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28 October 2026 | Volume 21, Issue 2

Always a special task: selecting and welcoming a new S-ECCO Member

Written by
Peter Kienle

S-ECCO Committee Member

Every committee profits tremendously from new members who bring innovative ideas and new vigour to the group. There are always numerous highly qualified professionals suitable for this task, and it is difficult to select only one of the applicants. On this occasion we are honoured to welcome Mr Phil Tozer to S-ECCO. Phil is a highly acclaimed IBD surgeon who focuses especially on Crohn’s fistula, which is obviously still one of the most challenging areas of IBD surgery.

Phil Tozer © ECCO

Phil Tozer trained as a general and colorectal surgeon in London, completing both his clinical and academic training under Professor Robin Phillips at St Mark’s Hospital. His thesis in idiopathic and Crohn’s anal and rectovaginal fistula was the beginning of a passionate interest in advanced proctology and IBD. His clinical and academic work continues to focus on these areas at St Mark’s, where he leads the Fistula Research Unit along with Ailsa Hart and Phillip Lung. He is chair of the ACPGBI Proctology Committee and an honorary senior clinical lecturer at Imperial College. He is one of two sub-Deans of the St Mark’s Academic Institute.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Alaa El-Hussuna, our outgoing chair, for his successful effort in ensuring that worldwide IBD care with a focus on low- and middle-income countries has been placed on the agenda and incorporated into the S-ECCO IBD Masterclass. Moreover, his vigorous engagement in pushing future technologies, especially AI, deserves special emphasis. Although Alaa will no longer be part of the S-ECCO Committee, he will certainly persevere in his endeavour to promote these fundamental topics in IBD and we wish him every success in this undertaking.

The new S-ECCO Team has put together a Masterclass that includes not only well-received classics such as a video session on standard IBD procedures and multidisciplinary case discussions but also cutting-edge broader topics such as IBD Care in Challenging Environments and The Changing Landscape of IBD Care. Moreover, reproductive health in IBD surgery is addressed through a multidisciplinary approach with attention to the patient’s perspective. We are confident that this programme will cater for all interests and look forward to welcoming many physicians interested in IBD to the 22nd Congress of ECCO in Copenhagen.

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