Biomedical H.I.V. Prevention Summit 2026 in Chicago

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Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit 2026

Join NMAC’s 10th Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit (BHPS) in Chicago, April 8-10, 2026. 

The Summit was launched by NMAC in 2016 to advance PrEP access for communities most-impacted by HIV. We are the nation’s only convening dedicated to translating complex scientific discoveries and biomedical solutions into effective healthcare delivery for the HIV and public health workforce.  This is the place where science meets action—translating cutting-edge research into real-world strategies for HIV prevention.

In its 10th year, the 2026 Summit is set to expand its focus by addressing HIV from a syndemic, whole-person perspective and is integrating the broader clinical and public health workforce (see audiences below). As we celebrate a decade of progress, we’re reimagining what’s possible. This is our moment to embrace a whole-person approach to prevention—because HIV does not exist in isolation, and neither should our solutions.

2026 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit April 8-10, 2026 Chicago, IL

Theme

This year’s theme: The Syndemic Approach—Strengthening the HIV and Public Health Workforce centers the clinical, community, and broader public health workforce, as key partners in the domestic and global effort to improve overall health among HIV affected communities and communities with the poorest health outcomes. 

Taking A “Syndemic” Approach

What is a syndemic? Simply put: Synergy + Epidemic = Syndemic

A public health term that refers to a situation where multiple health problems happen at the same time and interact with each other, making things worse for the people affected. These problems aren’t just biological—they’re also shaped by social, economic, and environmental factors like poverty, discrimination, or lack of access to healthcare. 

For example, health conditions like HIV, sexually transmitted infections, substance use, and mental health issues don’t just exist separately, they overlap and worsen the combined outcome for the individual experiencing them together. These overlapping issues often hit certain communities harder, especially those facing social challenges like racism, unemployment, or housing instability.

Expanding Our Audiences

NMAC aims to expand participation among direct-care providers and frontline clinicians in community-based and rural settings. The Summit will engage professionals and organizations in clinical or adjacent roles, including:

  • HIV/STI Testers
  • PrEP Navigators
  • Linkage coordinators
  • Clinicians (MDs, DOs, NPs, PAs)
  • Nurses 
  • Pharmacists and Pharm Technicians
  • Dentists and Dental Hygienists
  • Social Workers
  • Substance Use Counselors
  • Mental Health Professionals
  • Registered Dietitians and Nutritionists
  • Community Health Workers
  • Health Department Professionals
  • Clinic Administrators 
  • Non-Profit Professionals
  • Academic Researchers
  • Medical Students

Plenaries

  • “Innovating Change: Harnessing Evidence and Practice to Drive Local Impact in the Fight Against HIV”  
  • “The Time Is NOW for Action and Impact in HIV Prevention”
  • “Innovations in Action: Addressing Health Disparities and Celebrating the PrEPpY Awards”
  • “Honoring the Past, Fighting for the Future – Confronting Civil Rights and Health Disparities”

Workshops By Track

Track 1: Antiretroviral Therapy Improvements and Long-Acting Treatment Preparedness

  • Perspectives on Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy Among Individuals Living With HIV
  • Building Equitable LAI ART Programs: Key Components for Successful Implementation
  • Community-Led Model for a Status-Neutral Approach Using Long-Acting Injectable ARV
  • Beauty, Wellness, and Biomedical Prevention: Reimagining HIV Prevention Spaces for Black Women

Track 2: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Wearables and Personalized Medicine

  • AI and Everyday Technology to Design and Deliver HIV Services
  • AI and PrEP: What 37,000 Patient Interactions Reveal About Engagement

 Track 3: Ending the HIV Epidemic

  • Black Women PrEP Too: Arts, Advocacy, HIV Prevention Efforts
  • Visualizing Disparities With the Interactive U.S. HIV Research Desert Map
  • Faith Communities as Catalysts for Innovation and Equity in HIV Prevention
  • Supporting Healthy Futures Through Youth-led Art and Education

Track 4: Tackling Syndemics Through New Technologies and Systems

  • Technology in Trauma-Responsive Care Towards Ending the HIV Epidemic
  • Tools to Prepare, Guide, and Evaluate Digital HIV Initiative Implementation
  • Using Results-Based Accountability Framework to Evaluate Syndemics in San Diego

Track 5: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Long Acting and Injectables, Oral Formulations. ARVs for Anal Douche and Vaginal Ring

  • Ending HIV by Developing Sustainable Long-Acting Injectable PrEP Clinics
  • Analytical Treatment Interruption Studies Among PLWH Guide Preventive Vaccine Development
  • RCT to Test Sibling-Based Intervention to Promote HIV PrEP
  • Expanding Biomedical Prevention in Pharmacies: Addressing Bias to Improve Access
  • The Power of PrEP Choice: From Lab to the Community
  • Tools and Resources to Support Implementation of Injectable PrEP
  • It’s The Drug, Not You: Inherent Limitations of Long-acting Injectables
  • Translating Efficacy into Effectiveness: a PrEP Policy for HBCUs
  • Strategic Goal Setting for Advancing PrEP Utilization and Engagement

Track 6: Access to Care, Diagnostics, Remote Monitoring, Integrated Health Services and Digital Health Tools

