Community Research Exchange
Register for the 2026 Community Research Exchange Conference!
The 2026 Community Research Exchange (CRE) is just around the corner, and we are pleased to invite you to join us for an engaging day of connection, collaboration, and shared learning.
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2026 DE-CTR ACCEL Community Research Exchange (CRE) Conference
Theme: Innovation in Health Research: Moving Forward with Communities
This free, in-person conference brings together community members, researchers, clinicians, students, and trainees to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and strengthen community-engaged research across Delaware and beyond.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Connect with a diverse group of community and research partners
- Explore innovative and community-centered approaches to health research
- Engage in meaningful dialogue that supports community progress
The day will begin with a keynote address, followed by expert local panel discussions.
After lunch, attendees will participate in interactive breakout sessions.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Event Details
Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Location: University of Delaware, John M. Clayton Hall
100 David Hollowell Drive, Newark, DE 19716
Who Should Attend
All are welcome, including community members, researchers, clinicians, students, and trainees.
Conference updates and the agenda will be posted on this page as they become available.
We hope you will join us and look forward to a meaningful and engaging day together.
Goals & Background
The Community Research Exchange (CRE) is an innovative annual event which showcases ACCEL’s commitment to community engaged research (CEnR) and brings together Delaware’s communities with researchers from across the translational spectrum.
The annual CRE has extensive input from community members, including the chairperson of the Community Advisory Council as one of the CRE Co-Directors. Many of the workshops, panels, and platform presentations are developed and presented by community members. The day long CRE offers an opportunity to educate and engage the community in research; provide networking for researchers and community; and create energy around specific themes. The agenda includes keynote addresses, panel discussions on timely issues, ACCEL-funded research presentations, and workshops on CEnR themes identified by our researchers & community advisors.
Community Research Exchange Program Key Contacts
- CEO Core Co-Leads
- David Chen, MD, MPH, Internal Medicine Hospitalist and Physician-Scientist at Christiana Care Health System
- Allison Karpyn, PhD, co-Director, Center for Research in Education and Social; Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences University of Delaware
- Conference Co-Chair Gwendoline B. “Gwen” Angalet, PhD, ACCEL Program Community Advisory Council Chairperson
- Conference Co-Chair Omar Khan, MD, MHS, FAAP, President and CEO of Delaware Health Sciences Alliance, and Physician Leader in Research Admin and Scientific Affairs with ChristianaCare.
- Conference Co-Chair Abby Nerlinger, MD, MPH, FAAP, Pediatric Hospitalist at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, where she also serves as the Program Director for the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship
- Conference Co-Chair Bianca Nugent-Whyte, MSN, RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Delaware State University
- ACCEL Leadership
- Community Advisory Council (CAC)