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The 2026 ASPHO Conference

April 29-May 2, Minneapolis, MN
Advancing Knowledge, Discovery and Collaboration

2026 Call for Late-Breaking Abstracts

The system will close at 4:00 pm Eastern Time (3:00 pm Central Time; 2:00 pm Mountain Time; 1:00 pm Pacific Time) on Thursday, January 29, 2026. The deadline will not be extended.

In an effort to increase and highlight the amount of cutting-edge science presented at the ASPHO Conference and to recognize novel, critically important research developments that may occur after the general abstract submission deadline, ASPHO's call for late-breaking abstract submissions for presentation at the 2026 ASPHO Conference, April 29 - May 2, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is now open.

Abstracts detailing highly significant and timely findings in the pediatric hematology and oncology subspecialty that were not available at the time of the general ASPHO Conference abstract deadline will be considered for presentation at the 2026 Conference. Late-breaking abstracts highlight novel and practice-changing studies and a select number of abstracts that are deemed to be of high scientific priority will be accepted. The research must be new (data collected between July 1, 2025, and January 29, 2026) and of sufficient scientific importance to merit special consideration after the standard abstract deadline. Case reports and case series are generally not appropriate late-breaking submissions. Submission of the same or an updated version of an abstract that was submitted in the regular call for abstracts is not permitted. This is not to be considered an extension of the regular call for abstracts deadline, but rather an opportunity for extremely important results that can’t wait to be shared with our community.

  • Late-breaking abstract submissions will be accepted beginning Tuesday, January 6 and the system will close at 3:00pm Central Time, Thursday, January 29, 2026.
  • Rationale for when the study and results were developed will be required in the submission to justify it as 'late-breaking'. This information will be available to reviewers.
  • A limited number of late-breaking abstracts will be accepted and presented in oral paper or poster presentation format. Accepted abstracts must be presented in person.
  • Submitters will be charged a $50 nonrefundable processing fee for ASPHO members and a $75 nonrefundable processing fee for non-members for each late-breaking abstract.
  • Late-breaking abstracts will be peer-reviewed for scientific rigor and importance and acceptance decisions will be sent no later than March 16.
  • Embargo Policy: The data presented in the abstract must be withheld from publication or other national conference presentation until after it is presented at the 2026 ASPHO Conference (no earlier than May 3, 2026).

Submission

Late-breaking abstracts will be accepted beginning January 6 to January 29, 2026. The system will close at 4:00 pm Eastern Time (3:00 pm Central Time; 2:00 pm Mountain Time; 1:00 pm Pacific Time) on Thursday, January 29, 2026, and additional submissions will not be accepted.

Fee

Submitters will be charged a $50.00 USD non-refundable processing fee for ASPHO members and a $75.00 USD non-refundable processing fee for non-members per late-breaking abstract to be paid by credit card through PayPal. The fee will be collected at the end of the submission process before the abstract can be submitted. Payment must be submitted online within the system during the time of submission (payment will not be taken in any other form such as by phone or check). NOTE: Your late-breaking submission will not be considered 'complete' until the payment is processed and the proposal is submitted, so please take this step into consideration when you submit your proposal.

Notification of Decision

Late-breaking abstract submitters will be notified no later than March 16, 2026, regarding selection of their abstract.

Important Information about Submission and Issues Related to Copyright

The submitter will be asked to sign an Abstract Submission Agreement which confirms they agree to grant ASPHO unrestricted, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free permission to publish, reproduce, and distribute the abstract in electronic and printed materials, in a searchable data base at www.aspho.org, and in PDF file. The Submitter retains the abstract's copyright, and anyone wishing to use the abstract after the ASPHO meeting will be instructed to contact the submitter for permission.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Abstracts created for publication, dissemination, or other use by ASPHO (collectively, Publications) may not be created by, or with the assistance of, artificial intelligence (i.e., ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or other AI system or chatbot). This AI policy does not prevent the use of AI and AI-assisted tools in formal research design or research methods (i.e., for data acquisition or analysis) (as is common in many fields). Where AI or AI-assisted tools are used in this context, they should be described as part of the methodology of the work, with details provided in the methods section.

