Latest City of Hope Cancer Research to Be Unveiled at Upcoming Conference
To help advance the next generation of breakthroughs, City of Hope® thought leaders will deliver their latest research at the American Association for Cancer Research® (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026 from April 17 to 22. Visit us at Booth No. 4421 to learn more about our innovations in cancer treatment and research, leading-edge initiatives and employment opportunities.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by AACR.
R.S.V.P. Now for an Evening with City of Hope
Sunday, April 19, 2026
7 to 8:30 p.m., PST
InterContinental San Diego
Bayview Ballroom & Terrace
901 Bayfront Court
San Diego, CA 92101
Join Our Host
John D. Carpten, Ph.D., Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and is uniquely positioned to help further City of Hope's critical goal of democratizing cancer care and expanding access to leading-edge research and care for more patients, families and communities.
Meet and Greet with Our Renowned Experts
Monday, April 20, 12:30 to 1 p.m. PT
Christine Lovly, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.S.C.O.
Division Chief, Thoracic Medical Oncology; Professor, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research; Dr. Norman and Melinda Payson Professorship in Medical Oncology; Lung Task Force and Board of Directors Member, American Association for Cancer Research
Medical Director of GI Medical Oncology, City of Hope Orange County; Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research; Rad Family Chair in Gastrointestinal Oncology
Aleksandar Sekulic, M.D., Ph.D.
TGen Physician-in-Chief; Professor and Director, Clinical Genomics and Therapeutics Division; Director of Dermatology and Director of Translational Research City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix
Tuesday, April 21, noon to 12:30 p.m. PT
Assistant Professor, Division of Multiple Myeloma, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Transplantation
Wayne Jepsen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor Clinical Genomics and Therapeutics Division; Technical Director, TGen Clinical Laboratory
Danyelle Hill, Ph.D.
T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Integrative Translational Sciences
Francisco (Paco) Carranza, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Integrative Translational Sciences
Presentations and Awards
Featured Abstract Presentations
Major Symposium and Advances in Diagnostics and Therapeutics
Presenter: Stephen Forman, M.D.
April 19, 2026, 1:30-1:50 p.m., Room 29, Upper Level, Convention Center
Chairperson and Presenter: Robert R. Jenq, M.D.
April 20, 2026,10:15-11:45 a.m., Ballroom 20 AB, Upper Level, Convention Center
Mini Symposium
Presenter: Kamel Lahouel, Ph.D.
Senior Author: Cristian Tomasetti, Ph.D.
April 19, 2026, 4:35-4:50 p.m., Room 30, Upper Level, Convention Center
Presenter: Sophia Manjarrez, B.S.
Senior Author: Enrique Velazquez Villarreal, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S.
April 20, 2026, 3:50-4:05 p.m., Room 14, Mezzanine Level, Convention Center
Presenter: Xiaoxu Zhang
Senior Author: Rui Su, Ph.D.
April 20, 2026, 3:35-3:50 p.m., Room 28, Upper Level, Convention Center
Presenter: Junyong Weng, Ph.D.
Senior Author: Ajay Goel, Ph.D., A.G.A.F.
April 21, 2026, 3:50-4:05 p.m., Room 28, Upper Level, Convention Center
Late-Breaking Poster Sessions
Senior Author: Narissa Nonzee, Ph.D.
April 20, 2026, 2-5 p.m., Section 39
Presenter: Danyelle Hill, Ph.D.
Senior Author: John Carpten, Ph.D.
April 20, 2026, 2-5 p.m., Section 55
Other Poster Sessions
Presenter: Christine Lovly
April 21, 2026, 2-5 p.m., Section 42
Presenter: Hope Rugo, M.D.
April 21, 2026, 2-5 p.m., Section 50
Congratulations to Our Researchers on Receiving Prestigious Awards!
Enrique Velazquez Villareal, M.D., Ph.D., recipient of the 2026 AACR Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research Award
Greisha Ortiz-Hernandez, Ph.D., recipient of the Early-Career Scholar in Cancer Research Award
Sophia Manjarrez, B.S., recipient of the of the Early-Career Scholar in Cancer Research Award
Francisco (Paco) Carranza, Ph.D., recipient of the Early-Career Scholar in Cancer Research Award
Oncology Industry Partnering Event: From Cancer Discoveries to Patients
April 16-17, 2026
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California
Co-chair
Michael A. Caligiuri, M.D., is a world-renowned physician, scientist, builder, innovator, leader and visionary. He is dedicated to developing the next generation of leading-edge cancer therapies.
Resources
In the global pursuit of scientific miracles in the fight against deadly diseases, the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope is among those leading the charge. Its world-renowned staff have been responsible for fundamentally expanding the world’s understanding of how biology affects diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and diabetes.
City of Hope has joined forces with the TGen to accelerate the speed with which scientists and medical staff convert research discoveries into cures for patients. The alliance is based on a simple premise: City of Hope provides a state-of-the-art clinical setting in which to advance genomic breakthroughs made by TGen.
One of the most promising areas of cancer research and treatment is known as immunotherapy, in which a patient’s immune system is enlisted in the fight against cancer. This approach is more than just a narrow field of study at City of Hope. It is the central component of groundbreaking research and clinical trials currently underway.
We’re aggressively pursuing ways to help our patients right now — not years from now. That immediacy of focus makes City of Hope a worldwide leader in administering clinical trials. Each year, we conduct more than 730 clinical trials enrolling more than 5,900 patients.
At City of Hope’s Center for Precision Medicine, our vision is to harness genomic insights, clinical expertise and advanced analytics to pioneer personalized treatment and prevention, improving quality of life for our patients and their families.
City of Hope is a leader in clinical and translational research, most notably in antibody-based therapy, CAR T cell therapy and bone marrow transplant approaches. When you refer your patient to City of Hope, you can feel confident that our staff will provide them with the best care possible.
We’re looking for extraordinary individuals to join our internationally renowned community of physicians, researchers and other health care professionals.
Hosted by Sumanta (Monty) Pal, M.D., F.A.S.C.O., co-director of the Kidney Cancer Program on the Duarte campus, the podcast, "On the Edge of Breakthrough: Voices of Cancer Research" features world-leading oncology experts who explore the latest scientific research and clinical innovations shaping the future of cancer treatment and care.
