CROI 2026 Preliminary Program

(Workshop-01) Scott M. Hammer Workshop for New Researchers and Trainees 

Widely considered the most informative and comprehensive session, this workshop highlights key presentations that will take place during CROI. Although the workshop is directed toward new investigators and trainees (eg, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and physician fellows), all CROI attendees are encouraged to attend. Scholarship recipients are required to attend.

Moderators: Raphael J. Landovitz, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, and Katharine J. Bar, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA 

What Has the Advent of Capsid Inhibitors Taught Us About HIV Pathogenesis: Navigating Virology Presentations at CROI 2026
Stuart J.D. Neil, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

Immunology of HIV Cure and Beyond: Navigating Immunology Presentations at CROI 2026
John Frater, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Long-Acting HIV Treatment Regimens: Where Are We and Where Are We Going? Navigating HIV Treatment Presentations at CROI 2026
Ruanne V. Barnabas, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Tools to Take Prevention to the Population Level: What Is Implementation Science and Why Is It Our New Obsession? Navigating HIV and STI Prevention Presentations at CROI 2026
Renee Heffron, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

Maintaining an Evidence-Based Approach to Research in the Face of External Pressures: A Call to Action
Sunil S. Solomon, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

CONCURRENT TECHNICAL WORKSHOPS

Opening Session

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors a distinguished senior investigator whose career has spanned decades of groundbreaking contributions to HIV research. This award recognizes individuals who have dedicated at least 25 years to advancing the understanding of the biology, prevention, or treatment of HIV, leaving a lasting impact on both science and the community of researchers.

Bernard Fields Lecture

Unfinished Business: Thirty Years of Persistence, Progress and Partnerships in HIV Cure Science

Sharon Lewin, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

The Bernard Fields Lecture recognizes a basic scientist for important and relevant contributions to the fields of virology and viral pathogenesis.

Martin Delaney Presentation

Peter Staley, Founder of Treatment Action Group, New York, NY, USA

The Martin Delaney Presentation recognizes the important work of community advocacy and engagement in research.

N’Galy-Mann Lecture

Linda-Gail Bekker, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

The N’Galy-Mann Lecture recognizes an HIV/AIDS researcher for important and relevant work in the fields of epidemiology or clinical research.

MONDAY PLENARY SESSION

Meeting the Moment: HIV Treatment and Prevention
Ilesh Jani, Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique

Structure, Function, and Inhibition of the HIV Capsid
Wesley I. Sundquist, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

CONCURRENT ORAL ABSTRACT SESSIONS

Oral Abstract Sessions include leading-edge research in HIV, hepatitis viruses, SARS-CoV-2, and other viral infections and their related conditions. During these 2-hour sessions, speakers present their peer-reviewed research on a specific topic area and respond to questions from attendees in 1 of 2 question and answer periods moderated by experts in the field.

(Oral Abstract-01) Interaction of HIV With Cells and People

(Oral Abstract-02) Frontiers in Neuropathogenesis and Tissue Biology: Decoded Through Cellular Dynamics, Metabolics, and Imaging

(Oral Abstract-03) Beyond the Virus: The Expanding Landscape of HIV-Associated Conditions

(Oral Abstract-04) From Breakthroughs to Backbones: The Evolving Landscape of HIV PrEP

CONCURRENT THEMED DISCUSSIONS

Themed Discussions include up to 4 select poster abstracts connected by a theme. A discussant provides a 4-minute introduction outlining the state of the topic field, and then each presenter gives a brief overview of their Poster Abstract in 5 minutes using 5 slides (recommended) to summarize the noteworthy results, conclusions, and discussion points. Discussants interact with audience members and presenters to create a discussion that synthesizes the relevant information, covers key points of agreement and controversy, and draws comparisons to related work in the scientific field. At the conclusion of a Themed Discussion, the discussant provides a 5-minute summation highlighting the key information of the Poster Abstracts discussed and posing important questions for future research.

(Themed Discussion-01) Mechanisms and Modifiers: Treatable Causes of Cognitive Impairment and Depression

(Themed Discussion-02) New Host Factors: Regulating Nuclear Events of HIV Replication

(Themed Discussion-03) Noncanonical Mutations Conferring Resistance to InSTIs

(Themed Discussion-04) Sleepless in Denver: Impact of Funding Changes on HIV Care

POSTER SESSIONS

Poster Abstract Sessions comprise the majority of scientific information presented at CROI. Presenters of Poster Abstracts who attend CROI in person will be assigned to stand at their respective boards, organized by topic, on one of the 3 conference days. All posters will be available for viewing throughout the conference in the poster hall and in an electronic format on the CROI website and other electronic means (access is restricted to registered CROI attendees during the conference).

