UI COM 2026 Research Forum will be an in-person event.
Participants from all UI COM campuses are invited to present posters and share their research findings, catalyzing collaboration among researchers.
Abstracts will be available for UIC affiliates to view online prior to the in-person poster session on November 6, 2026.
Description
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Submissions Open
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
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Submission Deadline
Friday, September 25, 2026
5:00 p.m. CST -
Poster Viewing & Judging
Friday, November 6, 2026
Thompson Rooms, Student Center West
Who Is Eligible?
- Medical Students
- PhD, MD-PhD, MS, combined degree and other graduate students
- Postdoctoral Fellows & Residents
- Research Assistant Professors/Clinical Assistant Professors/Scientific Staff
- CCTS and Cancer Center Abstracts
- Other
- eg: UIC undergraduate students who work in the lab of a College of Medicine faculty member. However, undergraduate students are not eligible for prizes
Important Notes:
- First and Second Prizes will be awarded for posters under each category. To qualify for the awards, you must provide an abstract, and present your poster in-person on November 6, 2026.
- Awards will be dispersed by home departments and are intended to be used for continued research, travel to professional conferences, etc. It will not be a cash prize.
- Posters presented at the CCTS, Cancer Center, GEMS, Peoria and Rockford or any other campus research days are welcome.
Submission Guidelines
Each submission must include an abstract and all required information. Please note that poster uploads are not required this year. Only the abstract title and abstract need to be submitted, and posters will be presented in person on Research Forum Day.
Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Please review the instructions below carefully to ensure your submission is complete. Only ONE submission is allowed per person. Review all instructions and required fields before submitting, as incomplete or placeholder submissions will count as your single submission.
Submission Form
To access the submission form, log in using your NetID and password. The form includes multiple pages with required fields, and you may save your progress and return at any time.
Only the first author should complete and submit the form, and the first author will serve as the presenter on the day of the Research Forum.
The fields for submission are listed below:
Page 1: First Author/Your information
- First Author Name This is automatically filled in based on your login
- First Author Email This is automatically filled in based on your login
- Department (Required*)
- Anatomy and Cell Biology
- Anesthesiology
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
- Bioengineering
- ….
- UI COM Campus (Required*): Chicago, Rockford, Peoria
- If, Rockford or Peoria campus. Will you take UIC-provided transportation to Chicago?: Yes, No
- Poster Submission Category (Required*)
Select the option that best reflects your current career stage.
- Medical Students
- PhD, MD-PhD, MS, combined degree and other graduate students
- Postdoctoral Fellows & Residents
- Research Assistant Professors/Clinical Assistant Professors/Scientific Staff
- CCTS and Cancer Center Abstracts
- Other
- Poster Research Area (Required*)
Select the category or categories that best describe the focus of your poster- Cancer
- Cardiovascular & Pulmonary
- Health Disparities & Community Medicine
- Immunology
- Infectious Agents & Microbiome
- Metabolism & Diabetes
- Neuroscience, Visual Sciences & Psychiatric Disorders
- Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine
- Vascular
Page 2: PI information
- Principal Investigator’s Full Name (Required*)
- Principal Investigator’s Email (Required*
Page 3: Research involving human subjects
- Does your research involve human subjects? (Required*) : Yes, No
- If YES, do you have the proper IRB approval? (Required*): Yes, No
Page 4: Research involving animals
- Does your research involve animals? (Required*): Yes, No
- If YES, do you have the proper IACUC/ACC approval? (Required*): Yes, No
Page 5: Co-authors information
- Do you have co-authors? If so, how many? (Required*): 1 ,2, 3, 4, 5 or more
- Co-author’s Information: (For each co-author you will need the add the following information)
- First Name
- Last Name
- UIC Campus
- Department
Page 6: Abstract Submission
- Abstract Title (Required*)
- Abstract (Required*)
Abstract Requirements:
- Abstracts should be no more than 2000 characters in length (including spaces)
- If you paste more than 2000 characters, the abstract will be automatically cut-off
- Should be submitted via the application form ONLY
- Please write out any special symbols. The form may strip out special characters.
Submission Confirmation
You will receive a confirmation email if your submission was successful.
If you do not receive this email, ensure you check your spam folder for an email noreply@qemailserver.com. Please verify that all required fields were completed and the form was submitted correctly. Late or unsuccessful submissions will not be considered.
Submit Abstract & Poster (TBD)
Dates to Remember
- Online Submission Begins: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
- Submission Deadline: Friday, September 25, 2026
- Free Poster Printing Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2026
- Research Forum: November 6, 2026
Presentation Guidelines
Research Forum Day: What to Expect
UIC Student Center West, Second Floor
828 S Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
Breakfast and lunch provided.
SESSION 1
8:30 AM
Check-in opens for poster presenters and judges
- Presenters must show their I-Card at check-in
- Presenters will receive:
- Thumbtacks
- Map of the space
- A “Returning shortly” sign (to use if you need to step away)
- After check-in proceed to hang your poster on your designated poster board. NOTE: Each board will host two posters. Do not mount your poster in the center of the board
9:30 AM
Session 1 – Poster Presentations & Judging Begins
- During this time, first authors present their posters to judges. Judges will listen to your presentation, review your poster, and ask questions about your project
11:30 AM
Session 1 – Poster Presentations & Judging Ends
- Presenters remove their poster and leave thumbtacks
SESSION 2
12:00 PM
Check-in reopens for poster presenters and judges
- Presenters must show their I-Card at check-in
- Presenters will receive:
- Thumbtacks
- Map of the space
- A “Returning shortly” sign (to use if you need to step away)
- After check-in proceed to hang your poster on your designated poster board. NOTE: Each board will host two posters. Do not mount your poster in the center of the board
1:00 PM
Session 2 – Poster Presentations & Judging Begins
- During this time, first authors present their posters to judges. Judges will listen to your presentation, view your poster, and ask questions about your project
3:00 PM
Session 2 – Poster Presentations & Judging Ends
- Presenters must remove their poster and leave the thumbtacks
3:15 PM
Reception
- Hors d’oeuvres and beverages served
- Winners announced around 4:00 PM
5:00 PM
Conclusion of event
- Rockford and Peoria participants to board buses
Presentation Guidelines
- Professional dress attire is required. Please do not wear denim or casual clothing.
