Announcement: Presentation Options for Authors Unable to Travel to CROI due to Government Travel Restrictions

Poster Abstract Sessions comprise the majority of scientific information presented at CROI. Presenters of poster abstracts will be assigned to stand at their respective boards, organized by topic, on 1 of the 3 conference days. All posters will be available for viewing throughout the conference in the poster hall and in an electronic format in the conference mobile app (access is restricted to registered CROI attendees only).  

New for CROI 2026 – Plain Language Summary: Presenters are encouraged to include a 1- or 2-sentence plain language summary that provides a “mile-high view” of your research and explains the findings in terms accessible to a broad audience, including students, journalists, and other interested members of the public. The plain language summary should appear in a clearly designated section of the poster (see sample poster below). For more information, please visit the Plain Language Summary webpage.

  • Special Recognition: There will be special recognition of the posters that provide the best plain language summary.

See Also: Important Dates | Abstract Submission | Oral Abstract Guidelines | Themed Discussion Guidelines | Registration | Embargo Policy | FAQs

Poster Presenter Responsibilities and Opportunities at CROI

Poster presenting authors illustrate their study findings by displaying graphs, figures, diagrams, and text that describe their main background, methods, findings, results, and conclusions on posters presented during assigned sessions at CROI. 

CROI Poster Format

Posters should be designed to attract interested attendees by quickly focusing them on the study’s main findings. 

Poster presenters are strongly encouraged to use the CROI poster template, which can be accessed in a PowerPoint template here: CROI Poster Template (Download). This poster format draws attendees to a poster and allows them to easily identify the main findings, according to our attendee feedback. The notes contain poster guidelines that include formatting notes (eg, font size, use of color, poster print size) and poster content requirements (eg, the addition of the assigned poster number and the policy against the use of QR codes). 

The preferred CROI Poster Format (above) is a more effective way to communicate key findings. Download the Poster Template.

ePoster Upload

Poster presenters are required to upload an ePoster (PDF file) version of their poster that will be available to attendees through the CROI Mobile App.

Upload begins February 2, 2026 – Speaker Portal

Deadline is February 16, 2026

To log in, click the link above to enter the speaker portal. If this is your first time logging into the Speaker Portal, enter your email address and click “Email Me My Password.”

How Do I Find My Poster Number and Session Information?

To locate your presentation information, including your poster number, log into the abstract submission system through the CROI Dashboard

  1. Select My Submissions
  2. The poster number precedes the abstract title are displayed (see arrow 2 in the image below)
  3. The presentation type, session title, date, and time are displayed (see arrow 3 below)

ePoster Upload Instructions

(Required) Deadline: February 16, 2026, at 8:00 AM PT.
  • To upload your ePoster for the conference, log into your Speaker Portal using the login credentials provided in the email. The link to the speaker portal will be available soon. 
  • Select your poster presentation from the “My Sessions” section. This session will be designated by your poster number and title.
  • Click on the “Documents” tab under the session information.
  • Select “Upload Document.” All uploads for ePosters must be in PDF format.
    • Poster files can be replaced with a newer version until February 16, 2026, at 8:00 AM PT.
    • Be sure to fill in the name of the document in the upload  pop-up with your poster number. You will not be able to upload the document if this is blank. (circled below)

Science SpotlightsTM

We are excited to report the return of Science SpotlightsTM for posters at CROI 2026. In addition to poster walks, PC Poster Picks, and themed discussions, Science SpotlightTM serve to highlight and elevate poster presentations as presenters engage with CROI attendees. Historically, some of the most important science at CROI has been presented in poster sessions.

Upload begins February 2, 2026

Deadline is February 16, 2026

Overview of Science Spotlights

Presenters create a 2- to 3-minute video with audio narration that focuses on the research question, methodology, and key findings of the poster presentation. Other details include:

  • Spotlights are Optional: They can draw attention to presentation but are not required to present a poster at CROI
  • Flexible Format. The video can be as simple as a view of the highlighted segments of the poster, slides, or a view of the speaker. The key contribution is the presenter’s narrative introduction of the study as they would if the listener was present at the poster. The video should include the title of the presentation as well as the name and institution of the presenter
  • Access at the Conference: Attendees can access the Spotlight via the CROI Webcast site or Mobile App at any point during the conference to help prepare them for engagement with the presenter during the poster session
  • An Enduring Resource: The Science Spotlight is a permanent resource that can be accessed by the public after CROI through the Abstract and ePoster Database
  • Recording: See Tips for Recording a Science Spotlight for more details

Tips for Recording a Presentation for CROI 2026.

