The AACR Annual Meeting 2026 is continuing an attendee favorite with the return of Meet-the-Expert Sessions, which will feature presentations from visionary minds at the forefront of their cancer research areas of expertise. The sessions—held concurrently at 5 p.m. PT in the San Diego Convention Center—will take place on Monday, April 20, and Tuesday, April 21.
As in years past, cancer research luminaries will deliver in-depth 45-minute presentations on their work in a uniquely accessible setting, during which attendees can hear candidly from experts on how they charted their paths through the cancer research landscape. The experts in the sessions to be held today will discuss strategies for integrating both molecular and digital pathology and work on how neutrophils are reprogrammed on behalf of cancer within the tumor microenvironment.
“We have a brilliant committee who helped identify the experts who’ll be speaking at these sessions. The participating speakers selected to deliver talks stand out not only for their substantial contributions to the field but their outstanding communication skills as well—these are compelling scientists,” said Paul S. Mischel, MD, FAACR, of Stanford University, who served as AACR Annual Meeting 2026 Program Committee chair alongside Alice T. Shaw, MD, PhD, FAACR, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Attendees, Mischel said, will have the privilege of benefitting from the exceptional wisdom and experience that will be on display at the sessions.
The first two Meet-the-Expert Sessions are scheduled for this evening at 5 p.m. PT.
ME02: A. John Iafrate, MD, PhD
Integrating Digital Pathology and Molecular Pathology for Next-Generation Cancer Diagnostics
Room 29 – Upper Level – Convention Center
A. John Iafrate, MD, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, will describe ongoing improvements in tumor characterization that use multiple sources.
“People think about pathology as though it’s only diagnostics, but it’s actually the fountain from which treatment arises,” said Mischel. “And when it comes to that kind of appreciation for pathology data’s centrality to cancer research, John is a world-class expert.”
ME05: Juanita L. Merchant, MD, PhD, FAACR
Granulocyte Reprogramming in Gastric Metaplasia and the Tumor Immune Microenvironment
Room 28 – Upper Level – Convention Center
Juanita L. Merchant, MD, PhD, FAACR, of the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, will provide an overview of how tumor-infiltrating neutrophils can be hijacked by stomach cancer to work for, rather than against, cancer.
Speaking to why Merchant was selected as an expert, Mischel emphasized her sense of perspective. “Juanita Merchant is a great example of thinking about cancer broadly—not just in terms of the tumor, but the interactions between the tumor microenvironment, the immune system, the gut microbiome, and even patients’ diets and activities,” he said. “Her work is foundational to our understanding of holistic approaches to cancer research.”
For the most up-to-date information on session dates, times, and locations, check the Annual Meeting App and Online Itinerary Planner.
More from the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 »
View a photo gallery of scenes from San Diego, join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #AACR26, and read more coverage in AACR Annual Meeting News and on Cancer Research Catalyst, the official blog of the AACR.
