The XXXVI International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology (IAP 2026)【Fukuoka】

Congress Theme

Vision for the Future

The congress aims to create new forms of international collaboration, scientific exchange, and pathology education that extend beyond conventional meeting formats. Emerging technologies such as molecular pathology, spatial transcriptomics, artificial intelligence, digital pathology, and multiplex biomarker analysis will be discussed across multiple pathology subspecialties, together with fundamental issues including education and infectious-disease pathology.

Event Information

• Official Name: The XXXVI International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology
• Abbreviation: IAP 2026 / IAP Fukuoka 2026
• Date: October 8 (Thu.)–13 (Tue.), 2026
• Main Venue: Fukuoka International Congress Center
• Main Venue Address: 2-1 Sekijōmachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka 812-0032, Japan
• Additional Venue: Fukuoka Sunpalace Hotel & Hall
• Additional Venue Address: 2-1 Chikkohon-machi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka 812-0021, Japan
• Meeting Format: Primarily an in-person congress with selected sessions available on demand after the meeting
• Live Streaming: Not available
• Joint Meeting: The 72nd Autumn Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pathology

Congress Organization

• Congress President: Yoshinao Oda, M.D., Ph.D. — Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University
• Vice President: Takako Kiyokawa, M.D., Ph.D. — Department of Pathology, The Jikei University School of Medicine
• Executive Secretary: Yuki Tateishi
• Program Committee: Toyonori Tsuzuki, Hidetaka Yamamoto, Shinya Tanaka, Takeshi Iwasaki, and Taro Mori
• Organizer: International Academy of Pathology
• Host Division: Japanese Division of the International Academy of Pathology
• Congress Secretariat: Congrès Inc.

Participant Registration

• Registration Status: Open
• Early Registration: Through July 6, 2026 — closed
• Regular Registration: July 7–September 7, 2026
• Late Registration: From September 8, 2026
• Payment Currency: Japanese yen
• Payment Method: Credit card only
• IAP Member, Pathologist or Physician — In-person: JPY 97,000 during regular registration
• JDIAP International Affiliate Member — In-person: JPY 101,000 during regular registration
• Non-member — In-person: JPY 165,000 during regular registration
• Junior Resident, Master’s Student, Undergraduate Medical Student or Medical Technologist — In-person: JPY 43,000 during regular registration
• IAP Member — On-demand Participation: JPY 65,000 during regular registration
• JDIAP International Affiliate Member — On-demand Participation: JPY 69,000 during regular registration
• Non-member — On-demand Participation: JPY 135,000 during regular registration
• Junior Resident, Student or Medical Technologist — On-demand Participation: JPY 35,000
• Proof of Status: Eligible residents, students, medical technologists, and pathology assistants must submit the required certificate or identification

Items Included in Registration

• Access to the IAP 2026 scientific sessions
• Access to sponsored seminars
• Access to the joint sessions with the Japanese Society of Pathology on October 9
• Congress materials
• Access to the exhibition and coffee-break area
• Admission to the Welcome Reception on October 9
• Access to eligible on-demand sessions
• A boxed lunch for participants attending luncheon seminars

PDF handouts for the Long Courses and Short Courses are not included and may be purchased separately. Separate registration is generally required to attend programs organized exclusively for the 72nd Autumn Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pathology, except for designated joint sessions.

General Abstracts

• Submission Opening: January 15, 2026, at 12:00 noon JST
• Final Extended Deadline: April 30, 2026, at 17:00 JST
• Submission Status: Closed
• Late-breaking Abstracts: No late-breaking abstract period will be offered
• Acceptance Notifications: Sent individually by email from June 10 to 12, 2026
• Presentation Formats: Oral, poster, oral or poster without preference, and Young Pathologist Award
• Oral Presentation Schedule: Afternoons of October 10–12, 2026
• Poster Schedule: October 10–12 and the morning of October 13, 2026
• Language: English
• Abstract Title: Uppercase and limited to 25 words
• Abstract Body: Limited to 400 words, including acknowledgments
• Required Structure: Background and Aims, Methods, Results, and Conclusions
• Images and Tables: Graphs, tables, images, and photographs cannot be submitted
• Registration Requirement: Presenting authors were required to complete payment by the early-registration deadline
• Publication: Accepted abstracts from registered presenters are scheduled for publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Keynote Lectures

• Mary Kay Washington: AJCC Cancer Staging: Moving Forward with the 9th Version of TNM
• Abbas Agaimy: The SWI/SNF Complex: More than a Rhabdoid Phenotype
• Young Nyun Park: Molecular Pathological Spectrum between HCC and Cholangiocarcinoma and Its Relation to Subtypes
• Jason L. Hornick: The Evolution of Diagnostic Immunohistochemistry for Soft Tissue Tumors: From Differentiation to Molecular Genetics

Program Structure

• Keynote Lectures
• Special Lectures
• Educational Lectures
• International Joint Symposia
• Joint sessions with the 72nd Autumn Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pathology
• Companion Meetings
• Specialty Conferences
• Long Courses
• Short Courses
• Slide Seminars
• Proffered Papers and General Oral Presentations
• Poster Sessions
• Young Pathologist Award Symposium
• Sponsored and Luncheon Seminars
• Industry Exhibition and Coffee Breaks

