Committee News

The 4th ECCO Postgraduate Course in IBD was successfully held on-site during the 20th ECCO Congress in Berlin in February 2025. The course was split into two sessions, with the first session, entitled “Prepare yourself with the experts”, focusing on common complications in IBD practice, which were presented by renowned speakers who are key opinion leaders in the field.

The European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO), in collaboration with the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR), the European Society of Pathology (ESP) and the International Bowel Ultrasonography Group (IBUS), has released an updated version of its multi-society guidelines on the diagnostics and monitoring of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Tania Hermoso and Audrey Borel are both IBD Nurses, working in Paris, and designated N-ECCO National Representatives for France since 2023 and 2024 respectively. Until recently, there was no formal training for nurses wishing to specialise in IBD, and the position of an IBD Nurse is not officially recognised by the French health system. “In France, the main challenge is to gain recognition for the IBD Nurse role and to legally validate training for advanced practice nurses in IBD,” says Audrey.

The 16th edition of the N-ECCO School and the 19th edition of the N-ECCO Network Meeting took place during the 20th Congress of ECCO, held from February 19 to 22 in a cold but sunny Berlin. The N-ECCO School gives nurses and dietitians the opportunity to increase their basic knowledge in IBD, while the N-ECCO Network Meeting provides an overview of new insights in IBD care, presented by a mix of excellent speakers.

We were in Berlin for the 10th D-ECCO Workshop! The workshop was full, with our largest attendance to date – 194 participants, including not only dietitians but also a great mix of specialists from all over the world. I, Chen Sarbagili (the Netherlands), opened the workshop by informing participants that the ECCO Consensus on Diet and Nutrition in IBD would be presented for the first time during this ECCO’s plenary session, as well as by presenting the various opportunities available to all IBD Dietitian Members, including the D-ECCO Grant and the D-ECCO Travel Award.

The 23rd ECCO IBD Intensive Course for Trainees took place on February 19, 2025, setting the scene for the 20th ECCO Congress in Berlin. It may have been cold outside, but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the participants or the engagement of the expert ECCO Faculty. A total of 100 participants from 36 countries were in attendance and this year we again welcomed participants not only from European ECCO Country Members but also from Latin America, Asia and Australia.

Change drives scientific progress, and committees evolve with it. As members transition, fresh perspectives fuel innovation and shape the future. We are delighted to welcome two rising stars in IBD surgery to S-ECCO: Gabriele Bislenghi (Belgium) and Anthony de Buck van Overstraeten (Canada).

As the chair of the P-ECCO Committee, it is my pleasure to introduce the newly elected member of the Committee, Eileen Crowley, a paediatric gastroenterologist from London Health Sciences Centre in Ontario, Canada. Eileen completed her medical degree and Higher Specialist Training with the Royal College of Physicians, Ireland. She then moved to the Hospital of SickKids in Toronto, where she completed a Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship and a sub-specialty IBD Fellowship.

At the 20th Congress of ECCO, held in Berlin, Germany from February 19 to 22, 2025, we organised the 10th H-ECCO IBD Masterclass. The aims of our meeting were to discuss the histopathological aspects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), to highlight the multidisciplinary approach to the diagnostic process – also illustrated by the similar number of pathologists and gastroenterologists in the audience – and to look towards the future.

Sophie Restellini is a familiar name to many in the ECCO Community. She serves as Director of the Center for Crohn’s and Colitis in Geneva and is an Adjunct Professor at McGill University Health Center in Montreal. In this month's Y-ECCO Interview, we delve into Sophie’s career, her connection with ECCO, her contributions to the field of IBD field and her insights into the future of IBD treatment and education.

Risankizumab versus ustekinumab for moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease Peyrin-Biroulet L, Chapman JC, Colombel JF, et al. N Engl J Med 2024;391:213–23.

Vedolizumab to prevent postoperative recurrence of Crohn’s disease (REPREVIO): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial D'Haens G, Taxonera C, Lopez-Sanroman A, et al. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2025;10:26–33; DOI: 10.1016/S2468-1253(24)00317-0

A disease-associated gene desert directs macrophage inflammation through ETS2 Stankey CT, Bourges C, Haag LM et al. Nature 2024;630:447–56.

The 11th edition of the Y-ECCO Science Workshop took place during the ECCO Congress in Berlin on February 19 , 2025, providing a platform for early-career basic and translational scientists to present and discuss research with peers and senior experts. The event fostered an intellectually stimulating environment, encouraging participants to expand their knowledge and engage in advanced research challenges.

Dear Y-ECCO Friends, During the recent 20th Congress of ECCO, I found myself listening to David Bowie’s Low, a classic album written in Berlin well before the artist’s 35th birthday. So nearly 50 years on from that record, it was fitting that the finest work in IBD, including so many contributions from Y-ECCO Members, should be presented in the city. Of the 1534 accepted abstracts, 12 oral presentations, 52 digital oral presentations (DOPs) and 457 poster abstracts were delivered by Y-ECCO Members – over a third of the content!

This issue's Interview Corner is dedicated to Fernando Magro, the current President-Elect of ECCO. Fernando Magro is a gastroenterologist and head of the Clinical Pharmacology Department at University Hospital São João in Porto, Portugal, where he also serves as a Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. He is a founding member of the Portuguese Inflammatory Bowel Disease Group and an active researcher focusing on the management, treatment and prognosis Gerhard has been a very active member at ECCO for many years and now he overtook the task to be the Chair for UR-CARE Steering Committee.

Wijnands and colleagues sought to develop and validate a dynamic prediction model for advanced colorectal neoplasia (aCRN), including high-grade dysplasia and CRC, in IBD patients.

Iacucci and colleagues explored the application of machine learning in diagnosing histological remission and predicting clinical outcomes in UC patients.

Lindsay and colleagues sought to conduct the ASTIClite trial, to investigate the safety and efficacy of HSCT with a reduced intensity (potentially safer) conditioning regimen and a more traditional (and potentially more achievable) primary endpoint.

As I will be stepping down as Y-ECCO Chair at the upcoming ECCO Congress in Berlin, I want to take this final “Member’s Address” as an opportunity to thank each of you for your commitment to our shared mission of supporting those living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.