Conquer Cancer Announces 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting Merit Award Recipients

Conquer Cancer Foundation has announced the recipients of the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting Merit Awards, highlighting a new cohort of students, trainees, and early-career investigators contributing to cancer research. A total of 141 individuals will be recognized this year, each selected as a first author on abstracts accepted for presentation at the ASCO Annual Meeting 2026.

These awards are designed to support emerging voices in oncology at a critical stage in their careers. By focusing on first authorship, the program emphasizes scientific leadership and recognizes those directly driving research questions, data analysis, and interpretation.

Supporting Early Careers Through Scientific Recognition

The Merit Awards program reflects a broader effort to strengthen the oncology workforce by encouraging participation in high-level scientific exchange. Presenting research at ASCO represents a significant milestone, and for many recipients, this recognition marks one of the first major validations of their work within the global oncology community.

The selected abstracts span a wide range of disciplines, from clinical trials and translational science to population health and survivorship. This diversity underscores the evolving complexity of cancer care and the need for multidisciplinary approaches driven by early-career investigators.

The 2026 Special Merit Award Recipients

Images	Name
	Jowan Al-Nusair, MD Marshall University  Bradley Stuart Beller Endowed Merit Award, Supported by Friends and Family of Dr. and Mrs. Ronald Beller
	Hu Liang, MD, PhD, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer  Allen S. Lichter, MD, Endowed Merit Award
	Rachel Hurley, MD, PhD Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia  Brigid Leventhal Special Merit Award
	Yuri Choi, PhD, RN,  University of Rochester Medical Center  Pain and Symptom Management Special Merit Award
	Jordane Chaix, MD, CHU Bordeaux  James B. Nachman Endowed ASCO Junior Faculty Award, Supported by Friends and Family of Dr. James B. Nachman

Special Merit Awards Highlight Top Abstracts

In addition to the Merit Awards, five investigators will receive Special Merit Awards for submitting the highest-ranked abstracts across selected categories. These distinctions are awarded by the ASCO Scientific Program Committee and are reserved for projects demonstrating exceptional scientific rigor and potential impact.

Together, the Merit and Special Merit Awards signal a continued investment in the future of oncology research one that prioritizes young investigators, values scientific contribution early in a career, and reinforces the importance of innovation at every level of cancer care.

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Written by Nare Hovhannisyan,MD