Featured Scientific Topics

• Artificial intelligence and international implementation of digital pathology
• Spatial transcriptomics, multiplex biomarkers, and molecular pathology
• International classifications and reporting systems for tumor diagnosis
• WHO Classification of Tumours and emerging disease entities
• AJCC ninth-version TNM classification and cancer staging
• SWI/SNF-deficient tumors
• Immunohistochemistry and molecular genetics in soft-tissue tumor diagnosis
• Molecular pathology of hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma
• Biomarker assessment and precision medicine
• Standardization and international reporting systems in cytopathology
• Transplantation, autopsy, and infectious-disease pathology
• Pathology education, training systems, and career development

Main Pathology Subspecialties

• Artificial intelligence and digital pathology
• Molecular pathology
• Cytopathology
• Autopsy pathology
• Bone and soft-tissue pathology
• Neuropathology and neuromuscular pathology
• Breast pathology
• Cardiovascular pathology
• Endocrine, pituitary, thyroid, and parathyroid pathology
• Gynecologic pathology
• Gastrointestinal pathology
• Head and neck and oral pathology
• Hematolymphoid pathology
• Infectious-disease pathology
• Renal pathology
• Liver, biliary-tract, and pancreatic pathology
• Pulmonary, mediastinal, and pleural pathology
• Genitourinary pathology
• Dermatopathology
• Pediatric and perinatal pathology
• Ophthalmic pathology

IAP Young Pathologist Award

The IAP Young Pathologist Award recognizes outstanding research achievements by early-career pathologists and supports the next generation of international pathology researchers. Applications for the 2026 award have closed.

• Age Requirement: Pathologists aged 40 or younger as of December 31, 2026
• Date of Birth: Born on or after January 1, 1986
• Membership Requirement: Active membership in an IAP Division was required
• Application Limit: One abstract per applicant
• Application Deadline: April 10, 2026, at 17:00 JST — closed
• Number of Awardees: Five
• Presentations: Poster presentation and a 15-minute oral presentation followed by five minutes of questions
• Symposium: Scheduled for the morning of October 12, 2026
• Award: Certificate and JPY 100,000

IAP Bursaries

• Target Participants: Pathologists from low- and middle-income or underserved countries and regions
• Support: Complimentary registration and a financial contribution toward travel and accommodation
• Abstract Requirement: Applicants were required to submit an abstract to IAP 2026
• Acceptance Requirement: Selection as a presenting author is a condition of receiving a bursary
• Application Status: The 2026 abstract and bursary application periods have closed

The 72nd Autumn Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pathology

The 72nd Autumn Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pathology will be held in conjunction with IAP 2026 at the Fukuoka International Congress Center on October 8 and 9, 2026.

• Date: October 8–9, 2026
• Venue: Fukuoka International Congress Center
• President: Yoshinao Oda, Kyushu University
• Vice President: Shinichi Aishima, Kyushu University
• Theme: Vision for the Future
• Joint Program: Joint sessions, including molecular pathology, are scheduled for October 9
• Registration: Separate registration is generally required for programs organized exclusively by the Japanese Society of Pathology

On-demand Sessions

• Scheduled Availability: November 2026 through January 2027
• Live Streaming: Not available
• Keynote Lectures: Scheduled for on-demand viewing
• Special Lectures: Scheduled for on-demand viewing
• Educational Lectures: Scheduled for on-demand viewing
• Symposia: Scheduled for on-demand viewing
• Long Courses: Scheduled for on-demand viewing
• Short Courses: Scheduled for on-demand viewing
• Slide Seminars: Scheduled for on-demand viewing
• Eligibility: Available to eligible in-person registrants and participants registered in an online-participation category

Social Program

• Welcome Reception: October 9, 2026
• Welcome Reception Venue: Fukuoka International Congress Center
• Welcome Reception Fee: Included in the IAP 2026 registration fee
• Gala Dinner: October 12, 2026
• Gala Dinner Venue: Hotel Okura Fukuoka
• Gala Dinner Format: Buffet
• Gala Dinner Fee: JPY 10,000

Overview

Diagnostic pathology is developing into an integrated discipline that combines morphological assessment with immunohistochemistry, molecular testing, spatial analysis, image analysis, and artificial intelligence. IAP 2026 will present practical diagnostic education for neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases across organ systems while addressing WHO classifications, international reporting systems, biomarkers, molecular targets, digital pathology, artificial intelligence, and spatial transcriptomics. From case-based courses and slide seminars to international classification systems, scientific research, and pathology training, the congress will provide a broad platform for exploring the future of pathology.

Publication Status

• Participant Registration: Open
• Regular Registration: Available through September 7, 2026
• General Abstract Submission: Closed
• Abstract Acceptance Notifications: Sent
• Late-breaking Abstracts: Not offered
• Keynote Speakers: Published
• Program at a Glance: Published
• Main Scientific Sessions: Published
• Companion Meetings: Published
• Specialty Conferences: Published
• Venue, Accommodation, and Visa Information: Published
• Detailed On-demand Schedule: To be announced
• Program Changes: Session dates and details remain subject to change

Access to the Venues

• From Hakata Station: Take a Nishitetsu bus from the Hakata Station West Japan City Bank F bus stop
• From Tenjin: Take a Nishitetsu bus from the Tenjin Solaria Stage-mae 2A bus stop
• Nearest Bus Stops: Kokusai Kaigijo Sunpalace-mae or Kokusai Center Sunpalace-mae
• From Fukuoka Airport: Take the subway to Hakata Station and transfer to a bus
• Hakozaki Subway Line: Approximately 12 minutes on foot from Gofukumachi Station
• Airport Subway Line: Approximately 15 minutes on foot from Nakasu-Kawabata Station
• Between the Venues: Fukuoka International Congress Center and Fukuoka Sunpalace are adjacent

Official Links