Presentation Technical Requirements

  • Presentations must be saved as an MP4 video file and include your audio narration and your video
    – It is optional for the video to include video of your slide presentation.
  • Submission instructions and deadlines for final presentations will be posted in the Presenters section of the CROI Website

Options for Recording Your Presentation Video

  • If recording a video with slides, add audio narration to PowerPoint or Keynote slides and save as an MP4 file (described below)
  • If recording a video without slides, use the built-in video recording application on your computer or mobile device.
  • Use a Zoom Meeting to record a video to your local computer
  • Consult the audio-visual department at your institution

Creating an MP4 Video File

  • Getting Started
    • If recording a video with slides,, open slides in full screen mode. For example, if using Microsoft PowerPoint, give your presentation in “Slide Show” mode
    • If recording a video without slides, use the built-in video recording application on your computer or mobile device. If submitting a video from a mobile device, a landscape 16:9 orientation is recommended

    Audio Tips

    • Use a microphone and test audio before and after recording. A wired headset will generally produce the best quality audio and pickup less ambient noise
    • Record your presentation in a quiet location
    • Begin your presentation on your title slide and introduce yourself by name. A brief pause in between slide transitions may be needed with some recording applications
    • Recorded presentation can at times be too “stiff.” A natural speaking style is generally preferred
    • Review your full presentation for audio and video before submitting

    Creating a Pre-Recorded Video

    • If recording a video with slides, PowerPoint or Keynote – use PowerPoint or Keynote to record your presentation with audio and save a MP4 file.
    • If recording a video without slides, use the built-in video recording application on your computer or mobile device. If submitting a video from a mobile device, a landscape 16:9 orientation is recommended
    • Use a Zoom Meeting to record a video to your local computer

    Save and Review

    • Make sure your presentation video is saved as a MP4 file
    • Review your MP4 file prior to submitting to confirm that:
      • The file saved in the correct format (MP4)
      • The video is clear and the audio is at a proper level
      • The video is the appropriate length and trimmed to “hello” through “goodbye” prior to submitting.
      • Confirm that your presentation does not exceed the maximum length of 2 -3 minutes. It is essential that all presentations keep to the allotted time.
Copyright of Conference Materials

By submitting an electronic poster or Science Spotlight video, you are assigning copyright of these materials, but not the data, to CROI. See CROI Conference Materials Copyright Statement. 

Poster Sessions, Poster Walks, and PC Poster Picks

Through themed discussions, poster walks, Science Spotlights, and poster sessions, attendees have a number of opportunities to engage with posters as their presenters share some of the best science at CROI.

Poster Sessions and Displaying Your Poster at CROI
  • The poster hall opens to hang posters at 3:00 PM Local Time on the Saturday before CROI. Push pins for hanging your poster are provided.
  • Posters should be on display for the entire conference and not removed before the end of the poster session on the last day of CROI
  • Posters are assigned to a session with other poster presentations that share a similar theme and assigned to a day for presentation
  • Poster presenters should stand by their poster for the full duration of their assigned session to discuss it and respond to questions from attendees

Poster presenters should make their travel plans for CROI keeping their session assignment in mind, as we cannot reassign posters to a different session. If exigent circumstances preclude the presenting author from attending the session, a replacement must be found to present the poster. As submitters agreed to in the submission process, all poster presenters must present their work at CROI. Any work that is accepted at CROI must be presented by the presenting author, or notification of replacement must be sent to CROIabstracts@iasusa.org, prior to CROI. The inability of an author to present may impact all authors’ ability to present at CROI in the future.

