Abstracts

Abstract submission and presentation topics

Updated abstract submission requirements, review criteria, poster guidance, presentation expectations, and 2026 submission categories.

Abstract submission checklist

Prepare, verify, and submit by May 26

Prepare a complete abstract using the required format, verify the title, authors, affiliations, and grant support carefully, and submit using the online form by 11:59 PM EDT on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. No changes are allowed after submission, and duplicate submissions will be removed from review.

All abstract correspondence will come from Abstract Services. Add rcmi@the1jg.com to your contacts and check your filtered mail folder if expected messages do not arrive.

01

Submit once

Do not submit the same abstract more than once. Duplicate submissions will be removed from review.

02

Verify before submission

No changes are allowed after submission. Accepted abstracts will be included in conference materials exactly as submitted and approved.

03

Watch for status email

All submitters will receive an abstract status email by Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT.

04

Confirm if accepted

Accepted presenters must complete the response form by Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT.

Required structure

Abstract format checklist

All abstracts must be organized using the required fields and section headers below. The abstract text should not include the title, authors, affiliations, or grant support.

TITLE

Use uppercase letters. The title must not exceed 10 words, approximately 80 characters including spaces and punctuation.

AUTHORS

Use mixed case and list authors who significantly contributed to the work. The recommended limit is 10 authors. For multiple authors, include initials with last names and separate authors with semicolons.

AFFILIATIONS

Use capitalized institution names where the work was performed. Include author initials following each affiliation.

ABSTRACT TEXT

Do not exceed 300 words, approximately 2,000 characters. Do not include the title, author list, affiliations, or grant support in this field.

PURPOSE

Use a header in uppercase and explain the importance of the research or activity, including hypothesis, objectives, goals, and purpose.

METHODS

Use a header in uppercase and briefly explain the procedure and strategy used to gather the information presented.

RESULTS

Use a header in uppercase. Results are required and should state what was found when the analysis was performed.

DISCUSSION / CONCLUSION

Use a header in uppercase and explain how results address the purpose or hypothesis and contribute to knowledge in the field.

GRANT SUPPORT

List grant support only in the designated grant support field and acknowledge grant support where applicable.

KEYWORDS & TERMS

Limit to ten keywords or terms, separated with commas, to help attendees and reviewers find the presentation for appropriate indexing.

Review criteria

How abstracts are scored

Reviewers assign a score of 1-5 for each ranking criterion, where 5 is excellent and 1 is very poor. The best overall score is 30 and the worst score is 6.

Relevance and adherence

Aligns with conference goals, supports health outcomes, reduces health gaps, develops a broad and representative workforce, encourages multidisciplinary collaboration, or offers practical community-centered solutions.

Innovation and contribution

Brings new ideas or important knowledge to science or society.

Clarity and completeness

Clearly explains the purpose, objectives, theoretical or applied focus, research or activity methods, findings, and practical application.

Organization

Follows the abstract submission guidelines and required format.

Research design

Clearly describes how the study, project, or activity was conducted, including methods, participants, data collection, and analysis where applicable.

Results

Presents outcomes, findings, or expected impact clearly and connects the findings to health outcomes, health gaps, research, practice, policy, education, or community engagement.

Submission tips

Improve your chances of a strong review

Use the recommendations below to prepare a clear, organized, and review-ready abstract.

TIP #1

Start early. Writing and finalizing your abstract can take time. Start early so technical issues or unexpected events do not prevent submission.

TIP #2

Pay attention to details. Follow the guidelines carefully so the abstract is organized and makes a strong impression on reviewers.

TIP #3

Consult co-authors and advisors. Confirm co-author approval and ask advisors to review quality and originality before submission.

TIP #4

Know your audience. Make the impact clear for conference attendees and reviewers.

TIP #5

Support the conference theme and objectives. Make sure the abstract aligns with the conference goals and follows the required format.

TIP #6

Keep it short. Include only the information needed to explain purpose, methods, outcomes or results, and importance.

Submission etiquette

Dos and don’ts

Poster presentation guidelines

Need-to-know poster requirements

All poster presenters must register and pay for the conference by Thursday, June 18, 2026, to have their work included in conference materials. Poster presentations will take place during designated poster sessions on Monday, July 20 and Tuesday, July 21.

