Committee News

The 21st Congress of ECCO once again showcased the breadth and depth of innovation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), spanning fundamental science, translational research, clinical trials and real-world evidence. The 16 selected Digital Oral Presentations (DOPs) highlighted key advances in precision medicine, novel therapeutics and disease monitoring, reflecting the rapidly evolving landscape of IBD care.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is now evolving as a global condition with rising incidence across all regions of the world. We are attempting to gain a deeper understanding of this new global evolution of IBD, but in addition coordinated global efforts are needed to address disparities in care, access and implementation of best practices.As a well-established organisation with global membership, strong scientific leadership, educational programmes and widely recognised guidelines, ECCO is fully committed to contributing to this global initiative.

Professor Christian Maaser is the head of gastroenterology at the Lüneburg Ambulanzzentrum in Germany. He is a very experienced IBD specialist and has led many important studies in the field. He has been particularly active in developing the use of ultrasonography as a point of care test in the management of IBD patients. He is also the new Education Officer of ECCO, succeeding Gionata Fiorino. We are very honored and pleased to discuss with Christian his vision as Education Officer of ECCO.

Microscopic Colitis is an increasingly recognised cause of chronic watery diarrhoea, yet it remains frequently underdiagnosed. With growing research interest and improved awareness, the ECCO Microscopic Colitis Working Group (MCWG) is playing a central role in advancing the field. We spoke with Andreas Münch about the evolving landscape of microscopic colitis, current challenges and future priorities.

Congratulations to the winners of the ECCO Fellowships and Grants awarded at the ECCO Congress 2026 in Stockholm! As part of its continued commitment to advancing IBD research, ECCO announced that its investment in research and travel grants would rise to EUR 2.5 million, with the result that a second Pioneer Award and five more ECCO Research Grants were awarded.

At ECCO’26 in Stockholm, Isabelle Cleynen (Belgium) stepped down from the ECCO Scientific Committee. An associate professor at KU Leuven and leader of the Lab for Complex Genetics within the Department of Human Genetics, Isabelle joined SciCom in February 2022 and served as Chair for two years (February 2024–2026). She worked closely with the committee and the ECCO Office to support improvements to the Fellowships and Grants reviewer process and to galvanise ECCO’s reviewer community in response to an increasing number of funding applications.

The Scientific Committee of ECCO (SciCom) was one of the first committees created at ECCO and now, almost 60 committee meetings later, its core mission remains to link basic and translational research to the clinical parameters of IBD in order to achieve better therapeutic management and improved long-term outcomes for patients.

The 8th EpiCom Workshop, held during the recent ECCO Congress in Stockholm, brought together leading experts in IBD epidemiology from across the globe. The workshop addressed two of the most pressing challenges currently facing the field: the rapid global rise in IBD incidence and the persistent inequalities in access to care. Structured into two distinct sessions, each comprising a series of expert presentations and interactive discussions, the workshop offered a comprehensive and multidimensional perspective on the evolving IBD landscape.

Within ECCO, two committees have played a pivotal and complementary role in advancing the scientific understanding and clinical management of IBD: the Epidemiological Committee (EpiCom) and the Clinical Research Committee (ClinCom). As both bodies now merge into the newly established Research Committee (ResCom), this report offers a concise reflection on their key contributions and lasting legacy.

The two abstracts awarded the Best Investigator-Initiated Study Awards at ECCO’26 reflect a move toward implementing precision medicine in routine care, using biomarker-based strategies to stratify patient risk and guide treatment in IBD.ol

The 24th ECCO IBD Intensive Course for Trainees took place on February 18, 2026, in Stockholm, setting the scene for the ECCO Congress. Just over 100 participants attended, representing four continents, once again highlighting the global reach of the course.

The 13th ECCO Ultrasound Workshop – Advanced, organised in collaboration with ESGAR and IBUS, was held during the 21st Congress of ECCO in Stockholm in February 2026 as part of ECCO’s Educational Programme. The workshop was attended by 179 participants and brought together international experts, fostering valuable discussions on recent advancements in intestinal ultrasound (IUS) for the management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

The 13th ECCO Ultrasound Workshop – Advanced, organised in collaboration with ESGAR and IBUS, was held during the 21st Congress of ECCO in Stockholm in February 2026 as part of ECCO’s Educational Programme. The workshop was attended by 179 participants and brought together international experts, fostering valuable discussions on recent advancements in intestinal ultrasound (IUS) for the management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

The latest ECCO Topical Review provides important, practice-oriented guidance on the increasingly recognised entity of drug-induced colitis (DIC), with a particular focus on immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-related disease. DIC is described as a heterogeneous condition that can mimic Inflammatory Bowel Disease both clinically and histologically, making diagnosis challenging. Multiple patterns may coexist, ranging from acute and chronic inflammation to microscopic or ischaemic features, none of which are fully specific.

Looking back at the ECCO Congress 2026, we are proud to highlight several successful N-ECCO programmes delivered in Stockholm this year. Once again, a large number of nurses from across the globe took the opportunity to engage in advancing IBD nursing. Let us take a moment to reflect on the different formats offered at the ECCO Congress: the 17th N-ECCO School, the 20th N-ECCO Network Meeting, and the 9th N-ECCO Research Forum.

The 11th D-ECCO Workshop took place in Stockholm in February 2026 as part of the ECCO Congress, bringing together dietitians and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals with a shared interest in diet and nutrition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The workshop once again highlighted the growing importance of nutritional science in IBD care, combining evidence-based updates with practical clinical insights and interactive discussion.

Iva Hojsak, who has recently joined the P-ECCO Committee, is a paediatric gastroenterologist and head of the Paediatric Department and deputy director of the Children's Hospital Zagreb, Croatia. Iva graduated from the Medical School of Zagreb, where she also received her PhD. She was subsequently elected as assistant professor at University of Zagreb Medical School and University of J.J. Strossmayer Medical School.

The 11th H-ECCO IBD Masterclass was held on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 08:00 to 17:15. As a cornerstone of the H-ECCO Committee’s educational initiatives, this masterclass was designed specifically for a multidisciplinary audience of histopathologists and clinicians. The course ensured a high level of professional engagement and shared foundational knowledge among all attendees.

Dear Friends, It was great to see so many familiar faces and to meet so many bright, new and enthusiastic Y-ECCO Members at the recent 21st ECCO Congress in Stockholm.

Now that the inbox calm has (mostly) returned post ECCO, it is time to look back at the 12th Y-ECCO Science Workshop, held on February 18, 2026, just ahead of the main ECCO Congress in Stockholm. The workshop once again proved why it is a fixed highlight of the meeting: generous presentation times, fearless discussions and science that is anything but ‘junior’. Early-career researchers shared the stage with senior experts, creating an open and stimulating atmosphere that encouraged depth, nuance and curiosity.