From June 5 to 7, 2026, the CAP 2026 Annual Academic Conference was held in Shanghai. The conference was hosted by the Chinese Association of Pancreatology (CAP), with the American Pancreatic Association (APA), the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP), the Chinese Nursing Association, and the Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology serving as co-organizers. Academician Zhu CHEN, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 12th and 13th National People's Congresses and Chief Technical Expert of the National Science and Technology Major Project on the Four Major Chronic Diseases, and Academician Xuetao Cao, Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Health and Sports of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chief Technical Expert of the National Science and Technology Major Project for Innovative Drug Development, attended the opening ceremony.

Also attending the opening ceremony were Academician Yupei Zhao, President of CAP; Academician Shusen Zheng, Vice President of CAP; Academician Guang Ning, Academician Jiahong Dong, Academician Qimin Zhan, Academician Jinming Yu, Academician Weihong Tan, Academician Xiuwu Bian, Academician Jia FAN, Academician Xue ZHANG, Academician Gaojun Teng, Academician Kefeng Dou, Academician Zhenglin Yang, Academician Qiang XIA, Academician Xiujun Cai, Academician Jiafu Ji, Academician Jian Zhou; and President Shuyang Zhang of Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Baiyong Shen, Executive Chair of the Conference and Vice President of Ruijin Hospital; President Wu Xinjuan of the Chinese Nursing Association; Professor Ashok Saluja, Secretary of the APA; Professor Sohail Husain, President of the APA; Professor Min Li, former President of the APA; and Professor Kyoichi Takaori, Secretary General of the IAP. Over 5,300 scholars from China and abroad attended the conference, representing CAP, international pancreatology organizations, multiple specialty branches of the Chinese Medical Association, and multiple professional committees of the Chinese Nursing Association.

During the conference, the Strategic Symposium on Collaborative Research into Pancreatic Cancer and the Six-Month Progress Meeting of the Pancreatic Cancer Project under the Four Major Chronic Diseases initiative were convened. Academician Zhu CHEN, Chief Technical Expert of the National Science and Technology Major Project on the Four Major Chronic Diseases, attended the meeting and delivered remarks. The meeting was chaired by CAP President Yupei Zhao. Academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering across multiple disciplines heard a report on the six-month progress of the pancreatic cancer project. They engaged in extensive discussions on the overarching research plan, priority areas for technological breakthroughs, and future implementation of the project. Academician Xuetao Cao delivered the concluding remarks.

The CAP Young Scholars Innovation and Development Fund (U45) was officially launched at the conference. Jointly established by CAP and Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., the Fund is a strategic initiative through which CAP is implementing China's 15th Five-Year Plan, supporting the growth of young talent, and advancing the field of pancreatology. It is open to young scholars under the age of 45 working in pancreatology-related fields and prioritizes three areas: the clinical and research translation of pancreatic disease advances, nursing practice, and discipline management. Category A, Clinical Research and Translation of Research Outcomes, focuses on innovations in clinical diagnosis and treatment and the translation of research findings, with priority given to pancreatic tumors. Each selected project will receive RMB 150,000. Category B, Integrated Nursing Innovation, focuses on optimizing clinical nursing practice, developing innovative models, and translating them into practice. Each selected project will receive RMB 100,000. Category C, Discipline Management Enhancement, focuses on discipline development and management optimization. Each selected project will receive RMB 100,000. Academician Zhu Chen highly commended CAP for establishing the U45 Fund. He noted that young professionals represent the future of medicine. Building an innovation and development platform for them and cultivating the future backbone of pancreatology will contribute to accelerating the Healthy China initiative.

To further advance the specialized development of pancreatology and establish a multidisciplinary, full-cycle, and end-to-end development framework for pancreatic diseases—from basic research to clinical practice and from diagnosis and treatment to prevention—CAP conducted extensive consultations nationwide and formally established ten specialty branches: the Society for Science Popularization and Health Communication, the Society for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases, the Society for Medical Record Management, the Society for Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Tumors, the Society for Pancreatitis and Inflammation-to-Cancer Transformation, the Society for Digestive Endoscopy, the Society for Cell and Gene Therapy, the Society for Clinical Research on New Drugs, the Society for Medical Imaging, and the Society for Anesthesiology. An appointment ceremony for the chairs of the ten CAP specialty branches was held during the opening ceremony.

Public-interest health education is a longstanding CAP program. The 2026 Pancreatic Health China Tour public education initiative was jointly organized by CAP and the Chinese Nursing Association. A total of 315 entries were submitted by 112 hospitals across 28 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, as well as the Macao Special Administrative Region. The entries were presented in three categories: illustrated articles, video showcases, and live performances. Twenty-five teams took part in the live performances at the science popularization session on June 5, while 30 video entries were screened during the conference. Overall, the entries were of high quality and combined scientific rigor, public appeal, and effective communication. These accessible and engaging works built bridges between healthcare professionals and patients, helping pancreatic health knowledge reach households across China.

Under the theme of “Multidisciplinary Exchange and Industry–Academia–Research Integration,” the CAP 2026 Annual Academic Conference featured 76 parallel sessions. Participants from 31 disciplines engaged in high-level exchange on academic frontiers and challenging clinical issues, strongly advancing subspecialty development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the training of young professionals. The international exchange sessions brought together scholars from the United States, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Saudi Arabia, creating a high-level platform for multilateral academic dialogue. Leading scholars from China and abroad held in-depth discussions and shared findings entirely in English, focusing on advances in basic research and clinical diagnosis and treatment for diseases such as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Dedicated sessions on pancreatic surgery and on new technologies and concepts in the treatment of pancreatic diseases focused on introducing cutting-edge technologies, sharing clinical experience, and collaborating in talent development. These sessions promoted the exchange of academic perspectives and advanced technologies between China and other countries, further enhancing CAP's international influence.

The conference received 1,275 submissions from 196 medical institutions across China and from international scholars, including those from Germany and Japan. The submissions covered key areas such as the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic diseases, basic research, technological innovation, translational therapy, perioperative management, rehabilitation, and nursing. Following review by more than 100 domestic multidisciplinary pancreatology and nursing experts, 34 papers were selected for oral presentation and 160 for poster presentation.

The opening ceremony also featured the handover of the CAP Conference Cup. The CAP 2027 Annual Academic Conference is scheduled to take place in Tianjin from May 28 to 30, 2027.