Written by Brian C. Moon | November 6, 2026
More than 140 attendees from across the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Partner Network gathered October 28–30 at The Lodge at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama, for the 2026 Translational Science Symposium (TSS26). Through interactive workshops, research presentations, and opportunities to connect with colleagues, the symposium paired scientific exchange with practical approaches to communication, collaboration, and research impact.
New Opportunities to Move Research Forward
A preconference dissemination and implementation science (DIS) workshop and a lunchtime informatics breakout offered two new opportunities for focused learning and discussion.
The October 28 DIS workshop was led by Michael Mugavero, MD, MHSc and Renee Heffron, PhD, MPH, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) alongside Salisa Westrick, PhD, from Auburn University. Together, this team co-leads the CCTS Partner Network’s Section on Dissemination and Implementation Sciences.
The workshop covered implementation science funding and included a presentation by Larry R. Hearld, PhD, from UAB, on challenges encountered when studies do not go as expected. Hearld is a professor in the Department of Health Services Administration and a member of the CCTS DIS leadership team. The workshop also featured four short research presentations by early-career scientists and collaborative roundtable discussions led by senior researchers. The following day, Mugavero, Westrick, and Heffron presented an overview of DIS and available resources, summarized the workshop, and highlighted related posters.
During Thursday’s lunch, the informatics breakout brought attendees together with CCTS Health Informatics co-leads, James J. Cimino, MD and Abu Mosa, PhD, MS, to address participants’ questions about electronic health record data and to explore resources for their research.
Making Science Clear, Compelling, and Connected
Dr Adam Brooks, TSS26 keynote speakerScientific communication was a central thread throughout TSS26. Keynote speaker Adam Brooks, PhD, from the University of Alabama, delivered an energetic presentation, “The Tale of Translation, Storying Science from Discovery to Impact.” With content relevant to anyone engaged in research, Brooks highlighted the importance of communicating science and its significance across disciplines and audiences.
During the main symposium, Kayla Pavlick, PhD, from the University of South Alabama (USA), led networking and scientific communication activities, while Sandeep Bodduluri, MS, PhD, from UAB, presented on the current state and future of artificial intelligence in biomedical research.
Celebrating Research and Presentation Excellence
The Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) and poster competitions gave researchers complementary ways to share their work. The 3MT format challenged presenters to explain their research clearly and compellingly to a nonspecialist audience in just three minutes. The poster session offered a setting for conversations about research questions, methods, and findings. Winners were recognized during Thursday evening’s CCTS Collaboration Dinner Reception.
TSS26 Three-Minute Thesis Winners
- First Place, Ryan Coute from UAB
“The AED Next Door” - Second Place, Farah Allouch from Tulane University
“How Do We Develop an AI Chatbot for Cardiovascular Health That People Will Actually Use?” - Third Place, Sayema Naaz from the University of South Alabama
“The Persister Problem, How Salmonella survives stress”
Three-Minute Thesis competition winners at the 2026 CCTS Translational Science SymposiumTSS26 Poster Presentation Winners
- First Place, Caroline Dodson from the University of South Alabama
“Building Safer Communities Collaborative, Demographics from a Youth Diversion Pilot Program” - Second/Third Place (Tie), Ian Miranda from UAB
“Treg-specific inhibition of Hedgehog signaling alters their function and impedes the growth of murine triple-negative breast cancer” - Second/Third Place (Tie), Sayema Naaz from the University of South Alabama
“Sigma factor selection-based mechanism for establishing persistence in Salmonella enterica”
Poster presentation competition winners at the 2026 CCTS Translational Science SymposiumConnecting Community Perspectives and Career Development
Friday’s programming focused on the relationships that help research address real-world priorities. Ashley Williams Hogue, MD, from USA, explored community partnerships and the integration of community perspectives into research. Holly Horan, PhD, from UAB, highlighted the DRIVEN Scholars’ work connecting community priorities with implementation strategies. Helen Omuya, PhD, from UAB, presented on the implementation of the EPIPHANY Body and Soul Program to promote heart health in the Black Belt.
TSS26 Science Bites presenters and coaches
Alongside the community engagement sessions, Renee Heffron, co-director of the CCTS Mentored Career Development Program (K12), led a career development workshop for early-career faculty.
The program also featured Science Bites, a session of TED-style talks led by CCTS Predoctoral Training (T32) director, Jennifer Pollock, PhD, from UAB, with coaches Rebecca Dobrinski, Cara Speegle, and Blair Fils. These presentations brought the symposium’s communication focus into practice, emphasizing concise storytelling and research presentations designed to engage broad audiences.
Keeping the Connections Going
From new learning opportunities to the celebration of research excellence, TSS26 underscored the value of bringing colleagues together across institutions and disciplines. The CCTS thanks the speakers, presenters, coaches, organizers, and participants who contributed to this year’s symposium and looks forward to welcoming returning attendees and new faces at TSS27.
Explore the photo gallery below (coming soon) for moments from this year’s event. Stay connected through the CCTS Digest and LinkedIn for future opportunities to learn, collaborate, and share your science.