The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has awarded 2026 Fellowships to three early-career researchers to pursue high-impact research projects, including a newly established AI-focused fellowship.  

Leonardo Brunetti, MD, a postdoctoral research fellow at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has been awarded the new ESMO AI Fellowship, which will be conducted at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. The other fellowship recipients are Mihaela Aldea, MD, PhD, of Institut Gustave Roussy, who was awarded the ESMO José Baselga Fellowship for Clinician Scientists, to be conducted at Institut Gustave Roussy in France; and Wiebke Solass, MD, of the University of Bern, who was awarded the ESMO Digital & Computational Pathology Fellowship, to be conducted at the Department of Pathology at Hôpital Henri-Mondor in France. 

" ESMO Fellowships play an important role in supporting talented researchers as they develop innovative projects that will help shape the future of cancer care," said Teresa Amaral, Chair of the ESMO Leadership Development Committee. "Through protected research time, funding, mentorship, and access to international networks, ESMO Fellowships empower researchers to pursue innovative work in areas increasingly shaping the future of oncology, including translational oncology, artificial intelligence, and digital pathology. This support helps accelerate scientific discovery, foster international collaboration, and prepare the next generation of oncology leaders to advance cancer research and patient care." 

Additionally, ESMO presented 28 emerging professionals with the ESMO Leadership and Career Development Award. The recipients will participate in a program focused on leading projects in clinical and translational research, as well as capacity building.  

The fellowship and award recipients will be formally recognized during the ESMO Congress 2026. 

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