevention, screening and early detection, access to care, cancer treatment, palliative care, and survivorship.

Daniels is a family physician who previously served as an associate professor at Morehouse School of Medicine and directed the school’s Southeast Regional Clinician Network, a practice-based research network.