Committee News

Iago Rodríguez-Lago is a gastroenterologist based in Bilbao, Spain and fully dedicated to clinical practice and research in IBD. Over the years, Iago has become actively involved in several national and international scientific societies, including ECCO, where he currently serves as Chair of EpiCom, and UEG, where he was recently elected Chair Elect of the Education Committee.

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Working Group on Microscopic Colitis (MCWG) at the 21st Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) in Stockholm. This represents a significant step forward in strengthening research, collaboration and clinical guidance in this important field of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs).

With ECCO’26, we are excited to launch a brand-new AI-based solution on the ECCO Congress platform—designed to make the congress experience clearer, more inclusive, and easier to follow for everyone.

Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet is Professor of Gastroenterology and an internationally recognised expert in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Between 2020 and 2023, he was President of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) and Scientific Secretary of the International Organization for the Study of IBD (IOIBD), the two leading international organisations in IBD.

Introduction Over the past two decades, advances in immunomodulatory and biologic therapies have significantly improved clinical and endoscopic remission rates in IBD. However, many patients continue to experience fatigue, anxiety, depression and impaired quality of life, even during apparent disease remission. This discrepancy highlights the need for a holistic approach—one that acknowledges the complex interplay between immunological, psychological, nutritional and social determinants of health. Despite increasing recognition of its importance, holistic care in IBD remains under-researched a

The rising pandemic of obesity has led to the increasing use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). Their impact on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has become a topic of interest as a result and has been the subject of a recent comprehensive review published in J Crohns Colitis [1]. GLP-1 RAs have been reported to have possible effects on IBD, but are improved outcomes related to weight loss or a direct effect of these agents? GLP-1 RAs were originally developed for type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The new ECCO Guidelines on the Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Infections in IBD provide an updated framework that builds on and and extends the 2021 ECCO Gguidelines. The document reflects the rapidly evolving therapeutic and infectious disease landscape and is designed as a practical tool for everyday clinical decision-making.

IBD nursing has developed a significant international community that originated humbly in Weymouth, Dorset, in 1993, with just one nurse. Today, it is recognised worldwide as a specialised field crucial to the care of people with IBD. ECCO'26 in Stockholm will mark the 20th anniversary of the N-ECCO Network Meeting.

The European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) has compiled its first Consensus on the dietary management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), recognising that the role of diet has evolved significantly beyond basic nutritional needs to become a therapeutic tool capable of influencing disease activity and complications.

Fatigue is increasingly recognised as one of the most distressing and disabling symptoms in children and adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Reported by 50%–86% of patients, it often persists even during remission and can outweigh abdominal pain in its impact on daily life. Its origins are multifactorial: active inflammation, micronutrient deficiencies such as iron, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, side effects of corticosteroids or anti-TNF therapy, poor sleep, psychological comorbidities including depression and anxiety, family dysfunction and reduced physical activity.

About 25% of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) cases occur in individuals under 18 years old, and its incidence in childhood—especially early childhood—is rising globally. Paediatric IBD differs notably from adult-onset disease in clinical presentation, histology, severity and genetic background. Children are often diagnosed earlier in the disease course, before complications or classic mucosal changes appear. The disease tends to be more extensive and aggressive, partly due to longer cumulative inflammation and higher genetic and environmental susceptibility.

Dear Friends, It was very nice to see so many familiar faces at the recent UEGW meeting in Berlin, and even better to see so many Y-ECCO Members making important contributions. The days are getting shorter and colder, which can mean only one thing… the ECCO Congress is coming!

The IL-22–oncostatin M axis promotes intestinal inflammation and tumorigenesis Cineus R, Luo Y, Saliutina M, et al. Nature Immunology 2025;26:837–53. doi: 10.1038/s41590-025-02149-z.

Physiological data collected from wearable devices identify and predict inflammatory bowel disease flares – The IBD Forecast Study Hirten RP, Danieletto M, Sanchez-Mayor M, et al. Gastroenterology 2025;168:939–51.e5. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2024.12.024.

Early infliximab levels and clearance predict outcomes after infliximab rescue in acute severe ulcerative colitis: Results from PREDICT-UC Li Wai Suen CFD, Choy MC, Con D, et al. Gastroenterology 2025 July 21. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.07.020

Robin Dart is widely recognised within the IBD Community—not only as a dedicated clinician-scientist but also as a leading voice for early-career professionals through his role in Y-ECCO since 2022. As current Chair of the Y-ECCO Committee, he has helped shape the future of the next generation in ECCO. In this edition of the Y-ECCO Interview Corner, we speak with Robin about his personal journey, his vision for an inclusive and collaborative Y-ECCO, and the lessons he has learned along the way.

On 4 October, 2025, during the UEGW in Berlin, the Governing Board of ECCO met with representatives of the International Federation of Crohn's & Colitis Associations (IFCCA) and patient associations as well as with ECCO National Representatives from many countries across Europe. During this very stimulating and informative meeting, exchanges and brainstorming sessions were held on the main ECCO Projects and the expectations of National Representatives and patient representatives in these fields.

In May 2025, SciCom, together with Y-ECCO, co-hosted the first ever ECCO Webinar offering skills training for early career IBD Physicians (with CME points*) on a range of research techniques, including such relevant topics as transcriptomics, genetics and epigenetics and the microbiome. The skills-building series was conceived by Bella Ungar, who, together with Bram Verstockt, the former Chair of Y-ECCO, built a programme to meet the e-learning materials gap in translational science for clinicians.

In order to achieve the ECCO REACH strategy, one of our most valuable assets remains the collective expertise and patient populations represented across European IBD National Study Groups. This issue of ECCO News highlights the ongoing opportunities for collaborative research through the ECCO National Study Group network and annual meeting, which takes place during the ECCO Congress.

This interview addresses aspects of the important recent study entitled “Global evolution of inflammatory bowel disease across epidemiologic stages”, which was published in Nature earlier this year [Hracs L, Windsor JW, Gorospe J, et al.; Global IBD Visualization of Epidemiology Studies in the 21st Century (GIVES-21) Research Group. Nature 2025;642: 458–66. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08940-0