Welcome to the first full day of the AACR Annual Meeting 2026! Today’s exciting program offers cutting-edge discovery science, educational programming, professional development events, and more.
To kick things off, we’ll have the AACR Runners for Research 5K Run/Walk at 7:30 a.m. PT. Best of luck to all those participating and thank you for supporting cancer research. By the way, registration is open until 7 a.m. PT if you’re still looking to join!
Back inside the convention center, the expansive Educational Program will continue with even more sessions and workshops on topics across the cancer research continuum, including:
- Unraveling the Role of Extrachromosomal DNA in Cancer Evolution and Therapy Response;
- Multi-modal Platforms for Early Cancer Detection;
- AI in Biomarker Discovery and Drug Development;
- Small Patients, Big Problems: Precision Medicine Approaches for Childhood Cancer;
- Innovations in Translating Social and Structural Determinants of Health Across Population, Community, and Basic Cancer Research; and
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy for Nonimmunologists: Back to Basics; among many others.
Four Educational Sessions on “Chemistry to the Clinic,” sponsored by the AACR Chemistry in Cancer Working Group, will delve into next-level conjugates, proximity-inducing therapies, novel therapeutic targets and modalities, and new frontiers in drug discovery from transcript to protein.
In addition, two Educational Sessions will discuss effective science communication, which, as we know, is more important than ever. “From Bench to Buzz: Making Your Research Resonate for More Funding and Attention” will feature perspectives from a journalist, a patient advocate, and a scientist and communications strategist on ways to effectively communicate complex science to funders, patients, policymakers, and the media. “From Risk Awareness to Informed Action: Advancing Cancer Communication Across Prevention and Genomic Care” will highlight evidence-based communication strategies to help individuals and communities understand modifiable cancer risk factors and to promote cancer prevention behaviors.
With the Educational Program wrapping up today, we’ll head into the Annual Meeting’s main scientific program with two Clinical Trials Minisymposia to begin the clinical trials program, and the Discovery Science Plenary to start the meeting’s can’t-miss Plenary Sessions.
Today’s Plenary Session will begin at 4:15 p.m. PT and will examine “The Next Frontier in Minimal Residual Disease: Solid Tumors.” This is such an important area of research, and while there has been a lot of discussion about how minimal residual disease (MRD) can increase a patient’s risk of disease relapse, there is less known about the biological mechanisms that enable MRD to form in the first place, even after aggressive treatment. This session will examine these mechanisms as well as potential ways such insights can be applied to better diagnose and treat MRD.
Today’s schedule also includes the Cancer and Biomedical Research Career Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT. This premier recruiting event is for scientists at all career levels seeking opportunities within academia, government, or industry. Candidates can upload their CVs to CancerCareers.org, search and apply for positions, and meet with potential employers.
Two Regulatory Science and Policy Sessions will discuss ongoing efforts to improve access to clinical trials and new therapeutics, while a third will examine contextual challenges facing the interpretation of blood-based early cancer detection tests.
It’s going to be a busy day, and we’re just getting started! Join us tomorrow morning for the Opening Ceremony at 7:45 a.m. PT, featuring remarks from AACR Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), AACR President Lillian L. Siu, MD, FAACR, and National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director Anthony G. Letai, MD, PhD, FAACR, among many other notable speakers! The Opening Ceremony will be immediately followed at 9:30 a.m. PT by the Opening Plenary: “Precision, Partnership, Purpose—Advancing Cancer Science to Save Lives Globally.”
For the most up-to-date program information, visit the AACR Annual Meeting App or Online Itinerary Planner.
Register Today for the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 »
Don’t miss the world’s premier cancer research event, April 17 to 22 in San Diego. In-person and virtual registration packages include access to live sessions, Q&A, networking, CME/MOC credits for select sessions within the Educational Program, and more.
