“Come for the science, stay for the magic,” the tagline for this year’s event, couldn’t be more apt. In our roles as ATS president and chair of the International Conference Committee, we get an up-close and personal look at the magnitude of this meeting. It’s a reminder of the moments, big and small, that help to validate and nurture us as individuals and as a community.
Attending the world’s most important international respiratory medicine conference opens doors; it gives you access to new basic science and clinical trial results to move your field forward and help your professional growth. If you want ample opportunity to talk with innovators and network with colleagues, as well as future mentors and collaborators, the ATS 2026 delivers.
Whether you specialize in pulmonary, critical care or sleep medicine; whether you are curious about the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) or the health impacts of legal decisions and their application to your clinical work or your research endeavors; or, whether you are seeking out the latest devices to enhance health care delivery, the International Conference Committee has pulled together a top-notch experience.
Get ready to shape your practice and your research. Whether you’re a student or trainee starting your career, or junior faculty stepping into leadership, or a midcareer investigator helping to shape the future of your field, this year’s lineup at the ATS 2026 offers deep, relevant, actionable science for every stage. Add the Breaking News: Clinical Trial Results in Pulmonary Medicine to your itinerary and get a front-row seat to high-impact research. Visit the ATS AI Lab in the Exhibit Hall, a brand-new resource to keep members and attendees braced for the future today and year-round. Speaking of AI, the ATS is leveraging the technology to bring you ATS NOW, an on-demand video learning platform. It’s like Netflix for pulmonologists!! Conference attendees will get access to selected content at no additional cost through Dec. 31, 2026.
As always, you can expect to find your people and build your community in networking spaces throughout the Orange County Convention Center. Drop by the ATS Center, the Networking Super Center, and the International Participants Center. If you’re feeling the mid-career slump that many of us know all too well, drop in on an ATS Storytelling session to get inspired again.
Over the next several days, we hope you’re reminded why events like the ATS 2026 International Conference are meaningful expressions of not only the value of science, but of its ability to transform us, our field, and the lives of our patients. See you out there!
Raed Dweik, MD, MBA, ATSF
ATS President
Jennifer L. Taylor, MD, MSCS, ATSF
International Conference Committee Chair
Extend Your ATS 2026 Experience with ATS NOW
ATS NOW offers conference highlights, peer-reviewed sessions, and access to leading experts in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. ATS 2026 attendees receive complimentary access to the platform through the rest of the calendar year!