General Information

  • All communication will go to the Submitter.
  • Abstracts are limited to 400 words. Tables, images, and charts will not be accepted.
  • All submitters must include the following components in the body of the abstract:
    • Background
    • Objective
    • Design/Method
    • Results
    • Conclusion
  • Up to one optional figure, graph, or table (limit one) may be uploaded as an attachment as part of the abstract submission. This is not a requirement. 
  • Submitters must indicate the institution, city, state, and country where the research was done.
  • All abstracts must be identified by a theme/topic for the abstract being submitted. This information is used for the appropriate grouping of papers and posters at the conference as well as for publication in the Pediatric Blood & Cancer Journal and on the ASPHO website. Please note: It is up to the discretion of the ASPHO Conference Planning Committee to make the final assignment regarding the abstract’s theme.
    • Hemostasis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
    • Hemoglobinopathies
    • General Hematology
    • Leukemia/Lymphoma/Histiocyte Disorders
    • Solid Tumors
    • General Oncology
    • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
    • Outcomes Research
      • Outcomes Research is research that describes the end result of health care practices and intervention. Examples include studies related to cost effectiveness, health status, disease burden, late effects of treatments, and quality of life.
    • Quality Improvement/Patient Safety
      • Quality improvement abstracts are based on improvement of health and health care. The abstracts can be related to patient safety, processes to improve outcomes such as time to antibiotics and influenza initiatives, but the abstracts need to be based on clear evidence. Mention of key terms such as Global and Smart aims, Key Drivers, and PDSA ramps need to be included as well.
  • If you must cite a reference, please do so at the end of the abstract using the following format: author name, publication name, and year of publication (e.g., Smith, Ped Blood & Cancer, 2018).
  • All accepted late-breaking abstracts will be published on the ASPHO website and in the Pediatric Blood & Cancer Journal (online format) as submitted. Please check your submission carefully before clicking the "Submit" button in the submission system. ASPHO will not allow any changes to the abstract once the system closes on January 29, 2026.

Conference Registration & Expense Guidelines

Late-breaking abstracts will be presented throughout the ASPHO Conference. Oral paper presentations will occur on Wednesday, April 29, Thursday, April 30, or Friday, May 1, and posters will be presented on Thursday, April 30 and/or Friday, May 1. Presentation times will be assigned at the time the abstract is accepted; authors cannot request a specific presentation date/time. Before submission of the abstract, at least one author must agree to attend the ASPHO Conference and to participate live in-person as the paper or poster presenter.

Presenters are responsible for all personal expenses (e.g., travel, hotel) and are required to register for Conference. Presenters are encouraged to register for the meeting and to reserve hotel accommodations as early as possible to ensure that space is available.

Policy on Commercial Support

Presentations must avoid commercialism and should conform to the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Presentations that constitute promotion and advertising will not be accepted, including pervasive or inappropriate use of logos. No company product information may be displayed or disseminated in conjunction with the presentation. If the author(s) received any funding for this research, a clear acknowledgment of support should be included at the end of the abstract (e.g., supported by a grant from ABC Pharmaceuticals). This will count toward the 400-word limit.

Selection Criteria

Late-breaking abstract submissions will be reviewed and rated by members of the Conference Planning Committee who have expertise in the area to which the submission belongs. Each submission will be reviewed for its scientific or clinical importance, ethical practice, study design, and late-breaking value.

Notification of Acceptance or Rejection of Late-Breaking Abstract Submissions

The submitter will be sent an email notification no later than March 16, 2026, on whether the late-breaking abstract was accepted or rejected for presentation. If the submitter and presenting authors are different, communication will continue through the submitter. It is the responsibility of the submitter to communicate with the presenting author. The presenting author must be a co-author on the abstract.

Frequently Asked Questions

View the FAQs for additional information or questions regarding your submission.

The call for late-breaking abstracts will close at 4:00 pm Eastern Time (3:00 pm Central Time; 2:00 pm Mountain Time; 1:00 pm Pacific Time) on Tuesday, January 29, 2026. The deadline will not be extended.

For questions regarding the ASPHO Conference or your late-breaking abstract proposal, contact ASPHO Member Services at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or 847-375-4716. 

Begin Your Late-Breaking Abstract Submission Process