Volume 18, Issue 3

Volume 18, Issue 3
26October2023

Letter from the ECCO President

Britta Siegmund, ECCO President


Britta Siegmund
© ECCO

 

Dear ECCO Friends,

It is autumn already, many us have attended the UEG Week in Copenhagen and we are already preparing for the next ECCO Congress 2024 in Stockholm!

The theme of the Stockholm Congress is “Crossing Borders in IBD”, which underlines the global community that ECCO embraces, working together to improve patient care and quality of life worldwide. In view of the last few weeks, we would like to emphasise that ECCO stands for peaceful coexistence and sympathy for all the innocent people who are suffering. We as ECCO demand the immediate release of all hostages. We sincerely hope that the situation will calm down soon and that we will be able to see each other in Stockholm!

Posted in ECCO News, Letters from the ECCO President, Volume 18, Issue 3

26October2023

ECCO'24 - Preliminary Scientific and Educational Programmes



The Educational Programme of the 19th Congress of ECCO starts prior to the official start of the ECCO Congress and courses take place from February 21-24, 2024. These activities target ECCO’s different interest groups including young gastroenterologists, surgeons, paediatricians, pathologists, IBD Nurses, dietitians, allied health professionals and scientists.

Posted in ECCO News, Congress News, Volume 18, Issue 3

26October2023

Report on the 8th ECCO Scientific Workshop on postoperative recurrence in Crohn’s Disease

Marc Ferrante, SciCom Chair, Yves Panis, SciCom Member and Pauline Rivière, ECCO Member


Marc Ferrante
© ECCO
Yves Panis
© ECCO
Pauline Rivière
© Pauline Rivière

For two years, a group of 25 IBD specialists, including gastroenterologists, surgeons and scientists, have been working to build a research framework for postoperative recurrence (POR) in patients with Crohn’s Disease. Even though more biological therapies are now available, ileocaecal resection is still a frequent event and POR management remains a challenge for both patients and IBD specialists.

Posted in ECCO News, SciCom, Committee News, Volume 18, Issue 3, Fellowships & Grants Synopsis Reports

26October2023

Final Report, ECCO Grant for Shai Bel

Shai Bel, ECCO Grant Awardee

The role of autophagy in limiting IBD-associated AIEC-induced intestinal inflammation


Shai Bel
© Shai Bel

Background & aim of research

While the aetiology underlying the development of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) is unclear, evidence points to an interaction between host genetics, such as mutations in autophagy genes, and environmental factors, such as bacterial infections. Multiple studies have identified an adherent-invasive Escherichia coli pathotype (AIEC) only in patients with IBD. It is thought that AIEC exploits the intestinal inflammation in patients with IBD to attach to intestinal epithelial cells, intensifying the pre-existing inflammation. Studies in vitro have shown that functional autophagy is crucial to eliminate AIEC infection. Here, we aimed to identify how autophagy protects the host from AIEC-associated pathologies in vivo.

Posted in ECCO News, SciCom, Committee News, Volume 18, Issue 3, Fellowships & Grants Synopsis Reports

26October2023

Final Report, ECCO Grant for Sudipto Das

Sudipto Das, ECCO Grant Awardee

Role of DNA methYlation and geNe expression alterations in development of eArly-onset priMary sclerosIng cholangitis in ulCerative colitis – DYNAMIC


Sudipto Das
© Sudipto Das

Background & aim of research

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) is a progressive choleostatic disease and up to 80% of patients also have Ulcerative Colitis (PSC-UC). This presents a clinical challenge owing to the diagnostic difficulty and the increased risk for development of cancer. The aim of this study was to identify the transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations regulating the phenotype of this disease.

Posted in ECCO News, SciCom, Committee News, Volume 18, Issue 3, Fellowships & Grants Synopsis Reports

26October2023

Final Report, ECCO Grant for Ho-Su Lee

Ho-Su Lee, ECCO Grant Awardee

Investigating the genetics of IBD multiplex families


Ho-Su Lee
© Ho-Su Lee

Background & aim of research

This research aimed to investigate the genetic architecture of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) multiplex families (including at least three affected first-degree relatives), and to identify the underlying genetic factors that contribute to the familial aggregation of IBD.

Posted in ECCO News, SciCom, Committee News, Volume 18, Issue 3, Fellowships & Grants Synopsis Reports

26October2023

ECCO-AOCC Visiting Travel Grant Report: Gabriele Dragoni

Gabriele Dragoni, ECCO-AOCC Visiting Grant Awardee, Y-ECCO Member


Gabriele Dragoni
© ECCO

After repeated postponements due to travel restrictions to Japan, I was able to carry out enteroscopy training at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) Hospital between September and October 2022.

Posted in ECCO News, SciCom, Committee News, Volume 18, Issue 3, Fellowships & Grants Synopsis Reports

26October2023

Final Report, ECCO Grant for Silke Kiessling

Silke Kiessling, ECCO Grant Awardee

Induction of circadian microbial function in chronic intestinal inflammation


Silke Kiessling
© Silke Kiessling

Background & aim of research

Impaired clock gene expression has been observed in biopsies from patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Disruption of circadian rhythms, which occurs in shift workers, has been linked to an increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases, including IBD. The intestinal clock balances gastrointestinal homeostasis by regulating the microbiome. We aimed to characterise intestinal immune functions in mice lacking the intestinal clock and in IBD-relevant mouse models under different feeding conditions in order to assess the functional impact of the intestinal clock in the development of gastrointestinal inflammation.

Posted in ECCO News, SciCom, Committee News, Volume 18, Issue 3, Fellowships & Grants Synopsis Reports

26October2023

The new EMA Clinical Trial Information System (CTIS)

Tanja Doris Ute Kuehbacher, ClinCom Member


Tanja Kuehbacher
© ECCO

In the fast-paced world of medical research and drug development, efficient data management and transparent communication are critical factors for success. To address these challenges, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has launched a new Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) that went live on January 31, 2022 [1, 2]. The CTIS is the backbone of the Clinical Trials Regulation, which will harmonise the assessment and supervision of clinical trials in the European Union. There is a transition period until January 31, 2025. Any ongoing trial that has been approved under the Clinical Trial Directive will then fall under the Clinical Trials Regulation [1–3].

Posted in ECCO News, Committee News, ECCO'23, ClinCom, Volume 18, Issue 3

26October2023

Preclinical IBD: the key to the future is (probably) behind us

Iago Rodríguez-Lago, EpiCom Member

Iago Rodríguez-Lago
© ECCO

Introduction

The incidence and prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are progressively increasing worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Despite increasing awareness of IBD and improvements in biomarkers and diagnostic techniques, a significant diagnostic delay is still frequently observed. This is highly relevant as diagnostic delay prevents application of medical treatment during very early disease stages and the implementation of certain disease intervention strategies. Diagnostic delay is consequently still limiting our potential to alter the natural history of the disease, as has recently been shown by UK colleagues. In a systematic review and meta-analysis, it was demonstrated that individuals with Crohn’s Disease (CD) in the higher quartiles of diagnostic delay (median 24 months) were more likely to have stricturing or penetrating disease and were also more likely to undergo intestinal surgery, while in patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) such a delay was associated with increased probability of colectomy [1]. Hence, reducing diagnostic delay should be a priority if we are aiming to apply effective disease intervention strategies.

Posted in ECCO News, Committee News, EpiCom, Volume 18, Issue 3