Co-convener Dr Lisa Cummins gives us the run down on the upcoming ARA Annual Scientific Meeting on the Gold Coast.
A tropical backdrop, cutting-edge science and a packed program of practical, clinic-ready insights are set to define this year’s Australian Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting next month.
More than 700 delegates are expected to converge on the ARA ASM 2026, which is being held just metres from the beach at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
From CAR T-cell therapy to menopause, lupus, artificial intelligence and VEXAS, the meeting promises a deliberately broad sweep across the rheumatology landscape, grounded in real-world relevance.
Confirmed keynote speakers include Professor Georg Schett, Dr Jane Salmon, Associate Professor Rebecca Sadun, Professor Mwdimi Ndosi and Professor Peter Ebeling.
The international expertise is a major drawcard. Delegates can expect insights into CAR T therapy and difficult-to-manage psoriatic arthritis, alongside updates on non-pharmacological care informed by EULAR guidelines.
A virtual session from New York will bring deep translational expertise in lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome, while reproductive rheumatology and transition models will be explored through a paediatric lens, one of the meeting’s key thematic threads.
The ASM will also feature a range of Australasian experts speaking on the wide array of topics. This year the ASM has been convened by rheumatologists Dr Laurel Young, Dr Lisa Cummins and rheumatology nurse practitioner Linda Bradbury.
“We have some great international speakers – we have Professor Georg Shett speaking about CAR T therapy which I think will be of great interest,” Dr Cummins told Rheumatology Republic.
“He’s also speaking on difficult to manage psoriatic arthritis on the Monday in the what’s hot plenary session.
“Professor Mwdimi Ndosi is another international speaker talking around non-pharmacological management. He was heavily involved in developing those EULAR guidelines so it will also be of great interest.
“We’ve got Dr Jane Salmon joining us from New York via zoom on the Tuesday morning. She is a clinician researcher with significant expertise in translational studies around lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome.
“And there’s a paediatric international speaker, Associate Professor, Rebecca Sadun, talking around reproductive rheumatology and transition models. She’s been on a lot of ACR committees and been involved in guideline development, so she’s a really high-quality speaker.”
Closer to home, the ASM also reflects a strong national agenda. New ARA president Professor Helen Keen will take the reins, while current president Dr Sam Whittle will launch the new Australian Rheumatology Journal.
A workforce report will land at the ASM and is expected to spark plenty of discussions about the future of the specialty.
High-profile local speakers will tackle everything from vaccine updates to potentially game-changing antigen-specific therapies and the growing role of AI in clinical documentation.
Importantly, the program also foregrounds First Nations health, with a dedicated session on Sunday highlighting Indigenous rheumatology care and featuring interactive discussion.
It’s part of a broader shift, reflecting what many see as a long-overdue prioritisation of Indigenous health across medicine.
Innovation extends beyond the lecture halls. This year’s poster tours, running from 10.15am and starting at the Exhibition Hall entrance, have been reimagined as dynamic, tech-enabled sessions.
With two stations to be set within the exhibition space, presenters will use large screens and uploaded digital posters to guide groups of around 15 attendees through curated research highlights.
Each tour will feature a lead rheumatologist and five to seven presenters, supported by handheld audio to ensure accessibility in the busy environment.
Sunday’s tours will cover crystals and osteoarthritis, as well as connective tissue disease and basic science, while Monday’s tour expands into paediatrics, rheumatoid arthritis and therapeutics, and spondyloarthritis alongside OA.
Dr Cummins said the meeting’s strength lay in the blend of innovation and accessibility.
“What stands out is how the program brings together cutting-edge developments with content that clinicians can immediately apply,” she told RR.
“It’s about translating advances into better patient care and doing that in a way that’s engaging and collaborative.”
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Dr Cummins said one of the “not to be missed sessions” was a talk from Associate Professor Paul Griffin, the director of Infectious Diseases at Mater Health Services in Brisbane and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Queensland Medical School. He would be talking about vaccines.
“Something else that I think there’s a lot of interest in at the moment is menopause. We do have a session as part of our rheumatology across the lifespan with an endocrinologist speaking on menopause,” she said.
“I think that would be of interest to a lot of people.
“And perhaps also of strong interest is a new addition this year, a dedicated private practice session.
“That was based on feedback from the membership that they would like content really relevant to private practice at the meeting. So, on the Tuesday, there’s a specific private practice session which will hopefully have some useful tips.”
That collaborative spirit is reflected in the delegate mix, with strong representation not only from rheumatologists but also trainees, nurses and allied health professionals – an increasingly vital part of multidisciplinary care.
And then there’s the setting. With a “somewhat tropical-themed” conference dinner and even a nearby music festival adding to the atmosphere, Dr Cummins said this year’s ASM looked set to deliver not just academically, but experientially.
“We’re excited to be hosting in Queensland, we really hope that people enjoy it,” she said.
For more information about the ARA ASM 2026, see here.
