As part of the 2026 Annual Meeting, the NAM hosted a scientific symposium titled, “Harnessing Science, Prevention, and Innovation in Chronic Disease” on October 19, 2026. The event was held both virtually and in person at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, DC.
Head to our YouTube channel to view more ceremonies from this year’s Annual Meeting, including the Awards Ceremony and Scientific Symposium panels.
Access the Full List of Event Videos | Speaker Information
Scientific Symposium | Monday, October 19
Chronic disease is the leading driver of illness, disability, and health care costs, yet rapid advances in science, technology, and policy are transforming options for prevention, detection, and management. Join leading experts to explore cutting-edge innovations—from precision medicine and biomarkers to population health strategies and implementation science—and discuss strategies to ensure these advances are accessible to everyone.
2026 Victor J. Dzau Keynote Address: The Big Challenges Ahead in Health Policy, and Where Chronic Illness Fits
This year’s keynote speaker is Drew Altman, PhD. His comments will draw on three decades of experience as President & CEO of KFF, a preeminent national organization focused on health policy analysis, journalism, and public opinion. Altman’s address is the first named in honor of Victor J. Dzau, who served as president of the NAM from 2014 to 2026.
Panel 1: Understanding Chronic Disease Development and Risk Across the Lifespan
How early-life biological, genetic, environmental, and social factors shape lifelong chronic disease risk and opportunities for early intervention.
- L. Ebony Boulware (Moderator), Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Advocate Health
- Luigi Ferrucci, National Institute on Aging
- Bridget Goosby, University of Texas at Austin
- Bhramar Mukherjee, Yale University
- Xiaobin Wang, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Panel 2: Advancing Chronic Disease Prevention
Sustainable lifestyle interventions, innovative nutrition and policy approaches, and environmental and social changes that can prevent chronic disease and reduce health disparities.
- Cheryl Anderson (Moderator), University of California, San Diego
- Elizabeth Frates, Harvard University
- Christopher Gardner, Stanford University
- Karen Glanz, University of Pennsylvania
- Martin Picard, Columbia University
Panel 3: Transforming Chronic Disease Treatment and Care
How breakthrough therapies, precision medicine, and health technologies — integrated with lifestyle interventions — are reshaping disease management and impacting clinicians, health systems, payers, and policy.
- John O’Shea (Moderator), National Institutes of Health
- Stephen L. Hauser, University of California, San Francisco
- Vivian Ho, Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine
- Ania Jastreboff, Yale University
- Tony Wyss-Coray, Stanford University
Introduction and Awards
On Sunday, Oct 18, the NAM welcomed the 2025 class of NAM members, as well as the 2026–2027 class of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows, 2026–2028 class of NAM Fellows, 2026–2027 NAM Scholars in Diagnostic Excellence, 2026–2027 Distinguished Nurse Scholar-in-Residence, 2026–2028 NAM-CUHK International Health Policy Fellow, 2026–2027 Scholars in Global Women’s Health Research, and the 2026–2029 NAM Victor J. Dzau Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine Scholars. Sunday’s ceremony also presented the Gustav O. Lienhard Award for Advancement of Health Care, the Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health, the David and Beatrix Hamburg Award for Advances in Biomedical Research and Clinical Medicine, the NAM Member Awards, and the NAM Cecil Awards, including two awards in memoriam.
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