ADLM 2026 spotlights breakthroughs in diabetes, space medicine, Alzheimer's disease, cervical cancer screening, and cancer biomarker discovery

From July 26–30, 2026, leading experts in clinical laboratory medicine will gather at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, for ADLM 2026, the annual scientific meeting of the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine.

The conference will feature plenary sessions on diabetes prevention and treatment, space medicine diagnostics, the connection between Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome, innovations in cervical cancer screening, and mass spectrometry-based discovery of cancer biomarkers, highlighting why ADLM 2026 is a key global event for advancing laboratory science and patient care.

Diabetes prevention and treatment: A personal odyssey

In the opening plenary, Dr. David M. Nathan, director of the Clinical Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and the 2026 Wallace H. Coulter Lectureship awardee, will share insights from five decades at the forefront of diabetes research. He will reflect on the critical importance of strong scientific collaboration and sustained federal research funding in driving progress in diabetes prevention and treatment.

Session 11001: Diabetes prevention and treatment: A personal odyssey from bench to bedside

Sunday, July 26 at 17:00–18:30 PDT

Laboratory diagnostics for space medicine

The Artemis II lunar flyby has ushered in a new era for crewed space exploration, bringing new challenges for astronaut health. In this plenary, Dr. Kathleen McMonigal, director of the NASA Johnson Space Center Clinical Laboratory, will explore the complexities of monitoring and managing astronauts’ health in zero- and micro-gravity environments.

She will explain how spaceflight can trigger bone loss, fluid shifts, and other physiological changes, and will describe emerging biomarker innovations. As missions extend to the moon and Mars, she will emphasize the need for portable diagnostics — akin to Star Trek’s fictional ‘tricorder’ device — to enable continuous, reliable healthcare in space.

Session 12001: Laboratory diagnostics for space medicine

Monday, July 27 at 8:45–10:00 PDT

Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in Down syndrome

People with Down syndrome (DS) have a greatly increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), likely because they have an extra copy of a chromosome involved in AD. Dr. Elizabeth Head, a dean’s professor and vice chair for research in the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of California, Irvine, has spent more than 25 years investigating this relationship.

In her plenary, she will describe efforts to identify targets for interventions that could slow or prevent AD in people with DS, with implications for the broader aging population. Because some individuals with DS appear resistant to AD, her findings could inform precision medicine approaches aimed at protecting brain health.

Session 13001: Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in Down syndrome

Tuesday, July 28 at 8:45–10:00 PDT

Advances in screening for cervical cancer

In the next plenary, Dr. Leeya Pinder, a gynecologic oncologist and associate professor at the University of Cincinnati, will outline major advances in cervical cancer screening and their role in closing critical gaps in care in the United States and globally.

She will highlight how self-collection kits for human papilloma virus (HPV), are expanding access to screening and connecting more women to lifesaving treatment. She will also discuss new low-cost technologies such as thermal ablation and the potential for artificial intelligence to improve screening accuracy and availability worldwide.

Session 14001: Advances in screening for cervical cancer both in the United States and globally

Wednesday, July 29 at 8:45–10:00 PDT

Mass spectrometry-based discovery of cancer biomarkers

The closing plenary will focus on cutting-edge cancer diagnostics and therapies. Dr. Arun Wiita, a physician-scientist and professor in the department of laboratory medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, will present promising research that could lead to new cancer tests and immune-based treatments.

Dr. Wiita and his team are integrating chemical biology, mass spectrometry, and computational methods to study unique proteins found on cell membranes in blood cancers.

Session 15001: Mass spectrometry-based discovery and translation of novel biomarkers into immune-based therapies for cancer

Thursday, July 30 at 8:45–10:00 PDT

All plenary sessions will take place in Ballroom ABC of the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

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