AABB Releases 2026 Annual Meeting Schedule

AABB invites members of the blood and biotherapies community to explore the schedule for the 2026 AABB Annual Meeting, taking place Oct. 17-19 in Atlanta. The meeting's education program features more than 125 sessions addressing the most critical topics in blood banking, transfusion medicine and biotherapies.

This year's program reflects several themes influencing practice across the field, including the growing role of artificial intelligence in the field, strategies for maintaining blood availability during public health emergencies and large-scale disasters, advances in transfusion safety, and innovations in cellular therapies. The 2026 AABB Annual Meeting will also feature joint educational sessions with the THOR Network, the International Society of Blood Transfusion and the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics.

This year's Cord Blood Connect (CBC) at the 2026 AABB Annual Meeting will feature three days of programming focused on advances in cord blood banking, transplantation and cellular therapies. Sessions will examine clinical outcomes of cord blood transplantation, emerging cord blood-derived therapies and the evolving regulatory and operational landscape. The program will also include abstract and lightning talk presentations, as well as discussions on future opportunities and challenges across the field.

The 2026 Annual Meeting General Session will feature a keynote address from Frederick Appelbaum, MD, executive vice president at Fred Hutch and a pioneer in bone marrow transplantation. In his keynote, Appelbaum will discuss the critical role the blood banking and transfusion medicine community has played in advancing transplantation. He will also highlight the longstanding relationship between bone marrow transplantation and transfusion medicine, including AABB's early role as a model for regulation and self-governance within the field.

Attendees can also participate in scientific oral abstract presentations, AABB awards and lectureships, AABB Foundation events, networking opportunities with colleagues from around the world and an Exhibit Hall showcasing products and services relevant to the field.

Early-bird Registration Ends July 21

Early-bird registration for the Annual Meeting ends July 21. Attendees who register by this date will save up to $325 on the full-meeting registration rate. Early registration also helps ensure preferred hotel accommodations and access to ticketed events before they fill up.