(Poster Session-A1) The Ins and Outs of Viral Replication
(Poster Session-A2) Genetic Variation and Evolution
(Poster Session-B1) Immunopathogenesis
(Poster Session-B2) Immune Activations and Inflammation
(Poster Session-C5) The Best of Immunotherapy and Therapeutic Vaccination
(Poster Session-C6) Immunity of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viral Infections
(Poster Session-C7) Immunity to Mpox After Infection and Vaccination
(Poster Session-D01) HIV Reservoir Dynamics
(Poster Session-D02) HIV Reservoir Landscape
(Poster Session-D03) Molecular Mechanisms of HIV Latency
(Poster Session-D04) Transcription in the HIV Reservoir
(Poster Session-E1) Clinical Studies and NeuroHIV Advances
(Poster Session-E2) Advancing Age and NeuroHIV
(Poster Session-F1) The Real World of Pharmacokinetics: New Methods, Diverse Populations, and Fresh Insights
(Poster Session-G1) Mpox: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Clinical Predictors, and Resistance
(Poster Session-G2) TLD and HIV Treatment in LMIC: What Are We Learning?
(Poster Session-H1) Integrase Resistance
(Poster Session-H2) Epidemiology of HIV Drug Resistance in Africa
(Poster Session-I1) Beyond the C: Hepatitis D, B, and E
(Poster Session-J2) Kaposi Sarcoma: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Treatment, Pathogenesis
(Poster Session-K1) Heart Failure
(Poster Session-K4) HIV Reservoir: Viral Proteins, Mitochondria, CD4+T Cells, and Cardiovascular Disease
(Poster Session-K6) Hypertension
(Poster Session-L1) Weight Gain and Metabolic Disorders
(Poster Session-L2) GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
(Poster Session-N1) TB Cofactors and Complications
(Poster Session-N2) Opportunistic Infections: Predispositions and Interactions
(Poster Session-O5) Global Perspectives on Vertical Transmission
(Poster Session-O6) Emerging Insights Into Fetal Development and Birth Outcomes
(Poster Session-P1) Survival and Health of HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children
(Poster Session-P2) The Pediatric Reservoir and Immune Response
(Poster Session-P3) Therapeutic Vaccines and bNAbs: Remission in Children and Adolescents
(Poster Session-Q07) Epidemiology and Progress Toward HIV Elimination
(Poster Session-Q08) Comorbidities, Aging, and Multimorbidity
(Poster Session-Q09) HIV Care Cascade, Retention, and Treatment Options
(Poster Session-Q10) HIV Prevention and PrEP Implementation
(Poster Session-U01) Funding and Cost-Effectiveness

CONCURRENT INTERACTIVE SYMPOSIA

(Interactive Symposium-01) In and Out of the Capsid

Moderator: Theodora Hatziioannou, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA

Integrase and RNA Packaging
Peter Cherepanov, Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom

Integrase and RNA Interaction and Capsid Innate Immune Protection
Sebla Kutluay, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, USA 

Capsid Disassembly and Visualizing Reverse Transcription in Cells
Vinay K. Pathak, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA

(Interactive Symposium-02) When I’m 64: Neurodegeneration, Epigenetic Aging, and Cogntion in Older People With HIV

Moderator: Paola Cinque, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy

Neurodegeneration and Dementia Risk in Older Adults With HIV: Biomarkers and Epidemiology
Alan Winston, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Epigenetic Aging of the Brain in HIV: Methylation Clocks and Antiretroviral-Related Changes
Michael J. Corley, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA

Cognitive Aging in HIV: Clinical Assessment and Management
Shibani S. Mukerji, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

(Interactive Symposium-03) Strategic and Resilient Responses to the Funding Crisis Across Africa

Moderator: Ruanne V. Barnabas, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Effect on Prevention and Treatment Programming and the Response
Geoff Garnett, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK

Global Cuts, Local Consequences: Community Impact and Response to the HIV Funding Crisis
Solange Baptiste, ITPC Global, Cape Town, South Africa

Impacts on Research
Andrew Kambugu, Infectious Disease Institute, Kampala, Uganda

TUESDAY PLENARY SESSION

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Are They a Cure for Everything?
Todd T. Brown, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

Cutting-Edge Issues in Sexually Transmitted Infections
Jeanne M. Marrazzo, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Arlington, VA, USA.

