Participate in IO Essentials Programming

IO Essentials (IOE) is SIO’s premier early-career curriculum, offered exclusively at the Annual Scientific Meeting, 4-8 February 2026, in Savannah, Georgia, USA. The 2026 IO Essentials curriculum has been redesigned as a comprehensive course tailored for residents at all stages of training. It aligns with the national residency curriculum and provides additional instruction in procedures and educational content that may not be available in all programs.

This redesigned program features:

  • In-depth didactic sessions and live tumor board led by internationally recognized experts
  • Hands-on technology training with cutting-edge tools and techniques
  • Early-career research development opportunities to support academic and professional
    growth

Apply for Scholarship – Opening 4, August

Medical students to early-career IO’s, up to five years post-residency are eligible to attend the IO Essentials program on scholarship. Benefits include:

  • FREE registration to the SIO 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting
  • FREE Early-Career SIO Membership through 31 December 2026
  • Travel stipend: $200 to local scholars, $750 for domestic scholars, and $1,000 for international scholars

Applications for the 2026 scholarship cycle will open on 4 August 2025 and close on 9 September 2025. To apply, scholars will need to complete the online application form via our online portal and submit the following:

  • 1 Case Submission*
  • Up-to-date CV
  • Letter of recommendation from an interventional Oncology/Radiology program director or faculty member

*Case Submission Process

  • Submission Timing: Case submission is integrated with the IOE application process.
  • Evaluation Criteria: Submitted cases will be judged by the program committee based on merit.
  • Presentation Opportunity: Top-ranked cases will be selected for live presentation during the tumor board session by the submitting scholar

Program Schedule

Schedule information is subject to change. Additional faculty details to be added as invitations are accepted. 

Wednesday, 4 February 2026
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

IO Essentials Welcome Happy Hour

Thursday, 5 February 2026
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Welcome + Breakfast

8:30 - 10:00 a.m.

Pain Palliation/MSK
Moderated by Gina Landinez, MD, and Jacob Fleming, MD

  • Basics of Spinal Augmentation and Metastatic Spinal Lesions, Marwan Moussa, MD
  • Extraspinal Metastatic Bone Fixation and Augmentation, Gina Landinez, MD
  • Extraspinal Soft Tissue and Bone Ablation and Thermoprotective Techniques, Jacob Fleming, MD
  • Case-based Review of Ablative Therapies for Musculoskeletal and Pain Interventions in Oncologic Patients, Sean Tutton, MD, FSIR, FCIRSE
  • Hands On
10:15 - 11:45 a.m.

Lung
Moderated by Robert Suh, MD, and Rob Short, MD

  • Choosing the Right Tool: How to Select the Optimal Ablation Modality for Lung Tumors, Rob Short, MD
  • RFA and MWA: How to Safely and Precisely Place, Optimize Applicator Number, Positioning, and Treatment Prescription, Joseph Mammarappallil, MD, PhD
  • Cryoablation: How to Safely and Precisely Place, Optimize Applicator Number, Positioning, and Treatment Prescription, Jennifer R Buckley, MD, MBA
  • Case-based Review of Ablative Therapies for Lung Interventions in Oncologic Patients, Scott J. Genshaft, MD
  • Hands On
12:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

IO Essentials Lunch with Faculty 

3:30 - 4: 30 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Walkthrough

5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

SIO 2026 Welcome Reception

Friday, 6 February 2026 
10:00 - 10:45 a.m.

Kidney
Moderated by Venkatesh Krishnasamy, MD, and Grant Schmit, MD

  • Choosing the Right Tool: How to Select the Optimal Ablation Modality for Renal Tumors, Venkatesh Krishnasamy, MD
  • RFA and MWA: How to Safely and Precisely Place, Optimize Applicator Number, Positioning, and Treatment Prescription in Renal Ablation, Fourat Ridouani, MD
  • Cryoablation: How to Safely and Precisely Place, Optimize Applicator Number, Positioning, and Treatment Prescription in Renal Tumors, Daniel Adamo, MD
  • Case-based Review of Ablative Therapies for Kidney Interventions in Oncologic Patients, Grant Schmit, MD
11:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Liver
Moderated by Nishita Kothary, MD, and Ronald S. Arellano, MD

  • Choosing the Right Tool: How to Select the Optimal Ablation Modality for Liver Tumors, Nishita Kothary, MD
  • Anatomic and Thermalprotective Technique Considerations in Liver Ablation, Ajit K. Yadav, MD, FVIR, EBIR
  • Endopoint Analysis in Liver Ablation: How to Decide Appropriate Treatment, Rebecca Hibbert, MD
  • Case-based Review of Ablative Therapies for Liver Interventions in Oncologic Patients, Ronald Arellano, MD
  • Hands On (Kidney & Liver)
12:45 - 1:45 p.m.

Lunch Symposium

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Walkthrough

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Science & Sips Poster Reception

Saturday, 7 February 2026
8:45 - 10:15 a.m.

Transarterial Therapy
Moderated by Gregory J. Nadolski, MD, and William Rilling, MD, FSIR

  • Technical Considerations for Transarterial Tumor Therapy, Gregory J. Nadolski, MD
  • Transarterial Therapy in Metastatic Liver Disease, William Rilling, MD, FSIR
  • Current Role of y90 in Primary Liver Disease, Juan Martin Gimenez, MD
  • The Roleof cTACE in HCC, Shilpa Reddy, MD
  • Introduction to Medical Management of HCC, Cristal Brown, MD
  • The Role of Combination Therapy in HCC, Kirema Garcia-Reyes, MD
  • Putting It All Together: Implementation in the Multidisciplinary Tumor Board, Evan Lehrman, MD
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Emerging Therapies in Interventional Oncology
Moderated by Robert Lookstein, MD, and Zachary Berman, MD

  • Thrombosis Management Considerations in Oncologic Patients, Robert Lookstein, MD
  • Introduction to Percutaneous Injectable Therapy, Zachary Berman, MD
  • Hands On
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

IO Essentials Tumor Board
Moderated by Brian Welch, MD, Nicole Lamperello, MD, and Erica Alexander, MD

  • Ronald Arellano, MD
  • Juan Camacho, MD
  • Susan Shamimi-Noori, MD
  • Sarah White, MD, MS, FSIR
  • David Breen, MD, FRCR

*IO Essentials Tumor Board Overview

The IO Essentials program will feature a scholar-focused tumor board, designed to be both educational and engaging. A panel of expert faculty — recognized for their teaching excellence — will review and discuss cases submitted by IOE scholars in a dynamic, interactive format. This initiative is intended to foster learning through real-world case analysis and peer engagement/networking.