April 17 is 18th Annual It’s About a Billion Lives Symposium - Registration is now OPEN

Join the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, UCSF’s Multiethnic Health Equity Research Center, and UCSF’s Smoking Cessation Leadership Center on Friday, April 17, 2026 at the UCSF Robertson Auditorium for the 18th annual It’s About a Billion Lives Symposium.

This year’s symposium will center on the theme “Together for Health Equity.” Now more than ever, advancing tobacco control and achieving health equity requires a shared commitment to amplify one another’s work, strengthen partnerships, and align our efforts to drive lasting impact. 

In addition to the symposium’s traditional keynote speakers and research updates, this year we’re making space for the next generation of tobacco control and health equity researchers. Students from the SF BRIDGE program, UC Merced, and the Smoke and Vape Free Scholars Initiative will present their own unique tobacco control research through a poster session and lightning talks.  Additionally, the fourth annual UCSF Emerging Health Equity Scholar Awardees will present their work.

Register for It’s About a Billion Lives