Join us for the 21st Annual CCTS Spring Conference, Kentucky's premier event for clinical and translational research. Come to learn, connect, and showcase your own research with hundreds of researchers, trainees, and community members. The conference will take place on Tuesday, March 31 at the Central Bank Center.
This year's theme, "AI: Bridging Clinical Care, Innovation, Research, and Technology", brings together leaders, experts, innovators and pioneers to explore ways in which AI impacts health.
The CCTS Spring Conference also hosts Research Days for the Colleges of Dentistry, Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Education, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, and the Department of Internal Medicine.
Stay tuned for a detailed agenda. Want updates about the conference? Sign up for our newsletter! »
» Submission Deadline: Friday, February 6, 2026 by 5 p.m. EST.
We are now accepting abstracts for poster and oral presentations.
In addition to abstracts related to this year's theme, we invite abstracts related to clinical and translational science and research, as well as abstracts for college- and unit-specific Research Days that will be held at the conference. Abstracts do not need align with the conference theme.
Nomination Deadline: Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET
The CCTS Research Mentor Award honors outstanding mentors who make impactful contributions to mentees' success in clinical and translational science. Nominate a UK faculty member for the award, which will be presented at the conference. Eligibility is limited to UK faculty.
As always, attendance is free. Lunch will be provided for attendees who register by March 24.
Keynote Speakers
Jesus Caban, PhD
Chief Data and Analytics Officer
Defense Health Agency
The Experimenter's Mindset: Putting AI to Work Across Research, Education, and Clinical Care
Kevin W. Sexton, MD
Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Informatics
Helen and Nicholas Abumrad Directorship
Vice Chair for Innovation, VUMC Section of Surgical Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Conference Co-Chairs
Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Assistant Dean for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, UK College of Medicine
Division Chief, Pathology Informatics
Director, Institute for Biomedical Informatics Center for Applied AI
Professor of Medicine
Chief Medical Information Officer
UK Healthcare
Transportation
A bus will transport conference attendees to and from UK's campus and the Central Bank Center from 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. The shuttle will pick up/drop off at the main entrance of Chandler Hospital, just past the loop near the statue, and pick up/drop off at the Main Street entrance of the Central Bank Center.
General questions about the event?
Contact April Bridenbecker at april.bridenbecker@uky.edu.
Media inquiries?
Contact Mallory Profeta at 615.828.0000 or mallory.profeta@uky.edu.
