Letter from the ECCO President

The REACH strategy, introduced in 2024, has charted our course toward improving IBD care worldwide. In 2025, we will dive deeper into the “A” of REACH—Attain sustainable IBD care. Sustainability, in all its facets, is critical—not only in our personal lives but also in our pursuit of optimal therapeutic strategies and patient care. The Congress programme reflects this focus, exploring sustainability at multiple levels. You can find a preview of the programme in this issue—don’t miss it!

As is tradition, the final issue of ECCO News in the year offers both retrospection and a glimpse ahead. Among the highlights, Bella Ungar introduces us to João Sabino and Jakob Zimmermann, two recent ECCO Young Research Awardees. If you’re curious about how their awards have propelled their careers (and their connection to Pokémon), you’ll find it here!

Another central topic in this issue is the role of diet and nutrition in IBD. Harry Sokol previews the joint SciCom, D-ECCO, and P-ECCO workshop planned for Berlin. This 13th SciCom Workshop will delve into the pivotal role of diet in the aetiology and prevention of IBD, as well as its potential in both induction and maintenance therapies. Mark your calendars and register soon to learn more! To complement this, Vaios Svolos provides an insightful article on the microbial mechanisms underlying exclusive enteral nutrition in Crohn’s Disease—a must-read.

Speaking of opportunities, Sophie Craddock, winner of the N-ECCO Travel Award 2024, shares her experience of how this grant enabled her professional growth. Such opportunities remind us of the strength of the ECCO community, which is actively driving our REACH strategy forward. Tanja Kühbacher highlights how ClinCom is contributing to these efforts. An additional article addresses the rising prevalence of paediatric IBD and the urgent need for preventive strategies.

Looking further into our collective achievements, Michel Adamina from GuiCom reports on the ECCO Topical Review of Predictive Models for IBD. This initiative, launched in late 2023, evaluates existing methodologies and identifies unmet needs, paving the way for more effective predictive models. Meanwhile, Arzu Ensari provides insights into the pressing issue of primary immunodeficiencies in paediatric IBD.

2025 also marks the return of ECCO Educational Workshops around the globe, organized by EduCom. After a one-year break, these workshops promise to be invaluable learning opportunities, so be sure to check out the details and register early!

Y-ECCO remains as dynamic as ever. Bram Verstockt shares the latest updates in his Member’s Address before stepping down at the next Congress. Bram, thank you for your tireless efforts and contributions to Y-ECCO! And don’t miss the Y-ECCO literature review, featuring some fascinating papers that reflect the ever-evolving IBD research landscape.

Finally, one of my personal favourite sections of ECCO News is the Y-ECCO Interview Corner. In this issue, we hear from Bram Verstockt about his experiences, including how training abroad shaped his career. And then we have three video interviews: Nuha Yassin interviews our Secretary, Edouard Louis, while Ignacio Catalan-Serra speaks with Germany's National Reps, Raja Atreya and Dominik Bettenworth. Spyros Siakavellas, ECCO News Associate Editor, interviews JCC author Tian Hong Wu, an Australian Gastroenterologist who completed her PhD in Denmark, offering insights on her paper on Crohn's Disease's natural history.

Since this year is coming to an end, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire ECCO community—your dedication, innovation, and support have been the bedrock of our accomplishments in 2024. A special thank you goes to the ECCO Office for their unwavering efforts behind the scenes.

Wishing you all a joyful holiday season with your loved ones. I look forward to welcoming you to Berlin for ECCO’25!

Britta