Presenters

The scientific program comprises various styles of presentations and sessions, each offering a unique opportunity to amass new and important scientific information. Descriptions of the presentation and session types appear below.

The Bernard Fields Lecture, named in tribute to the exemplary work of the esteemed microbiologist and virologist Bernard Fields, is given during the Opening Session, usually by a basic scientist recognized for his or her important and relevant contributions to the fields of virology and viral pathogenesis.

The N’Galy-Mann Lecture recognizes an HIV/AIDS researcher for his or her important and relevant work in the fields of epidemiology or clinical research. The Lecture is named in honor of Drs Bosenge N’Galy and Jonathan Mann for their crucial, pioneering work in HIV science in Africa. The N’Galy-Mann Lecture is part of the Opening Session.

The Martin Delaney Presentation honors the pioneering HIV/AIDS activist Martin Delaney (1945-2009) and is held annually and recognizes the important contributions of community advocacy and engagement to research.

A Keynote Lecture may also be scheduled during the Opening Session and is given by a well-known and respected individual who offers insight into any of a wide range of issues (eg, social, political, or financial matters) that affect the global HIV pandemic.

Educational workshops are presented before the opening session on the first day of CROI. Recent workshops include:

• Scott Hammer Workshop for New Investigators and Trainees: Directed toward new investigators (both international and domestic) and trainees (eg, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and physician fellows). This workshop is typically held in the morning with no other sessions running concurrently, and is open to all attendees. The workshop content includes the current state-of-the-art of selected areas of HIV basic and clinical research, as well as an overview of the major themes to be presented at CROI
• Clinical Trial Design and Analysis: Directed toward clinicians and scientists who are interested in designing or interpreting clinical and epidemiological studies
• Frontiers in Laboratory Science: Directed toward investigators and clinicians interested in learning about technological and conceptual developments in life sciences that are influencing HIV research or hold significant potential for research
• Interactive Case-Based Workshop on the Liver: Directed toward persons interested in the management of hepatitis virus and other liver diseases

Plenary Lectures are a balance of epidemiologic-, clinical-, and basic-science presentations given by leading authorities in the field. There are 2 Plenary Lectures of 25 minutes scheduled for each of the 3 days of the conference.

Interactive Educational Sessions include in a mixture of lively formats such as debates, point-counterpoint discussions, brief talks with expert panel discussions, “Rapid Fire” sessions of 4 or 5 short (5 mins) presentations by experts in the field, or symposia of 3 or 4 state-of-the-art talks. In addition to the presentations, attendees pose questions for response by the presenters.

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.

A Scientific Overview may be included in an Oral Abstract Session, as appropriate, or a moderator may provide a brief translational summary at the close of a session. A comoderator will also be on hand to facilitate audience questions.

Themed Discussions include up to 5 select poster abstracts connected by a theme. A discussant provides a 5-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.

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 three 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 mobile app (access is restricted to registered CROI attendees during the conference).