Caroline Nordenvall has recently joined the S-ECCO Committee. She works at the Karolinska University Hospital as an IBD surgeon and is head of the research group in colorectal surgery. She is an Associate Professor within the University.

Emma Halmos © ECCO

Hannah Gordon © ECCO

Richard Hansen © ECCO

Diet in Inflammatory Bowel Disease has become a hot topic in recent years, pushed forward by advances in our understanding of the microbiome and the promise of nutrition as therapy, particularly in Crohn’s Disease. One of the most important questions in clinic (and yet the hardest to answer) remains “What can I eat?” or variations of the same. The reason this question is so difficult to answer is the enormous complexity in how diet overlays IBD and also the lack of high-quality scientific studies addressing this specific problem.

Simona Radice © ECCO

Maria de Jong © ECCO

Cathy Walsh © ECCO

Two new members joined the N-ECCO Committee in February 2024: Maria de Jong from the Netherlands and Cathy Walsh from Ireland. We all share the same mission: promoting IBD nursing in Europe, rolling out educational and research programmes, and developing patient care and education. We are looking forward to working together, and here Maria and Cathy introduce themselves and their aims while on the committee.

Pascal Juillerat  © ECCO

Dear ECCO Members,

I am delighted to share some exciting updates regarding our e-Learning platform. As we embrace the vibrant seasons of spring and summer, I encourage you to take advantage of the latest content we have recently added to the e-Library, including the latest Abstracts and Presentations from the ECCO’24 Congress.

Change is the engine that propels scientific progress, and within this dynamic, committees evolve. As members transition, embracing fresh perspectives, the spirit of innovation flourishes, shaping the path ahead. Amidst this journey, EpiCom is pleased to introduce Paul Henderson while bidding farewell to Julien Kirchgesner.

María Chaparro © ECCO

Murat Toruner © ECCO

Julien Kirchgesner © ECCO

During the last ECCO’24 Congress in Stockholm, the ECCO Governing Board announced the new strategy REACH. The REACH strategy is the acronym of five clear goals to shape the current and future ECCO activities for the next years, better defining and expanding ECCO global mission to improve the care for all IBD patients.

Bella Ungar © ECCO

The first ECCO Global Grant was awarded at ECCO'24 to an international group leading a fascinating prospective study across Sub-Saharan Africa¹. The study is focusing on IBD genetics in the region and is being led by Professor Nick Croft and Dr. Phoebe Hodges from Queen Mary University of London, Professor Paul Kelly and colleagues from the Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition Group, University of Zambia and Professor McGovern and his group at Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles. I had the privilege of discussing aspects of the study with members of the study consortium.

IBD Intensive Course for Trainees © ECCO

The 23^rd ECCO IBD Intensive Course for Trainees designed for residents, fellows in gastroenterology and junior faculty will take place in Berlin, Germany, on February 19, 2025, immediately prior to our next Congress. We are pleased to inform you that the preliminary programme for this course is already available.

N-ECCO School © ECCO

At the 20th Congress of ECCO in Stockholm, the Nurses of ECCO (N-ECCO) will host the educational activity for IBD Nurses, N-ECCO School, for the 16^th time. ECCO intends to give nurses, who might be still in training and have an interest in IBD, the possibility to attend an IBD-focused course. The ultimate aim of this programme is to improve nurse education throughout Europe.

The Educational Programme of the 20^th Congress of ECCO starts prior to the official start of the ECCO Congress and courses take place from February 19-21, 2025. These activities target ECCO’s different interest groups including young gastroenterologists, surgeons, paediatricians, pathologists, IBD Nurses, dietitians, allied health professionals and scientists.