Dear Y-ECCO Friends,
Now that the sun is setting on the summer, I hope that everyone has enjoyed a break with friends and family. The Y-ECCO Committee was delighted to host the 3rd Y-ECCO Mentorship Forum in Vienna in June. While we retain the same format each year, rotation of the faculty and delegates means that the forum is always different. We were again supported by many senior members of the ECCO Family, who kindly gave up their time, and the meeting was once more a great occasion and a fine opportunity to come together outside of the congress. Comprising a mixture of small group work and talks, the forum attracted delegates from diverse disciplines and centres to discuss all aspects of developing as an expert in IBD. As on previous occasions, the day culminated in a “Shark Tank” pitching exercise, where groups of delegates pitched hastily assembled research plans to a panel of faculty, the result being friendly but robust feedback and plenty of laughs. Stay tuned for the next iteration of the Y-ECCO Mentorship Forum, which is likely to be landing in summer 2027. Please do apply!
ECCO’26 abstract submission is open—please keep your submissions coming. One of the many great reasons to become a Y-ECCO Member is the opportunities that membership brings. So if you are under 35 or still in training, make sure you join to ensure that your abstract can be considered for an Oral Presentation at our 12th Y-ECCO Science Workshop. We would love to welcome as many of you as possible, both as presenters and as delegates, to the Workshop, which is due to run from 12:30 to 16:30 on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 in Stockholm, just prior to the main congress. Presentation at the Y-ECCO Science Workshop is in addition to a presentation in the main programme, and we are keen to offer presentations to those with posters to give you an opportunity to showcase your work to your peers from the stage. Moreover, the top five abstracts with a Y-ECCO Member as presenting author will receive a Y-ECCO Abstract Award and free registration for the 22nd Congress of ECCO in 2027. Make sure you indicate whether you are eligible to be considered for both of these opportunities—we are looking forward to reading your abstracts!
As with each edition of ECCO News, we have our regular features: Y-ECCO Literature Reviews, written by Y-ECCO Members, and an Interview Corner, where on this occasion we have an interview with Luisa Avedano, Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of Crohn’s & Colitis Associations (IFCCA). Please do check these out and feel free to get in touch if you’d like to contribute. We would love to hear from you!
With best wishes,
Robin Dart
