We begin with an interview with Uri Kopylov, the new Editor-in-Chief of the ECCO e-Learning Platform. Uri shares his plans to make ECCO’s educational resources more accessible and easier to use in our daily clinical practice. The platform continues to develop, offering e-courses, podcasts, clinical algorithms and recorded congress presentations for the entire multidisciplinary IBD team. I encourage you to explore these resources and make use of the opportunities they provide.
In another interview, Filip Baert reflects on the development of UR-CARE, which has now reached more than 100 registered centres and includes data from over 52,000 patients. These numbers reflect years of work and the involvement of many colleagues from different countries. UR-CARE is becoming an increasingly important resource for collaborative research and for generating real-world evidence that can help us better understand IBD and improve patient care.
This issue also brings us closer to the people behind our scientific publications. Through the Meet the Authors interviews for the Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis (JCC) and JCC Plus, we learn more about the research being published and the colleagues responsible for it. We also continue our Meet the Reps video series, this time featuring Austria, giving us another opportunity to learn about the activities of our National Representatives and their role in connecting the ECCO community.
A substantial part of this edition is dedicated to ECCO Fellowships, Grants and Awards. Supporting research and encouraging professional development, particularly among younger colleagues, remains one of ECCO’s priorities. In 2026 alone, ECCO invested more than EUR 2.5 million in these initiatives. The reports included in this issue show how this support has contributed to new research projects, international exchanges and collaborations between centres. I am also pleased to see the work of our nursing and dietetic colleagues represented, reflecting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to IBD research and care.
Beyond these main features, you will find contributions from several ECCO Committees addressing topics such as paediatric IBD, the role of dietitians and the management of IBD in older patients. We also look back at recent ECCO Educational Workshops and present some of the educational activities planned for 2027, including the expanded Postgraduate Course and the Basic Imaging Workshop in Copenhagen.
I would like to thank all the authors, interviewees, committee members and colleagues who have contributed to this edition. ECCO’s activities depend on the time, expertise and commitment of its members, and I am grateful to everyone who continues to contribute to our shared goals.
Finally, as we prepare for the 22nd Congress of ECCO, which will take place in Copenhagen on March 3-6, 2027, I would like to remind you that the deadline for abstract submission is November 23,2026, at 23:59 CET. I encourage all of you to submit your latest research and contribute to the scientific programme of our next Congress.
I hope you enjoy reading this issue of ECCO News, and I look forward to seeing many of you in Copenhagen.
With best wishes,
Fernando Magro
