Ana Ibarra © ECCO

Who would have thought that ECCO could so smoothly organise such a big conference online? This is the first year that the N-ECCO School has been held as a virtual conference. In reality, this meant less networking among participants but at the same time it provided an incredible opportunity for many more nurses and dietitians from different countries to attend this wonderful course, which provides so much information. In addition, access is being provided to all the presentations at a later date.

Lihi Godny  © ECCO

As a part of the 16th Congress of ECCO, the 6^th D-ECCO (Dietitians of ECCO) Workshop was conducted virtually, with 84 participants. The workshop was divided into three sessions: (1) Science, diet and IBD; (2) Practical clinical nutrition in IBD; and (3) Panel discussion and interactive session.

Gert De Hertogh © ECCO

The past 2 years, 2020 and 2021, have been challenging for everybody, but with the help of the ever-enthusiastic ECCO Organisation and their co-workers, the H-ECCO Committee was able to organise a well-attended masterclass at the recent virtual congress in July.

We divided the masterclass into four sessions: Basics of IBD, Scoring Schemes and Standards, Neoplasia and New Concepts in IBD.

Bram Verstockt © ECCO

Dear Y-ECCO Friends,

Due to the pandemic, we unfortunately were unable to meet and interact physically in the usual way during our most recent Y-ECCO Basic Science Workshop. However, this is exactly what Y-ECCO is about: connecting people, colleagues and friends, clinicians and scientists in order to bring basic science from the bench to the bed, and back. Every year, the Y-ECCO Committee invites outstanding senior experts to give a state-of-the-art overview on hot topics in the IBD field. Furthermore, these top-notch speakers not only moderate the discussions that follow abstract presentations but also inspire and stimulate young researchers and clinician-scientists at the start of their careers. Although this year’s workshop was virtual, we succeeded in continuing our interactive format, with excellent talks and many questions via the virtual platform chat.

© Amgen

This engaging symposium, sponsored by Amgen, took place on July 8, 2021 as part of ECCO’21, and focussed on the role that artificial intelligence (AI) may play in the future management of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The symposium was well received and was viewed by over 400 delegates. First, Professor Gionata Fiorino highlighted the importance of early intervention in IBD and how AI approaches might be used to aid early diagnosis. Professor Edouard Louis subsequently discussed the future role that AI may play in the IBD treatment pathway, using examples from other therapy areas. Finally, Professor Walter Reinisch considered how personalised medicine approaches may transform the management of IBD in the future.

© Nestlé Health Science

Introduction

Franck Carbonnel - University Hospital of Kremlin Bicȇtre, France

There is an established association between a Western diet and the risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, including Crohn’s Disease (CD). Enteral nutrition has often been used to treat CD in children and adults. What evidence is there that a controlled diet can help to improve outcomes for CD patients?