Welcome to San Diego! The AACR Annual Meeting 2026 kicks off today with an outstanding slate of sessions focused on education and professional development.
The registration desk at the San Diego Convention Center opens at noon PT. Grab your badge and make sure you download the AACR Annual Meeting App. Don’t forget to also check out the Meeting Resources page on the AACR website for many helpful tips, including how to access the virtual meeting platform and where to find the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 abstracts.
Today’s programming begins at 1 p.m. PT with a Professional Development Session titled “Grant Writing Workshop: Tips for Success from Experienced Scientists.” During this session, attendees will acquire the tools to write competitive grants, including best practices for structuring an Aims page.
Educational Sessions and Methods Workshops start at 3 p.m. and are available to all attendees as part of your meeting registration. These sessions will cover a wide range of topics across the continuum of cancer research, including discovery science, translational research, clinical research, and population sciences. We encourage you to bring your curiosity and break out of your comfort zone to learn about unfamiliar areas of research!
Among the more than 65 diverse sessions included in the Educational Program this year are two sessions devoted to the many emerging applications of artificial intelligence (AI): the Educational Session “Foundation Models and Multimodal AI for Cancer Research” and the Methods Workshop “AI in Cancer Care: Practical Applications Transforming Oncology.” Together, these sessions will highlight how AI has the potential to impact both cancer research and patient care—a concept that you’ll find woven throughout the scientific program of this year’s Annual Meeting.
The day will conclude with a Professional Development Session on “How to Design a Successful Career Path in Cancer Research: The Do’s and Don’ts for Early-Stage Investigators.” Early-career researchers can learn about key strategies for making the transition from trainee positions to the next career stage in pursuit of their first independent research position.
If you are looking for a fun opportunity to meet fellow attendees and raise money for cancer research, registration is still open for tomorrow’s AACR Runners for Research 5K Run/Walk, scheduled for 7:30 a.m. PT.
We are thrilled to have you with us at the AACR Annual Meeting 2026, and we hope you enjoy the next six days of education, connection, and cutting-edge science!
For the most up-to-date program information, visit the AACR Annual Meeting App or Online Itinerary Planner.
More from the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 »
Keep up with the latest from the AACR Annual Meeting 2026, whether you are attending in person or virtually. View a photo gallery of scenes from San Diego, join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #AACR26, and read coverage of upcoming sessions in AACR Annual Meeting News.
