ASCO 2026 Highlights Research Excellence and National Leadership at UAB O’Neal Cancer Center
Faculty, physicians, scientists, and trainees from the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center joined oncology leaders from around the world at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, showcasing innovative research and clinical advances aimed at improving cancer outcomes for patients.
As Alabama’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center demonstrated its breadth of expertise through presentations spanning precision oncology, hematologic malignancies, breast and gynecologic cancers, supportive care, artificial intelligence, and clinical trial innovation. UAB investigators contributed to oral presentations, poster sessions, educational programs, and leadership roles throughout the meeting.
Investigators at ASCO 2026
Among the highlights were presentations from:
- Jorge Cortes, M.D., on advances in chronic myeloid leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia.
- Pankit Vachhani, M.D., shared findings from the Phase 3 SENTRY trial in myelofibrosis.
- Mehmet Akce, M.D., presented on targeted therapies for solid tumors with ERBB2 alterations.
- Rebecca Arend, M.D., MSPH, presented findings and progress from an ongoing frontline ovarian cancer clinical trial for which she serves as the national principal investigator.
- Erica Stringer-Reasor, M.D., presented findings showing that niraparib plus trastuzumab provided durable clinical benefit with a favorable safety profile in heavily pretreated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. The study also identified immune-related markers associated with longer responses, supporting further investigation of PARP inhibitor strategies.
- Aakash Desai, M.D., MBBS, MPH, led discussions on artificial intelligence in oncology, patient-centered clinical trial design.
- Maya Khalil, M.D., participated in a roundtable discussion on career development for emerging International medical Graduates.
- Corey Speers, M.D., presented findings on an FDA-cleared AI system that works alongside standard breast cancer diagnostic tests, that helps predict prognosis and potential chemotherapy benefit in postmenopausal women with node-positive, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer using data from the SWOG 8814 trial.
Learn more about Speers’s research at the following link from The Pathologist website: https://www.thepathologist.com/issues/2026/articles/june/asco-2026-fda-cleared-ai-put-to-the-test/
Innovating Care
The meeting also highlighted UAB’s commitment to improving the patient experience and expanding access to innovative cancer care.
Gabrielle Rocque, M.D., chaired a session focused on elevating the patient voice in clinical trials and presented research examining the impact of remote symptom monitoring on healthcare costs, reinforcing the cancer center’s focus on patient-centered care.
Nicole “Nikki”Henderson, Ph.D., MPH, received national recognition from the Gilead’s Research Scholars Program (RSP) in Solid Tumors, for her work with Dr. Rocque titled, Advancing Equity in Biomarker-Driven Cancer Care: A Patient-Centered Approach to Genomic Testing. Her efforts focus on addressing barriers to genomic testing and ensuring that patients from diverse backgrounds have equitable access to precision oncology innovations.
Gilead’s RSP program provides funding for over two years per researcher to their institution to support independent, early-career scientific investigation into unmet medical needs in oncology.
UAB’s strong presence at ASCO 2026 underscores the cancer center’s leadership in translating scientific discoveries into meaningful advances in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. With hundreds of physicians and researchers working across disciplines, the UAB O’Neal Cancer Center continues to drive innovations that improve the lives of patients throughout Alabama and beyond.