Poster size

A 6' x 4' poster board will be provided. The actual display area is 5'10" wide by 3'10" tall, and posters must not exceed that size.

Setup and removal

Setup and removal times, poster number, and location will be provided in the Poster Acceptance Package.

Presenting authors

The presenting author must be available at the poster during the assigned poster session. No audiovisual equipment is available for posters.

Type and layout

Use simple, clear fonts; keep text readable; organize the poster from left to right and top to bottom; divide content into three to five logical sections.

Background and color

Avoid elaborate backgrounds, fluorescent colors, overly bright colors, and black backgrounds. Use consistent, readable colors and sufficient white space.

Graphs and tables

Keep graphs and tables brief, simple, and clear. Avoid tables with more than 20 cells and graphs with more than three lines or six bars.

Frequently asked questions

Presenter and poster policies

Accepted abstracts may be scheduled into either poster session. The review committee decides placement in the conference program and cannot accept requests for specific session times.

Maximum abstracts

One person can present a maximum of two abstracts at the conference.

Poster presenters

There is no limit to the number of presenters for a poster abstract, but all presenters must register and pay to participate.

Poster timing

Be available for both poster sessions. The abstract status email will confirm the presentation assignment.

Date and time requests

Presentation date or time requests cannot be accepted.

Abstract changes

No changes can be made after submission. Updates may be shared verbally or on the poster during presentation.

Scholarships

Scholarships are not available. Participants are responsible for registration, travel, parking, and other attendance costs.

Submission categories

Select the most appropriate abstract category

Abstracts are grouped into broad themes related to collaborations in public health, variations in health access and outcomes, and overall health improvement. Reviewers may change categories if needed, which could lengthen the review process.

01

Basic and Applied Health

  1. Cancer
  2. Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases
  3. Diabetes / Obesity / Metabolic Syndromes
  4. Gene-Environment Interactions
  5. HIV and AIDS
  6. Infectious and Immunological Diseases (non-HIV)
  7. Microbiome
  8. Nanotechnologies
  9. Neuroscience and Mental Health
  10. Oral Health
  11. Pulmonary Diseases
02

Behavioral Health

  1. Behavioral and Mental Health
  2. Occupational Health
  3. Pain Management
  4. Suicide
03

Capacity Building

  1. Education and Training
  2. Institutional Readiness
  3. Investigator Development
  4. Mentoring and Professional Development
  5. Programmatic Efforts
04

Clinical, Community, or Translational Research

  1. Clinical and Translational Science Research
  2. Community-Based Participatory Research
  3. Environmental Science
  4. Pharmaceutical Sciences / Pharmacokinetics / Drug Discovery and Delivery
05

Data Science / Big Data

  1. Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
  2. Biomedical Informatics
  3. Computational Biology
  4. Data Collection and Management
  5. Genomics
  6. Precision Medicine
  7. Proteomics
06

Health Maintenance and Prevention

  1. Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  2. Naturopathy
  3. Nutrition / Physical Activity
07

Health-Related Technology

  1. Health-Related Technology Application
  2. Health-Related Technology Devices
  3. SBIR / STTR Grants
08

Health Services and Policy

  1. Gaps in Health Care
  2. Health Economics
  3. Health Policy
  4. Healthcare Systems and Practices
  5. Public Health Infrastructure
  6. Public Health Preparedness for Natural Disasters
09

Research in Special Population Sub-Groups

  1. Aging Research
  2. Child and Adolescent Health
  3. Global Health / Public Health
  4. Immigrant / Migrant Populations
  5. Incarcerated Populations
  6. Indigenous Populations
  7. People Experiencing Homelessness
  8. Rural Health
10

Social Drivers of Health

  1. Economic Stability
  2. Employment
  3. Education Access and Quality
  4. Environmental Quality
  5. Food Security and Nutritional Access
  6. Health Care Access and Quality
  7. Safe Housing, Transportation, and Neighborhoods
  8. Social and Community Engagement
  9. Violence and Crime