Committee News

Despite an expanding therapeutic arsenal, a considerable proportion of patients with Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) fail to achieve or sustain therapeutic responses [1, 2]. Mechanisms contributing to this failure, particularly with respect to biologic therapy, are only partially understood [3]. Uncovering the mechanisms behind loss of response may help to enhance the efficacy of existing treatment options or to develop alternative options for the future.

Patients will often ask, “What causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease?” Frustratingly, we remain unable to answer this seemingly simple question, beyond the often-quoted paradigm that unknown environmental factors trigger inflammation in genetically susceptible individuals. Although our understanding of the immune response in IBD has reached phenomenally detailed levels of resolution, the nature and identity of the initial environmental triggers of IBD have continued to remain a mystery.

The Y-ECCO Science Workshop celebrated its 10th edition during the recent ECCO Congress in Stockholm. Held on February 21, 2024, the workshop invited young basic scientists to present and discuss their research with peers and senior opinion leaders. This year’s edition proved a tremendous success, inspiring Y-ECCO Members with a friendly yet intellectually stimulating atmosphere and encouraging them to broaden their knowledge and to prepare for more challenging research steps.

Dear Y-ECCO Friends, I hope you are all doing well and enjoyed an insightful and interesting ECCO Congress in Stockholm recently. At ECCO 2024, the Y-ECCO Team had to say goodbye to our outgoing Chair, Mark Samaan, who has been exemplary in the role over the past year. On behalf of the entire Y-ECCO Community, thanks Mark! It has been an absolute pleasure working with you, while further expanding the committee under your leadership.

The theme of the 19th ECCO Congress in Stockholm, “Crossing borders in IBD”, was reflected in the aim of our educational meeting, which extended beyond the histopathological aspects of IBD. The objective was to highlight the collaboration between different specialisations, mirroring the multidisciplinary nature of our daily practice. This was clearly evident in the various topics covered during our initial session. Additionally, the Congress theme resonated in the diverse composition of our audience. Feedback revealed an equal division between pathologists and specialists from other fields.

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 13th S-ECCO IBD Masterclass within the 19th ECCO Congress completed a return to normality, this being the second time in a row that we were able to meet in person with colleagues focusing on IBD surgery without the ghost of COVID hovering above us. Pär Myrelid, having successfully and calmly steered S-ECCO through a challenging year, opened the first session and welcomed us heartily in his home country.

We were in Stockholm for the 9th D-ECCO Workshop! The workshop was full, with 162 attendees including not only dietitians but also a great mix of specialists from all over the world. Lihi Godny, the D-ECCO Chair, opened the workshop by presenting the various opportunities available to all IBD Dietitian Members, including the D-ECCO Grant and four Travel Awards.

The D-ECCO Committee would like to express gratitude to Lihi Godny, the retiring D-ECCO Chair, for her invaluable contribution in formulating and promoting a variety of opportunities for all IBD Dietitians.

Stockholmsmässan, also known as Älvsjömässan, the largest exhibition and conference facility in Sweden, hosted the 18th N-ECCO Network Meeting. A total of 295 IBD Nurses from Europe and beyond were attracted by the interesting programme, in order to share current practice and research in the management of IBD.

On February 21 of this year, Stockholm became the hub for groundbreaking discussions at the 8th N-ECCO Research Forum during the 19th ECCO Congress. Designed to spotlight the pivotal role of specialised nursing in managing IBD, this biannual gathering underscored the importance of Europe-wide nursing collaboration in research and mentoring the next generation of IBD Research Nurses.

Some weeks have already passed since the 15th edition of the N-ECCO School took place in Stockholm, attended by 98 participants. I can still remember my first N-ECCO School in Prague in 2010, when I was attending the ECCO Congress there. That was my very first international congress.

The ECCO Guidelines for the management of Crohn’s Disease are among the most influential guidelines informing and guiding patient care worldwide. They are updated every 4 years and their latest iteration is about to be published following a plenary presentation at the recent ECCO Congress in Stockholm.

The 11th ECCO Ultrasound Workshop – Advanced in collaboration with ESGAR & IBUS, was held on site during the 19th ECCO Congress in Stockholm in February 2024, as a part of ECCO's Educational Programme.

Fast facts in IBD is a new web-based virtual learning opportunity brought to you by EduCom as an additional way to participate in ECCO Education. It is designed to complement the in-person ECCO Postgraduate Course in IBD, which takes place bi-annually at the ECCO Congress.

The 5th ECCO Basic Imaging Workshop was successfully conducted on site during the 19th ECCO Congress in Stockholm in February 2024, as a part of ECCO’s educational programme. The workshop saw two sessions on the same day due to the high demand for participation. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the speakers and tutors for their dedicated efforts in covering both sessions.

The 22nd ECCO IBD Intensive Course for Trainees took place on February 21, 2024, in the vibrant city of Stockholm. Despite the cold and moody weather outside, the course itself was a lively and buzzing experience, filled with enthusiastic discussions and valuable insights.

A total of 116 abstracts with an epidemiology theme were accepted for presentation at the ECCO Congress in 2024. This represented an increase over the previous year, with total submissions in this category up by 20%. It is clear that ECCO Members and IBD researchers see epidemiology as a vital part of our understanding of the overall picture of IBD aetiology, management and outcomes. Here we highlight just a few of the top abstracts that caught our eye.

Dear IBD Friends and Colleagues, ClinCom organised two courses at the recent 19th Congress of ECCO in Stockholm. The first course was the 9th ClinCom Workshop, which comprised two sessions and attracted 39 participants.

At ECCO’24, Stockholm, the winners of the ECCO Fellowships and Grants programme received their certificates, presented by SciCom Chair Marc Ferrante together with President Britta Siegmund. This year, a record number of grants were awarded, including the new Global Grant designed for low and lower-middle income countries as well as the IIS Registry Grant given for the first time.