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100 Years of Medical Excellence

Centennial Research Symposium

The Future of Health

Honoring Legacy • Advancing Research • Strengthening Community Health

A community education symposium bringing together physicians, researchers,
and health professionals for a landmark centennial gathering.

📅 Saturday, October 10, 2026
🕖 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
📍 TMC3 Helix Park • Houston, TX
🎓 CME Credits Available
Register Now Become a Sponsor Learn More
100
Years of Excellence
300+
Expected Attendees
8
Medical Disciplines
CME
Credits Available
Our Mission
A Century of Service. A Future of Health.
As we mark a century of service, the Houston Medical Forum stands as a testament to the enduring commitment, innovation, and leadership of Black medical professionals in Houston and beyond. Our Centennial Symposium brings together the brightest minds across medicine to celebrate our past, share cutting-edge knowledge, and chart a bold course for the next 100 years.
Founded 1926 • Serving Houston for 100 Years
About the Symposium

Community Education. Research. Connection.

The Houston Medical Forum Centennial Research Symposium is a community education symposium dedicated to advancing health knowledge, promoting research excellence, and strengthening the bonds between Black healthcare professionals and the communities they serve.

Designed for clinicians, researchers, educators, and students, the symposium features curated learning pathways, a technology and innovation showcase, networking sessions, and a poster competition spanning 8 medical disciplines.

Held at TMC3 Helix Park on October 10, 2026, this is a once-in-a-century gathering of minds committed to the future of health equity and community well-being.

Honoring Legacy • Advancing Research • Strengthening Community Health

Who Attends

A Multidisciplinary Community

Approximately 300 participants from across the healthcare spectrum, united by a commitment to community health and medical advancement.

Family Medicine
Internal Medicine
Pediatrics
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Emergency Medicine
Psychiatry / Mental & Behavioral Health
Neurology
Cardiovascular Health
Cancer / Oncology
Anesthesiology
General Surgery
Surgical Subspecialty
Public Health
Community Health
Research
Technology & Innovation
Healthcare Administration

Spanning 17 areas of practice and focus

Event Schedule

Program Agenda

Saturday, October 10, 2026 • 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. • TMC3 Helix Park

Time
🩺 Clinical Pathway
🔬 Research Pathway
🤝 Community Pathway
7:00 – 8:00 AM
Registration & Breakfast
8:00 – 8:20 AM
Opening Plenary: A Century of Service and the Future of Community Health
8:30 – 10:00 AM
💻  Clinical Pathway
Maternal and Child Health: Early Risk and Lifelong Impact
  • Pregnancy Risks and Long-Term Cardiovascular Health: Implications for Risk Stratification and Clinical PracticeJoanie Hare, MD (Pending Confirmation)
  • Early Risk, Lasting Consequences: Pediatric Origins of Chronic DiseaseJoyce Samuel, MD, MPH
  • Beyond the Individual Patient: Family Mental Health Care in CommunitiesAndrea Taylor, PhD
🔬  Research Pathway
Conducting High-Impact Research Across Settings
  • Designing and Sustaining Patient-Centered Research Programs in Private PracticeNapoleon Higgins, MD
  • Partnering with Industry to Accelerate Discovery and InnovationJustin Bird, MD
  • Fueling Research Through Philanthropy and Purpose-Driven FundingVeronica Sanchez (Pending Confirmation)
🤝  Community Pathway
Prevention and Lifestyle: Building Health in Communities
  • Eat Better, Feel Better: Simple Ways to Stay HealthyD. Altema Johnson, RDN, MBA, MPH
  • Move Your Body, Boost Your HealthAriah Leday, MD
  • Stronger Together: Building Healthy CommunitiesLharissa Jacobs
10:00 – 10:15 AM
Coffee Break & Exhibit Networking
10:15 – 11:15 AM
★ Centennial Keynote Address: From Houston to the Next Frontier: A Community-Centered Vision for the Future of Health
Robert Satcher, MD, PhD — Orthopaedic Oncologist, Former NASA Astronaut, and Community Health Advocate
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM
Poster Session & Innovation Showcase
12:15 – 1:00 PM
Lunch Plenary Panel: Multi-pronged Approaches to Improving Cancer-Related Outcomes for All
Dr. Basen-Engquist  |  Dr. Lonzetta Newman  |  Dr. Lorna McNeil Haughton  |  Patient Advocate (Pending)
1:10 – 2:30 PM
💻  Clinical Pathway
Heart–Brain Health: Prevention and Precision in Clinical Care
  • Vascular Disease and Dementia Risk: Evidence, Disparities, and Clinical ImplicationsRandall Wright, MD
  • Advances in Stroke Prevention: What Every Clinician Needs to Know in 2026Chigozirim Izeogu, MD, MPH
  • Redefining Atrial Fibrillation Management: Multidisciplinary Approaches Across the Care ContinuumIjeoma Ekerue, MD
🔬  Research Pathway
Emerging Science and Translational Impact
  • Broadening Representation in Clinical Trials to Improve Outcomes for AllMunachi Okpala, MSN, DNP, PhD
  • Building Research with Communities: Strategies to Improve Engagement and ImpactMonique Pappadis, PhD
  • Turning Evidence into Action in Real-World CareMaria Fernandez, PhD
🤝  Community Pathway
Prevention in Practice: Screening, Vaccines, and Early Detection
  • Protect Your Health: Screenings Can HelpBrian Reed, MD
  • Immunizations Across the Lifespan: Protecting You and Your FamilyMarsha Fielder, PharmD
  • Healthy Mouth, Healthy BodyAdeola Abisogun, DDS
2:30 – 2:40 PM
Networking Break
2:40 – 3:00 PM
Closing Session: From Research to Action – The Next Century of Health
Continuing Medical Education

CME-Accredited Community Education

The Centennial Research Symposium is committed to providing accredited CME content relevant to community health practice. All sessions are developed to meet the highest standards of medical education.

📖

Evidence-Based Content

Sessions grounded in the latest research and clinical guidelines, with a focus on community health impact.

✅

Accredited Credits

Earn CME credits toward licensure and board certification requirements across multiple disciplines.

🏘️

Community Focus

Content designed for the real-world health challenges facing Houston communities and the professionals who serve them.

Sponsorship Deadlines

Secure Your Sponsorship

Early sponsors receive maximum brand exposure. Three deadline tiers determine your level of benefits.

Best Value
Aug 15
2026 • Also: Abstract Submission Deadline
Full Benefits Deadline
Secure all sponsorship benefits including premier logo placement, program features, exhibit space, and maximum attendee visibility.
Limited Benefits
Sept 11
2026
Limited Benefits Deadline
Sponsors confirmed by this date receive select recognition benefits. Program inclusions may be limited based on print production schedules.
Final Deadline
Sept 25
2026
Final Deadline
Last opportunity to sponsor the event. On-site recognition and digital placements available. Contact us to discuss options.

To secure your sponsorship or learn more:
Anjali Sharrief, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, FANA
research@houstonmedicalforum.org • (346) 287-3457

Our Sponsors

Thank You to Our Supporters

Sponsor logos and names will be added as confirmations are received. We are grateful to the organizations investing in the future of community health.

View all 9 sponsorship tiers, from Centennial Presenting ($25,000) through Exhibitor ($2,500), with full package details and deadlines.

View All Sponsorship Packages
Join Us

Be Part of a Century of Health

October 10, 2026. TMC3 Helix Park. A once-in-a-century gathering of Black medical professionals dedicated to the future of community health in Houston and beyond.

Become a Sponsor View the Centennial Awards Celebration Back to Main Hub