CMaT Annual Summit
August 5-7, 2026

Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Georgia

REGISTRATION:
To register for the summit, please click here:   https://forms.office.com/r/cCfuiLpYT8
Deadline to Register for the CMaT Summit is July 17, 2026.

2026 ANNUAL SUMMIT AGENDA (Tentative)
Wednesday, August 5th
Sessions will be held at the Georgia Tech, Parker Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB),
315 Ferst Drive, NW | Atlanta, GA 30332
  • 3:30 PM - Registration 
    Location: IBB Atrium
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 4:00 – 4:45 PM - Keynote Speaker: Dr. Qasim Rafiq 
    Location: IBB – Suddath Room 
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 4:45 – 5:15 PM - Break
  • 5:15 – 6:00 PM - Debate – Future of Cell Therapy
    Location: IBB – Suddath Room
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 6:00 – 7:30 PM - Dinner (provided) 
    Location: IBB - Atrium 
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 7:30 PM - Trainee Activity / Industry
    Location: TBA
    Participants: CMaT Trainees (including summer participants)
Thursday, August 6th 
Sessions will be held at the Georgia Tech, Krone Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB),
950 Atlantic Drive | Atlanta, GA 30332
  • 8:00 – 8:30 AM - Breakfast (provided) 
    Location: EBB Atrium 
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 8:30 – 9:00 AM - State of Center Address 
    Location: EBB – CHOA Room 
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 9:00 – 11:00 AM – Trainee Research Presentations 
    Location: EBB – CHOA Room 
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 11:00 – 11:30 AM - Photo / Break
  • 11:30 – 12:15 PM - Industry Panel
    Location: EBB – CHOA Room
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 12:15 – 1:00 PM - Lunch (provided)
    Location: IBB – Atrium & Suddath Room
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 12:15 – 1:00 PM - IPAB Advisory Board SWOT and Lunch (provided)
    Location: IBB – TBD Room
    Participants: Industry     
  • 1:00 – 2:30 PM - Poster Session 
    Location: IBB – Atrium & Suddath Room
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 2:30 – 3:30 PM – Trainee Research Presentations
    Location: EBB – CHOA Room
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 3:30 – 3:45 PM - Break
  • 3:45 – 4:45 PM - Perfect Pitch
    Location: EBB – CHOA Room
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 4:45 PM - SLC Tour
    Location: TBD
  • 5:45 PM - Dinner On Your Own
Friday, August 7th
Sessions will be held at the Georgia Tech, Krone Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB),
950 Atlantic Drive | Atlanta, GA 30332
  • 8:00 – 8:30 AM - Breakfast (provided)
    Location: EBB Atrium
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 9:00 – 10:00 AM - Workforce Development Training: Use of Generative AI Tools in Research
    Location: TBA
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 10:00 – 11:00 AM - Breakouts by Test-beds
    Location: TBA
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 11:00 – 11:30 AM - CMaT Awards
    Location: EBB - CHOA
    Participants: all CMaT
  • 11:30 – Noon - Advisory Board Report Back
    Location: EBB - CHOA
    Participants: Advisory Board + CMaT Leadership
  • 11:30 – SLC Meetings
    Location: EBB - TBA
    Participants: all CMaT Trainees
  • Noon – Lunch (provided)
    Location: EBB Atrium
    Participants: all CMaT

FLIGHT:
Please plan to arrive at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (airport code: ATL). 
For reference: the summit will start at approximately 4:00PM on August 5th and end by noon on August 7th.  

HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS:
Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, 800 Spring Street, NW | Atlanta, Georgia

To reserve your sleeping room, please visit: http://bookings.ihotelier.com/bookings.jsp?groupID=5204598&hotelID=75983

  • CMaT hotel discount is $224 per night.
  • CMaT Faculty & Trainees – you will need to book your own room and then seek reimbursement from your home institution.
    Deadline for the Hotel Registration is July 6, 2026

Hotel Accommodations – ***TRAINEES ONLY***

Roommates are not required but are highly recommended for all trainees attending the summit. If you need a roommate, please complete the google doc below by June 29, 2026.

2026 CMaT Annual Summit Roommate List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/134EAnXwnwmDGmPZpLus4xc1F1WGWh7giwK5p9ozzlkE/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Please remember that you must pay for your hotel initially, and it will be reimbursed according to the travel policy at your institution.

POSTERS INFORMATION:

  • While the use of the CMaT poster template is optional this year, all posters must still adhere to the specified dimensions of 3ftx4ft.
  • Please print your poster and bring it with you to the Summit.  
  • Enter/Update any information to the 2026 Annual Summit Poster Session spreadsheet no later than Tuesday, July 22rd, 2026. If we do not receive a poster title and other requested information you will not be included in the poster directory. 
  • Each poster will be judged by a small group of judges, and we will announce the following:  
    • People’s Choice
    • Best Postdoc/Trainee Poster 
    • Best Summer Trainee Poster
  • The judges will be industry/faculty/advisory board members, and all will have some knowledge of the CMaT research projects.

For questions or concerns regarding posters, please contact Maria Pinto at maria.pinto@ibb.gatech.edu

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the summit, feel free to contact Victoria Nail-Taylor at Victoria.nail-taylor@gatech.edu