  • Increasing PrEP Access Among Survivors of Domestic Violence Through Telehealth
  • Reaching Tribal Communities With HIV and STI Self-testing
  • Acceptability and Feasibility of Remote HIV Monitoring Among Sexual Minority
  • Implementing E-VOLUTION: An Evidence-Informed HIV Intervention for LGBTQ+ Youth
  • How a Novel Telehealth HIV Program Reached Marginalized Patient Populations

Track 7: Health Equity, Culture Relevance, Community Health Workers, Peer Navigators, Mobile and Digital Health Technologies

  • CTRL+ALT+DELETE: Rebooting Conversations of HIV in Asian Communities for 2025
  • Reels That Heal: Leveraging Social Media Trends for Health Equity
  • Developing and Testing Hyperlocal Place-Based PrEP Outreach Strategies in Alabama
  • ·HIV Reimagined Along the U.S. Mexico Border
  • Enhancing Transmasculine Perinatal HIV Care via Digital Health
  • Improving Sexual Health Access through Technology With Vulnerable Populations
  • Bridging Health Equity Through Digital Health and Peer Navigation

Track 8: HIV Policy Innovations and Health Equity

  • Unlocking Equitable Access to HIV Prevention Services through Community Pharmacies

Tracks

The agenda, featuring content in both English and Spanish, converges FIVE tracks centered around the theme “The Syndemic Approach—Strengthening the HIV and Public Health Workforce.”

TRACK 1 – Systems Thinking & A Syndemic Response

Focuses on the interconnected syndemics impacting our communities. Sessions will cover integrated clinical care models for co-morbidities and non-clinical strategies for aligning community programs and funding.

To build capacity in systems thinking and integrated care approaches by equipping clinical and non-clinical professionals to coordinate across programs, funding streams, and community systems to better respond to syndemics

Objectives:

  • To build capacity in systems thinking and integrated care approaches by equipping clinical and non-clinical professionals to coordinate across programs, funding streams, and community systems to better respond to syndemics
  • To strengthen the clinical and public health workforce’s ability to address interconnected health challenges

TRACK 2 – Technology, Data & Innovation

Highlights emerging technologies in HIV prevention. Sessions will explore data-driven clinical decision support and TelePrEP, alongside m-health/mobile health platforms and analytics for non-clinical outreach and program monitoring.

Objectives:

  • To empower the clinical and public health workforce to harness emerging technologies and data tools that drive innovation in HIV prevention and care. 
  • To enhance participants’ technical skills in data-driven decision-making, TelePrEP implementation, m-health/mobile health platforms, and analytics for improving outreach, monitoring, and service delivery

TRACK 3 – Health Outcome Determinants

Highlights emerging technologies in HIV prevention. Sessions will explore data-driven clinical decision support and TelePrEP, alongside m-health/mobile health platforms and analytics for non-clinical outreach and program monitoring.

Objectives:

  • To build workforce capacity to understand and address the social and structural factors influencing HIV outcomes
  • To train providers and community staff in SDoH screening, navigation, and cross-sector collaboration so the clinical and nonclinical workforce can mitigate barriers related to housing, stigma, and economic stability

TRACK 4 – Health Equity & Policy Education

Addresses health disparities and systemic barriers. Sessions focus on implementing culturally competent clinical care and developing non-clinical advocacy campaigns to advance health equity and influence legislative change.

Objectives:

  • To prepare the workforce to advance health equity and policy change through culturally responsive care and education.  
  • To gain practical strategies for applying culturally competent care and developing advocacy initiatives that promote health equity and shape policy.

TRACK 5 – Health Communication & Simulation Labs

Develops skills in effective messaging and practice. Sessions features simulation labs for clinical scenarios like motivational interviewing, as well as workshops on creating non-clinical social marketing campaigns and status-neutral messaging.

Objectives:

  • To develop the workforce’s communication, counseling, and engagement skills through interactive learning. 
  • To practice motivational interviewing and client-centered approaches, as well as how to design effective messaging, social marketing, and status-neutral communication strategies

Agenda

Day 1: Wednesday, April 8, 2026

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Registration
1:00 pm – 5:00 pmExhibit Hall Open
5:00 pm – 6:30 pmOpening Plenary
6:30 pm – 8:00 pmWelcome Reception

Day 2: Thursday, April 9, 2026

8:00 am – 9:00 amContinental Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
8:00 am – 4:00 pmRegistration
8:00 am – 4:00 pmExhibit Hall Open
9:00 am – 10:30 amSession 1 Workshops
10:45 am – 12:15 pmSession 2 Workshops
12:30 pm – 2:00 pmLunch and Learn
2:00 pm – :30 pmDessert in Exhibit Hall
2:30 pm – :00 pmSession 3 Workshops
4:15 pm – 5:45 pmSession 4 Workshops
6:00 pm – 7:00 pmAffinity Sessions

Day 3: Friday April 10, 2026

8:00 am – 9:30 amContinental Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
8:00 am – 12:00 pmExhibit Hall Open
8:00 am – 4:00 pmRegistration
9:00 am – 10:30 pmSession 5 Workshops
10:45 am – 12:15 pmSession 6 Workshops
12:30 pm – 2:00 pmLunch and Learn
2:30 pm – 5:30 pmClinician Simulation Demos

Contact

For information, updates, and questions about NMAC’s 2026 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit, please email Conferences@NMAC.org

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Sponsors & Exhibitors

The Syndemic Approach strengthening the HIV and public health workplace