Poster Walks

The CROI Program Committee will host Poster Walks to discuss key science presented in poster sessions. Program committee members lead a small group of new investigators through these “poster walk-throughs” daily during the poster sessions. The committee members curate a list of poster presentations, hold a brief introductory discussion with the group, then lead them to visit each of the curated posters and encourage discussion with poster presenters. Following a short debrief, new investigators are encouraged to visit other poster presentations independently. 

Poster Contents

Poster Title: The poster title should be the same as the title submitted with the abstract and appear in boldface at the top in standard American Medical Association (AMA) title case. Nouns, pronouns, verbs, and other important words begin with uppercase letters; coordinating conjunctions, articles, and prepositions of 3 letters or fewer should all be in lowercase unless they are the first or last words in a title or subtitle. 

Assigned Poster Number: The assigned poster number should be displayed in the upper right corner (“0000” in the CROI Poster Format template). This is not the abstract submission number assigned during the submission of the abstract, but a number that denotes the position of the poster in the poster hall and in the conference program. This number is sent to the presenting author after late-breaking abstracts have been accepted. 

QR Codes and Links to External Materials Are Not Allowed: QR codes, bar codes, or other links to external resources are not permitted on posters displayed at CROI or on electronic versions of the posters to be uploaded to the CROI website. 

Corporate Logos and Trade Names: The use of commercial logos and trade names should not be used on posters, opening slides, title slides, or presentation slides. 

Plain Language Summary: A 1- or 2-sentence plain language summary to summaries provide a “mile-high view” of your research and explain the findings in terms accessible to a broad audience, including students, journalists, and other interested members of the public. More information can be found on the Plain Language Summary webpage.

Displaying Posters at CROI

The suggested size for posters is either 54 inches (width) x 36 inches (height) or 60 inches x 40 inches (137.2 cm x 91.4 cm or 152.4 cm x 101.6 cm) based on the CROI Poster Template. The minimum size for a poster is 36 inches (width) x 24 inches (height) so attendees can see the poster at least 10 feet away. The size of the board for displaying the poster is 96 inches (width) x 48 inches (height), and the maximum size of a poster is 93 inches (width) x 45 inches (height).  

Poster Printing

Presenting authors should print their physical poster based on the requirements listed in the sections above. CROI does not print posters on behalf of presenters.

Guidelines for Presentation

Trade Names

Trade names for drugs should not be used in presentations. Refer to drugs and products by their nonproprietary names. 

Acknowledgments of Support and Contributors

Acknowledgments of support may be included in the poster presentation of the abstract at CROI.  

Sex Stratification and Other Demographic Variables

Presentations from randomized trials and cohorts should follow the ICMJE guidelines, including reporting of study designs (eg, prospective, observational, randomized, double-blind, STROBE, CONSORT, or others), statistical methods, and outcomes by demographic variables. For human clinical or epidemiologic studies, the presentation should provide sex-stratified results or identify who was included if it includes only a single population. Presentations of preclinical data including the use of cell lines and animal studies should include the sex of the animals or the sex of the source of the cell lines. If data are not available on sex (as assigned at birth) or gender (where gender is relevant to the study results), this should be identified as a limitation in the study. 

See: ICMJE Preparing for Submission 

Use of People-First Language and Appropriate Terminology 

See: Appropriate Terminology

Presentations Describing New Compounds 

Please be sure to include information sufficient to allow for meaningful review of compound data; this can include isolation, activity, chemical structure, mechanism of action, toxic effects, and pharmacologic data. The chemical or molecular structure must be shown in the presentation (it need not be part of the abstract or be published in the Abstract eBook). 

Publication or Presentation Prior to CROI

If study data are accepted for publication or presentation after the abstract submission to CROI, and that publication or presentation is expected to take place before CROI, the presenting author must contact CROI at CROIabstracts@iasusa.org to provide details as soon as the presentation is accepted for review, presentation, or publication in another venue or outlet. Please be aware that although publication in these circumstances will not necessarily prevent presentation of the research at CROI, our strong preference is that any additional publication or presentation happen either simultaneous to or following presentation at CROI. Requests to publish or present research accepted for presentation at CROI prior to its presentation at CROI will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Failure to notify the conference promptly regarding plans to publish or present a CROI-accepted abstract prior to CROI may result in the removal of the study from the conference program.