CONCURRENT ORAL ABSTRACT SESSIONS

Oral Abstract Sessions include leading-edge research in HIV, hepatitis viruses, SARS-CoV-2, and other viral infections and their related conditions. During these 2-hour sessions, speakers present their peer-reviewed research on a specific topic area and respond to questions from attendees in 1 of 2 question and answer periods moderated by experts in the field.

(Oral Abstract-05) HIV Reservoirs and Cure Strategies

(Oral Abstract-06) Three Battles – One Stage: TB, Hepatitis, and Hepatocellular Cancer

(Oral Abstract-07) Next-Generation HIV Strategies for Children and Adolescents: Breakthroughs in Pediatric HIV Prevention, Treatment, and Care

(Oral Abstract-08) We Thought You’d Never Ask: Improving HIV Testing, Treatment, and Prevention

CONCURRENT THEMED DISCUSSIONS

Themed Discussions include up to 4 select poster abstracts connected by a theme. A discussant provides a 4-minute introduction outlining the state of the topic field, and then each presenter gives a brief overview of their Poster Abstract in 5 minutes using 5 slides (recommended) to summarize the noteworthy results, conclusions, and discussion points. Discussants interact with audience members and presenters to create a discussion that synthesizes the relevant information, covers key points of agreement and controversy, and draws comparisons to related work in the scientific field. At the conclusion of a Themed Discussion, the discussant provides a 5-minute summation highlighting the key information of the Poster Abstracts discussed and posing important questions for future research.

(Themed Discussion-05) Targeting the HIV Reservoir: Novel Cure Strategies

(Themed Discussion-06) Extra Large Challenges in Steatotic Liver Disease

(Themed Discussion-07) Precision Comes to Public Health

(Themed Discussion-08) Machines, Models, and Messages

POSTER SESSIONS

Poster Abstract Sessions comprise the majority of scientific information presented at CROI. Presenters of Poster Abstracts who attend CROI in person will be assigned to stand at their respective boards, organized by topic, on one of the 3 conference days. All posters will be available for viewing throughout the conference in the poster hall and in an electronic format on the CROI website and other electronic means (access is restricted to registered CROI attendees during the conference).

(Poster Session-A3) Regulation of HIV Integration and Gene Expression
(Poster Session-B3) HIV Host Interaction
(Poster Session-B4) Non-AIDS Pathogenesis
(Poster Session-C1) Unique Aspects of Immunity to HIV Infection
(Poster Session-C2) Recent Progress in HIV Vaccine Development
(Poster Session-D05) In Vivo Immune Interventions for an HIV Cure
(Poster Session-D06) Cellular HIV Reservoirs
(Poster Session-D07) HIV Cure: Other In Vivo Interventions
(Poster Session-D08) Tissue HIV Reservoirs
(Poster Session-D09) Novel HIV Cure Strategies
(Poster Session-E3) Reservoirs and the Central Nervous System
(Poster Session-E4) ART and NeuroHIV
(Poster Session-E5) Omics, Biomarkers, and High-Dimensional Analysis
(Poster Session-F2) Going the Distance: Pharmacokinetics of Next-Generation Long-Acting Agents
(Poster Session-G3) Novel Antiretroviral Agents and Combinations: The Long Game
(Poster Session-H3) Clinical Impact of Drug Resistance in Trials and Cohorts
(Poster Session-H4) Assays for Resistance
(Poster Session-I2) Extra Large Challenges in Steatotic Liver Disease
(Poster Session-J1) HIV-Related Cancer: Epidemiology, Incidence, and Public Health
(Poster Session-J3) Cancer and HIV/Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus In Vitro Studies
(Poster Session-K2) Predictors of Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Identification and Interventions to Manage
(Poster Session-L3) Biomarkers of Aging
(Poster Session-L4) Multimorbidity and Frailty
(Poster Session-N4) Tuberculosis: Innovative Screening and Diagnostic Approaches
(Poster Session-N5) Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes: Monitoring, Inflammation, and ART
(Poster Session-O2) Programmatic Advances in Maternal Health
(Poster Session-O3) Evolving Insights Into the Health of Pregnant Women With HIV
(Poster Session-O4) The Real World: PrEP in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
(Poster Session-P4) Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Use of ARVs, Old and New, in Infants, Children, and Adolescents
(Poster Session-Q01) Molecular Epidemiology, Phylogenetics, and HIV Diversity
(Poster Session-Q02) Predictive Analytics, Modeling, and Artificial Intelligence
(Poster Session-Q03) HIV Incidence, Transmission, and Priority Populations
(Poster Session-Q04) Mortality, Advanced HIV, and Clinical Outcomes
(Poster Session-Q05) Health Systems and Correctional Facilities Research
(Poster Session-Q06) The Role of Social Determinants and Socioeconomics in Determining Health Inequalities
(Poster Session-S1) Who is Using Injectable PrEP, and How’s That Going?
(Poster Session-S2) Getting Close to Zero: Challenges and Opportunities
(Poster Session-S3) Old, New, Emerging, and Controversial Prevention Agents
(Poster Session-S4) Geographic- and Key-Population-Specific Considerations in PrEP/Prevention
(Poster Session-S5) Sexually Transmitted Infections, Coinfections, and Comorbidities: Lions, Tigers, and Bears
(Poster Session-T1) Evolving Insights Into HPV and HIV
(Poster Session-T2) New Lessons, Same Spirochete: Syphilis Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management
(Poster Session-T3) Global STI Epidemiology
(Poster Session-T4) The Realities of Doxy-PEP
(Poster Session-U02) PrEP Use, Retention, and Persistence
(Poster Session-U03) Novel Interventions
(Poster Session-U04) Machine Learning and AI
(Poster Session-U05) Special Populations
(Poster Session-U06) Modelling

