New EpiCom Members in 2025

During the recent ECCO Congress in Berlin, EpiCom bade farewell to Sophie Restellini, Kristine Allin and Ravi Misra, while warmly welcoming three new members to the Committee. We extend our gratitude to Kristine and Ravi for their unwavering dedication to ECCO and wish them immense success in their future academic endeavours. Special thanks are due to Sophie, the former Chair of this Committee, whose leadership led to the development of remarkable initiatives that have significantly impacted our work. Here we provide a brief introduction to the background and motivation of Natália Queiroz, Brigida Barberio and Richard Pollok, our three new EpiCom Members.

She has authored national and international publications, participated in clinical trials and served as faculty and organiser at key IBD scientific events. As a former board member of GEDIIB, she led Brazil’s COVID-19 IBD taskforce and contributed to national guidelines, real-world evidence studies and biosimilar-related initiatives. She is currently an associate editor of Crohn’s & Colitis 360 and actively contributes to ECCO through EduCom (as a former member of this Committee), abstract and grant reviews and guideline development for Low- and Middle-Income Countries. She brings to EpiCom a global perspective and a strong desire to foster epidemiological research and improve the quality of IBD care worldwide.

She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, including high-impact systematic reviews, network meta-analyses and prevalence meta-analyses in IBD epidemiology. She is actively involved in academic teaching and international clinical trials, and has contributed to both national and international guidelines on IBD and functional gastrointestinal disorders. She also serves on the editorial boards of several gastroenterology journals. As a member of EpiCom, she brings expertise in epidemiology, real-world data and meta-research, with a strong commitment to improving global IBD care and advancing collaborative research.

He also maintains an interest in gastrointestinal infections. He has previously served on the British Society of Gastroenterology IBD committee and the UK national Clinical Research Network committee. He has contributed to ECCO Guidelines on opportunistic infection in IBD and is a regular abstract and grant reviewer. He looks forward to working alongside EpiCom in the furtherance of epidemiologically related IBD research.

With the addition of Natália, Brigida and Richard, EpiCom continues to maintain a robust representation of both clinical and methodological expertise. This diverse knowledge base is crucial for the committee's multifaceted approach to epidemiological research in IBD. The incoming members bring a wealth of experience from various subspecialties within gastroenterology and epidemiology, ensuring a comprehensive perspective on current challenges and emerging trends in the field. Their collective expertise will be instrumental in advancing all EpiCom initiatives, and their fresh insights are expected to enhance the committee's capacity for innovative research, foster collaborative projects and ultimately contribute to improved patient care and outcomes across the ECCO Community. The synergy between established and new members promises to drive EpiCom's mission forward, addressing key questions in IBD epidemiology with renewed vigour and depth.