| Registration Type | Early (by 8/14) | Standard (after 8/14) |
| Member Registration | $160 | $210 |
| Non-Member Registration | $185 | $235 |
| Trainee | Complimentary | Complimentary |
Midwest SPR is committed to presenting the broadest possible range of high-quality work at the 2026 Scientific Meeting.
• Historically, abstracts accepted for presentation are hypothesis-driven new work.
• Abstracts rarely accepted for presentation include open-label drug trials, single case reports, highly speculative accounts of clinical experience, and op-ed accounts of personal experience.
• Interim results from an ongoing clinical trial will not be accepted for presentation unless the study has been prematurely closed for efficacy, lack of efficacy, or issues of safety.
• If the abstract is selected, the presentation must include the methods used for study and any other information relevant to research.
• There is no limit on the number of abstracts submitted by each author, but the submission of multiple, similar abstracts from the same investigator(s) or laboratory is strongly discouraged.
• Only High School Students, Medical Students, Residents, or Fellows are eligible for Works in Progress (WIP).
2026 Submission Policies
Tips for Quality Abstract Submissions
Abstract Selection Process
Abstracts of superior quality will be selected for presentation and will be graded based on quality of scientific merit/importance, research, design, data analysis and presentation. The submission of abstracts without data due to incomplete investigations or analyses will be evaluated only on the basis of the information provided.
Reviewer scores and comments are confidential and are not available to anyone (including authors) outside of the review process. The decision of the Program Committee to accept or decline an abstract is final. The decision on which format the abstract will be presented is also the decision of the Program Committee.
Notification of Receipt and Acceptance
Notification of receipt will be automatically emailed to the contact author upon submission of the abstract. Notification of abstract acceptance status will be emailed to the contact author listed on the abstract.
Note that the security firewall at some institutions may block communications from Midwest SPR. You can log into your Midwest SPR abstract account at any point to check for emails and invitations to present.
Award Consideration and Selection
Midwest SPR announces several awards during the meeting, based on abstracts accepted for presentation. There is no separate award submission process.
Publication of Abstracts
All abstracts (excluding tables and figures) accepted for presentation will be viewable in the online program guide.
Attendance at the Midwest SPR Scientific Meeting
If the presenting author is unable to participate, another co-author named in the abstract may be designated to present, provided the change is communicated to Midwest SPR by August 14, 2026.
Completion: Ask yourself:
Founders Award for Outstanding Service to Pediatric Research
Sponsored by Mead Johnson Nutrition
The Founder’s Award is the highest honor given by the Midwest Society for Pediatric Research to a senior member in recognition of contributions made in the development of the careers of academic pediatricians and in the advancement of pediatric research.
2025 Recipient:
David McCulley, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Neonatology
University of California San Diego & Rady Children’s Hospital
PAST AWARDEES:
Frederic M. Kenney Memorial Award for Outstanding Fellow
Sponsored by Abbott Nutrition
The Frederic M. Kenney Memorial Award is given for outstanding research presentation by a fellow at the MSPR.
2025 Recipient:
Emily J. Steinbach, PhD
Research Fellow
University of Iowa Health Care
PAST AWARDEES:
Jack Metcoff Award for Outstanding Resident or Fellow Presentation
Sponsored by Abbott Nutrition
The Jack Metcoff Award is given for outstanding research presentation by a resident or fellow at the MSPR.
2025 Recipient:
Jennifer Grage, MD
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellow
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
PAST AWARDEES:
James Sutherland Award Junior Faculty Award
Sponsored by Mead Johnson Nutrition
The Sutherland Award is presented for the outstanding abstract presentation by a junior faculty member (<5 years on faculty) at the Scientific Meeting. The James Sutherland Award was named after a neonatologist from the University of Cincinnati, who was instrumental in establishing their neonatal unit. The award, which recognizes the best investigative work presented by a junior faculty member, was first given in 1991. To be eligible for this award, the junior faculty candidate must be no more than five years out of fellowship training.
2025 Recipient:
Jeremy Sandgren, MD, PhD
Instructor of Pediatrics
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
PAST AWARDEES:
Segar Family MSPR Lectureship Award
Sponsored by Reckitt Mead Johnson Nutrition
The Segar Family Lectureship Award is given annually at the MSPR meeting to an invited speaker in recognition of their contributions to pediatric research and career mentoring in the Midwest. This award is given in honor of the Segar Family whose multigenerational support for the MSPR has sustained and inspired the Society and its mission.
2025 Recipient:
Jeffrey L. Segar, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Neonatology
Medical College of Wisconsin
PAST AWARDEES:
Stanley Phillips Best Poster Award
Sponsored by University of Wisconsin
Awarded for the best poster or posters at the MSPR meeting.
2025 Recipient:
Jacquelyn D. Lajiness, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Indiana University School of Medicine
PAST AWARDEES:
Student Award
Sponsored by the Midwest SPR
The Student Award is given for the most outstanding abstract presentation by a student.
2025 Recipient:
Leela Shah, BA
MD/PhD Student
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
PAST AWARDEES:
William E. Segar Award
Sponsored by Friends of William E. Segar & the Midwest SPR
The William Segar Award was initiated in 2012 to be given annually to a student, resident or fellow trainee with a hypothesis driven clinical research or behavioral/social or education project that involves innovative improvement in patient care delivery. MSPR wishes to thank the Segar family for their generous donation to this award.
2025 Recipient:
Ryan Ward
Resident
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
PAST AWARDEES:
Osteopathic Trainee Award
The Osteopathic Trainee Award was initiated in 2025 to be given annually to an outstanding research presentation by an Osteopathic Student, Resident, or Fellow Trainee. The award is given in honor of Carl R. Backes, DO, for his unwavering commitment to support research among osteopathic trainees. His dedication to education and mentorship in the osteopathic community has left a lasting legacy in academic and clinical settings, helping to bridge the gap between research and patient care.
2025 Recipient:
Navya Katragadda, DO, MBA
Resident Physician
Valley Children’s Healthcare
Trainees are eligible for travel stipends up to $350, depending on the distance traveled to the MSPR Meeting. A Trainee Travel Stipend Form must be completed and turned in at the MSPR registration desk along with proof of trainee status (i.e. active student ID or a letter from your mentor on institutional letterhead stating that you are a trainee (fellow, resident, medical student, graduate student, or undergraduate student)). Stipend payments will be sent after the meeting.
Thank You for Attending the MSPR 2025 Meeting
Building Careers Through Community: Highlights from the Midwest Society for Pediatric Research