CONCURRENT INTERACTIVE SYMPOSIA

(Interactive Symposium-04) 30 Years of Viral Suppression: A Biologic Reset?

Moderator: Monique Nijhuis, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Nederland

HIV Reservoir: Persistence and Expansion Under Long-Term ART
John W. Mellors, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Long-Term Consequences of ART on HIV-Specific T Cell Responses
Victor Appay, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

Source and Consequences of Chronic Immune Activation in People Under Long-Term ART
Irini Sereti, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA

(Interactive Symposium-05) The Long Game: Progress and the Promise of Long-Acting ART for Treatment

Moderator: Eric S. Daar, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Clinical Trials and New Drugs in the Pipeline
Onyema Ogbuagu, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

Challenges and Solutions to Implementation
Aadia Rana, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

Panelists: Rosie Mngqibisa, Enhancing Care Foundation, Durban, South Africa, and Gaston Devisich, Fundación Huésped, Buenos Aires, Argentina 

(Interactive Symposium-06) Counting and Caring for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals

Moderator: Jade Ghosn, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France

Epidemiology
Stefan Baral, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

Clinical Management
Asa E. Radix, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, New York, NY, USA

Community Perspective
Rena Janamnuaysook, Pathumwan, Thailand

WEDNESDAY PLENARY SESSION

AI-Assisted Vaccine Design and Cure
Kevin O. Saunders, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

Tuberculosis in Children and Adolescents: From Neglect to Action
Anneke Hesseling, Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa

CONCURRENT ORAL ABSTRACT SESSIONS

Oral Abstract Sessions include leading-edge research in HIV, hepatitis viruses, SARS-CoV-2, and other viral infections and their related conditions. During these 2-hour sessions, speakers present their peer-reviewed research on a specific topic area and respond to questions from attendees in 1 of 2 question and answer periods moderated by experts in the field.

(Oral Abstract-09) Manipulating the HIV Immune Response for Prevention and Treatment

(Oral Abstract-10) Extending the Reach: Long-Acting Antiviral and Novel Delivery

(Oral Abstract-11) From Good to Great: Advancing Treatment and Prevention

(Oral Abstract-12) Test and Tell

CONCURRENT THEMED DISCUSSIONS

Themed Discussions include up to 4 select poster abstracts connected by a theme. A discussant provides a 4-minute introduction outlining the state of the topic field, and then each presenter gives a brief overview of their Poster Abstract in 5 minutes using 5 slides (recommended) to summarize the noteworthy results, conclusions, and discussion points. Discussants interact with audience members and presenters to create a discussion that synthesizes the relevant information, covers key points of agreement and controversy, and draws comparisons to related work in the scientific field. At the conclusion of a Themed Discussion, the discussant provides a 5-minute summation highlighting the key information of the Poster Abstracts discussed and posing important questions for future research.

(Themed Discussion-09) Harnessing B-Cells and Antibodies for HIV Control

(Themed Discussion-10) Tuberculosis: Innovative Screening and Diagnostic Approaches

(Themed Discussion-11) Advancing Mental Health for Youth With HIV

(Themed Discussion-12) Some Assembly Required: Self-Blood Collection and Testing

POSTER SESSIONS

Poster Abstract Sessions comprise the majority of scientific information presented at CROI. Presenters of Poster Abstracts who attend CROI in person will be assigned to stand at their respective boards, organized by topic, on one of the 3 conference days. All posters will be available for viewing throughout the conference in the poster hall and in an electronic format on the CROI website and other electronic means (access is restricted to registered CROI attendees during the conference).