- Poster must be placed only in the designated half of the poster board.
- Only the first author may present. Co-authors or others are not allowed to present.
- Presenter should remain near their poster board at all times. Remember to hang your “Returning shortly” sign if you have to step away.
- Speak clearly and give your presentation in terms that will make sense to judges outside of your area(s) of expertise. Our judges come from a variety of backgrounds, not all of which are research-related. Remember to explain to a non-technical audience.
- Take your poster with you at the conclusion of your session. All remaining posters will be discarded.
- Leave the thumbtacks on the poster board so it can be used for the next session.
- See rubric below for scoring criteria.
Rubric
Judges will score your poster and presentation using the following rubric (total of 100 points)
- Quality of poster: up to 10 points
- Technical approach: up to 15 points
- Quality of oral presentation: up to 15 points
- Significance of work: up to 20 points
- Conceptual or technical innovation: up to 20 points
- Overall scientific impact: up to 20 points
Poster Printing and Pickup
Participants are granted one complimentary poster printed through Creative and Digital Services (CDS). All campuses may use Creative & Digital Services (CDS) in Chicago for poster printing.
If you are utilizing CDS for poster printing, the deadline to submit is Friday, October 16, 2026. Requests submitted after this deadline will not be accommodated.
Important: Printing cannot be arranged on the day of the Research Forum.
Poster printing deadline has passed. We are no longer accepting posters.
To ensure your poster is printed, please follow these guidelines carefully. Posters that do not follow the naming convention will not be printed.
- Poster Size: Your poster must be sized at 4’ x 3’.
- File Format: Save your poster as a PDF file only. Other file formats will not be accepted or printed.
- File Naming Convention: Save your PDF as lastname_NETID.pdf. This format is required, as it will be used to send your confirmation email once your poster is printed. Please be sure to follow it exactly.
Example: For John Smith with NetID jsmith15, the file must be named: smith_jsmith15.pdf - Upload Location: Upload your correctly named PDF to the designated Box folder
Poster Pickup
- Name your file correctly: lastname_NETID.pdf
- Upload the file to the Box folder.
- CDS will send a confirmation email once your poster has been printed (typically within 10 business days).
- The email will be sent using the NETID in your file name — so correct naming is essential.
- Pick up your poster only after receiving the confirmation email. See the instructions below for pickup details based on your campus.
- If you do not receive the email after 10 business days, or at least one week before the Research Forum, contact Creative & Digital Services at 312-996-3562 or uiccds@uic.edu.
Pickup for Chicago participants
Once you receive the print confirmation email, please pick up your posters at the CDS. Picking up the poster before the Research Forum ensures a smooth check-in process and allows sufficient time for setup.
Posters can be collected during business hours at:
UIC Creative and Digital Services
B4 Student Center West (MC 291)
828 South Wolcott Avenue
Chicago, IL 60612
Pickup for Rockford and Peoria participants
Posters printed through CDS (Chicago) for Rockford and Peoria participants will be available for pickup at check-in on the day of the Research Forum. Please be sure you have received your print confirmation email.
If your department chooses to use local on-campus printing services in Rockford or Peoria, reimbursement may be possible through your department.
Reimbursement for printed posters
If your department has already paid for poster printing, you can seek reimbursement through an internal journal voucher transfer. Contact Travis Romagnoli for assistance.
Please note that we can only reimburse individuals for poster printing if it was done exclusively through the Office of Creative and Digital Design Services.
If you pay out of pocket, you will not be reimbursed. We strongly recommend all participants use CDS printing.
Resources
The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a range of resources to support research, writing, publishing, and professional development. These tools are especially helpful when preparing for the Research Forum.
This includes access to Nature Masterclasses, a free online learning platform available to the UI COM community through Nature Masterclasses, along with additional guidance and support materials.
Explore the featured resources below, and visit the Nature Masterclasses page for login instructions and more details. and more details.
Resources for Posters
- Access University Library guides on creating effective scientific posters
- Download official UI COM logos
- Use pre-formatted UI COM poster templates
Creating Successful Research Posters
In today’s fast-paced world of research, effective communication is key. An engaging research poster is a great way to visually share your findings concisely and broaden your professional network with other researchers. Learn how to craft great engaging research posters and prepare a handout and conversation that will captivate your audience. Whether you’re a student presenting your first poster at a conference or an early career researcher seeking feedback and collaborations, this course will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence and improve your chances of success.
Advancing your Scientific Presentations
‘Advancing Your Scientific Presentations’ teaches you how to create more memorable and engaging presentations to your scientific peers. In the course, you will discover how you can develop your research story – the foundation of your presentation – using narrative tools, how to build a slide deck that supports and enhances your presentation, and how to prepare to deliver your presentation on the day.
Effective Science Communication
Knowing how to effectively communicate research with non-experts requires a certain skillset that can be learned and developed with practice. This course on ‘Effective Science Communication’ will provide researchers with the core tools and techniques to help them communicate any piece of research, published or unpublished, to a variety of different audiences. It covers the essential steps, including identifying communication goals, understanding different audiences, and crafting a key message. The course also explores the different communication methods and channels available.