(Poster Session-B5) HIV and Aging
(Poster Session-B6) Nonhuman Models of HIV Infection
(Poster Session-C3) Advances in T-Cell Vaccines Against HIV
(Poster Session-C4) HIV-Specific B Cells and Antibodies
(Poster Session-D10) Immune Pressures on the HIV Reservoir
(Poster Session-D11) Nonsuppressible and Low-Level Virema
(Poster Session-D12) Viral Rebound and Control
(Poster Session-D13) Strategies for an HIV Cure
(Poster Session-E6) Neuropathogenesis and Neuroimmunologic Insights
(Poster Session-G4) Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine in the “Real World”
(Poster Session-G5) Clinical Trials and Observational Studies of Antiretroviral Therapy
(Poster Session-H5) Resistance to bNAbs
(Poster Session-H6) Resistance to Other Antiviral Drugs
(Poster Session-I3) Hepatitis C Virus Testing and Elimination
(Poster Session-J4) Cancer Treatment and Survival
(Poster Session-J5) Anal Cancer Biomarkers, Screening, and Prevention
(Poster Session-J6) Nonanal Cancer Biomarkers, Screening, and Prevention
(Poster Session-K3) Drivers and Measures of Inflammation
(Poster Session-K5) Antiretroviral Therapy and Cardiovascular Disease
(Poster Session-L5) Bone Disease
(Poster Session-L6) Renal Disease
(Poster Session-M1) SARS-CoV-2 Therapy, Consequences, and Outcomes
(Poster Session-M2) Morbidity and Mortality and Acute COVID-19
(Poster Session-M3) PASC Due: Morbidity Following Recovery from Acute COVID-19 Infection
(Poster Session-M4) SARS-CoV-2 and the Brain: Five Years On
(Poster Session-M5) SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenesis
(Poster Session-N3) Tuberculosis Prevention Strategies
(Poster Session-N6) Antituberculosis Drugs: Novel Formulations and Pharmacokinetics
(Poster Session-O1) Pharmacokinetics for Vertical Transmission Prevention: bNAbs, Long-Acting Antivirals, and Beyond
(Poster Session-P5) Viral Suppression and Drug Resistance in Children and Adolescents With HIV
(Poster Session-P6) Mortality, Comorbidities, and Coinfections Among Children and Adolescents
(Poster Session-P7) Brain, Behavior, and Mental Health in Youth With HIV
(Poster Session-Q11) Mental Health, Substance Use, and Behavioral Health
(Poster Session-Q12) Opportunistic Infections, Mpox, and Coinfections
(Poster Session-R1) New Tests and Innovative Use of Old Ones
(Poster Session-R2) HIV Screening in Clinical Settings
(Poster Session-R3) Accuracy and Use of HIV Tests
(Poster Session-R4) Self-Collection and Self-Testing
(Poster Session-U07) Testing and Linkage
(Poster Session-U08) Retention and Viral Load Suppression
(Poster Session-U09) PrEP Awareness and Initiation
(Poster Session-U10) Integration
(Poster Session-U11) Substance Use and Mental Health

CONCURRENT INTERACTIVE SYMPOSIA

(Interactive Symposium-07) Masters of Immunity: The Many Faces of T Cells

Moderator: Pamela Skinner, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

The Unusual Suspects: Nonconventional T Cells
Jennifer Snyder-Cappione, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

The T Cell Identity: Conventional T Cells in Action
R. Brad Jones, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA

Engineering T Cells: Improving on Nature
Anjie Zhen, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

(Interactive Symposium-08) Time for a Paradigm Shift for Young Pregnant and Breastfeeding Cisgender Women

Moderator: Philippa Musoke, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Epidemiology of HIV in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Elona Toska, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Continuity of Care During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Aleny Couto, Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique

Ethical and Regulatory System Changes for the Inclusion of Pregnant Women in HIV Research and Development
Cordelia Katureebe, Ministry of Health – Uganda, Kampala, Uganda

(Interactive Symposium-09) Hot Takes on the Clinical Highlights of CROI 2026

Moderator: Joseph J. Eron, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Panelists

• Fatima Kakkar, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
• Annie Luetkemeyer, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
• Chloe Orkin, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
• Debra Persaud, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
• Paul E. Sax, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA