ECCO Officers

Governing Board Members

Fernando Magro
President
Hospital de Sao Joao
Porto, Portugal

Alessandro Armuzzi
President-Elect
IBD Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital
Milan, Italy

Britta Siegmund
Past-President
Charité - University Hospital Berlin Campus Benjamin Franklin
Berlin, Germany

Shaji Sebastian
Treasurer
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Hull, United Kingdom

Edouard Louis
Secretary
University Hospital CHU of Liège
Liège, Belgium

Gionata Fiorino
Education Officer 
Ospedale San Camillo-Forlanini, Rome, Italy

Marietta Iacucci
Scientific Officer
University College Cork
Cork, Ireland

SciCom | Scientific Committee

Isabelle Cleynen
SciCom Chair

Timothy Raine

Harry Sokol

Nick Powell

Bella Ungar

EduCom | Education Committee

Uri Kopylov
EduCom Chair

Glen Doherty

Manuel Barreiro-de Acosta

Mariangela Allocca

Charlotte Hedin

Sophie Restellini

S-ECCO | Surgeons of ECCO

Alaa El-Hussuna
S-ECCO Chair

Peter Kienle

Caroline Nordenvall

Gabriele Bislenghi

Anthony de Buck van Overstraeten

ClinCom | Clinical Research Committee

Maria Chaparro
ClinCom Chair

Tanja Doris Ute Kuehbacher

Murat Toruner

Julien Kirchgesner

Konstantinos Karmiris

GuiCom | Guidelines Committee

Michel Adamina
GuiCom Chair

Henit Yanai

Johan Burisch

Pierre Ellul

Bram Verstockt

P-ECCO | Paediatricians of ECCO

Dror Shouval
P-ECCO Chair

Firas Rinawi

Séamus Hussey

Iva Hojsak

Eileen Crowley

EpiCom | Epidemiological Committee

Iago Rodriguez-Lago
EpiCom Chair 

Paul Henderson

Natalia Queiroz

Richard Pollok

Brigida Barberio

N-ECCO | Nurses of ECCO

Simona Radice
N-ECCO Chair

Maria de Jong

Cathy Walsh

Pearl Avery

Goedele Dewitte

Y-ECCO | Young ECCO Committee

Robin Dart
Y-ECCO Chair

Nurulamin Noor

Gabriele Dragoni

Virginia Solitano

Maria Manuela Estevinho

Florian Tran

H-ECCO | Histopathologists of ECCO

Aart Mookhoek
H-ECCO Chair

Roger Feakins

Helder Oliveira Coelho

Arzu Ensari

Paula Borralho Nunes

D-ECCO | Dietitians of ECCO

Chen Sarbagili Shabat
D-ECCO Chair

Julie Vanderstappen

Vaios Svolos

Alicia Sandall

Alice Day

Top 10 DOP Awards

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Ferdinando D'Amico Italy

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Dezso Modos United Kingdom

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Federica Furfaro Italy

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Laila Aldars-Garca Spain

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Maria Chaparro Spain

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Marieke Barnhoorn The Netherlands

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Marietta Iacucci United Kingdom

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Neil Chanchlani United Kingdom

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Paulo Kotze Brazil

Top 10 DOP Award 2021 Yuri Gorelik Israel

ECCO Grants

ECCO Grant 2021 Charlotte Hedin (Sweden)

ECCO Grant 2021 Francesco Giudici (Italy)

ECCO Grant 2021 Marleen Bouhuys (The Netherlands)

ECCO Grant 2021 Nabil M. Quraishi (United Kingdom)

ECCO Grant 2021 Roksana Maria Pirzgalska (Portugal)

ECCO Grant 2021 Shai Bel (Israel)

ECCO Grant 2021 Sudipto Das (Ireland)

ECCO Grant 2021 Tobias Schwerd (Germany)

ECCO Multi-Year Research & ECCO Research Grant

ECCO Multi-Year Research Grant 2021 Bram Verstockt (Belgium)

ECCO Multi-Year Research Grant 2021 Konrad Aden (Germany)

ECCO Research Award 2021 Maud Reijntjes (The Netherlands)

N-ECCO Research Grant

N-ECCO Research Grant 2021 Martha van Gaalen (The Netherlands)

ECCO-IBUS Intestinal Ultrasound Research Grant

ECCO-IBUS Grant 2020 Antonella Marra& Fulvia Terracciano (Italy)

ECCO-IBUS Grant 2020 Cathy Lu (Canada)

ECCO-IBUS Grant 2021 Kunal Thacker (Australia)

IIS Awards

IIS Award 2021 Nicholas Kennedy (UK)

IIS Award 2021 Nicolas Pierre (Belgium)

Y-ECCO Abstract Awards

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2021 Bobby Zhao Sheng Lo

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2021 Bram Verstockt (Belgium)

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2021 Craig Haifer (Australia)

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2021 Ibrahim Al Bakir (UK)

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2021 Mirabella Zhao (Denmark)

Top 10 DOP Awards

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 Anat Guz Mark (Israel)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 Anthony Buisson (France)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 Ashkan Rezazadeh Ardabili (The Netherlands)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 David Rubin (United States)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 Joachim Hanna (United Kingdom)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 María José García (Spain)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 Mohamed Attauabi (Denmark)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 Richard Ingram (Canada)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 Timothy Raine (United Kingdom)

Top 10 DOP Award 2022 Zhigang Wang (Belgium)

ECCO Fellowship

ECCO Fellowship 2022 Sulak Anandabaskaran (Australia)

ECCO Fellowship 2022 Vittoria Bellato (Italy)

ECCO Grants

ECCO Grant 2022 Celia Escudero Hernández (Germany)

ECCO Grant 2022 Elsa van Wassenaer (The Netherlands)

ECCO Grant 2022 Ferdinando D'Amico (Italy)

ECCO Grant 2022 Joep van Oostrom (The Netherlands)

ECCO Grant 2022 Margarita Papatheodoridi (United Kingdom)

ECCO Grant 2022 Robert Venning Bryant (Australia)

ECCO Grant 2022 Silvia Cerantola (Italy)

ECCO Grant 2022 Urs Mörbe (Denmark)

ECCO Multi-Year Research Grant

ECCO Multi-Year Research Grant 2022 Marianne Spalinger (Switzerland)

ECCO Multi-Year Research Grant 2022 Raja Atreya (Germany)

ECCO Pioneer Award

Pioneer Award 2022 Annemarie De Vries (The Netherlands)

Pioneer Award 2022 Harry Sokol (France)

Pioneer Award 2022 Salomé Pinho (Portugal)

N-ECCO Research Grant

N-ECCO Research Grant 2022 Rosanna Irene Comoretto (Italy)

ECCO-IBUS Intestinal Ultrasound Research Grant

ECCO-IBUS Grant 2021 Bram Verstockt (Belgium)

ECCO-IBUS Grant 2021 Jennifer DeBruyn (Canada)

ECCO-IBUS Grant 2021 Maarten Pruijt (The Netherlands)

ECCO-AOCC Visiting Travel Grant

ECCO-AOCC Grant 2022 Gabriele Dragoni (Italy)

IIS Awards

IIS Award 2022 Dan Turner (Israel)

IIS Award 2022 Edouard Louis (Belgium)

Y-ECCO Abstract Awards

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2022 Hadar Meniger (United States)

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2022 Laura Constable (United Kingdom)

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2022 Simeng Lin (United Kingdom)

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2022 Tessa Straatmijer (The Netherlands)

Y-ECCO Abstract Award 2022 Vincent Joustra (The Netherlands)

With a key interest in IBD, the ECCO Corporate Members follow the ECCO Statutes and ethical standards. Representatives of Corporate Members are invited to attend the General Assembly, but do not hold voting rights.

Corporate Members can benefit from a differentiated range of services based on a commitment of at least 2 consecutive years.

Corporate Membership Application Form148.24 KB

Please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for further information on Corporate Membership.

ECCO gratefully acknowledges the support of the following corporate members:

ECCO offers sincere gratitude for support of Fellowships and Grants, encouraging young physicians in their careers and promoting innovative scientific research in IBD in Europe:

2020 ECCO Multi-Year Research Grant (supported by Pfizer)

2018 ECCO-Pfizer Research Grant on Predictors of response to JAK inhibitors
2018 ECCO-Pfizer Research Award

2017 ECCO-Vifor Pharma Grant

2016 ECCO-Nestlé Health Science Nutrition Fellowship

2014 ECCO-DigestScience Research Funding

2014 Cosmopharma-funded ECCO Fellowship

Please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested in supporting an ECCO Fellowship or Grant.

Are you among us?

Join the ECCO Family and enjoy the numerous membership benefits!

Who we are

The European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO), founded in 2001 to improve the care of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Europe, is now the largest forum for specialists in IBD in the world. It is a non-profit organisation, which successfully expanded from comprising of 14 Country Members to an association assembling 35 member states of the Council of National Representatives and facilitating collaborations beyond Europe’s borders.

In 2009, we introduced individual membership allowing anyone around the globe interested in IBD to both benefit from our initiatives and to join us in our mission. Since then over 4300 paying members as per June 2023 have joined, with numbers continuing to increase.

ECCO is interested in establishing regular collaboration with the industry and will welcome your support as a regular Corporate Member.

Our structure

Our mission

ECCO’s mission is to improve the care of patients with IBD in all its aspects through international guidelines for practice, education, research and collaboration in the area of IBD.

Our objectives

• We facilitate and promote the education of health care professionals in the field of IBD (including physicians, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, endoscopists, nurse specialists and allied professions).
• We organise (inter)national scientific and educational exchange programmes in the field of IBD. We enhance the quality of research in the field of IBD, both in basic science (i.e. organising pathogenesis workshops) and clinical science (i.e. review of IBD study protocols).
• We promote and support national and international IBD research efforts.
• We take a political voice in Europe and collaborate with organisations sharing an interest in IBD including medical societies, patient organisations and industries.
• We participate in the activities of the United European Gastroenterology (UEG) and in the organisation of the annual United European Gastroenterology Week (UEG Week).

ECCO Governing Board

From left to right: Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet, Shaji Sebastian, Fernando Magro, Marietta Iacucci, Britta Siegmund, Gionata Fiorino, Edouard Louis

What we do – Science

ECCO Fellowships, Grants and Travel Awards

ECCO holds an annual competition offering Fellowships, Grants and Travel Awards to encourage early career scientists, and to promote innovative scientific research in IBD in Europe.

The Pioneer Award is our most prestigious award for visionary, innovative and interdisciplinary research in IBD. With a 2-year programme support this award is available for research in a single centre institute or as a collaboration (multi-centre). ECCO Pioneer Award recipients receive a total amount of EUR 300,000.-.

The Global Grant was introduced to expand and strengthen the global network of ECCO through research partnerships between centres in ECCO Member Countries and non-ECCO Member low income or lower-middle income countries (as defined by the World Bank). The ECCO Global Grant project may focus on aspects of IBD pathogenesis (e.g. environmental impact, genetics), epidemiology and/or clinical care, among others. The first award will be presented at ECCO'24. ECCO Global Grant recipients are awarded a total amount of EUR 300,000.-.

ECCO Fellowships are created for individuals younger than 40 years of age, who submit an original research project, which they wish to undertake abroad in a European host institute. The institute will host and guide the fellow for one year and is responsible together with the fellow for the successful completion of the project. Fellowship recipients receive a total amount of EUR 60,000.-.

ECCO Grants are created to support good, 1-year basic science, translational or clinical research projects in ECCO Member Countries, also for scientists, who are not yet 40 years of age. Research is typically completed directly in the institution of the applicant. ECCO Grant recipients are awarded a total amount of EUR 80,000.-.

The N-ECCO Research Grant has been introduced for IBD Nurses to enhance their opportunity to be involved in international research projects across Europe. The aim is to engage IBD nurses who are less experienced in carrying out research, to conduct proper systematic research under mentorship of a senior researcher. The total amount of EUR 80,000.- can be given to one big project, or split between two smaller projects.

The D-ECCO Research Grant offers dietitians, who have less experience in carrying out research, the opportunity to conduct proper systematic research projects on an international level under mentorship of a senior researcher. The total amount of EUR 80,000.- can be given to one project.

Travel Awards give investigators who are not yet 40 years of age the opportunity to visit different IBD centres across Europe, to learn scientific techniques or be clinical observers. Travel Award recipients receive a total amount of EUR 1,500.-.

The N-ECCO Travel Award enables one IBD Nurse member of ECCO per year to visit another European centre to observe nursing care. Observational learning is essential for development as an IBD Nurse and this is a fantastic opportunity to gain financial support to do so. The N-ECCO Travel Awards recipient will receive a total of EUR 1,500.-.

The D-ECCO Travel Award provides support to one dietitian to visit different IBD Centres across Europe and to observe and learn about diet and nutrition in IBD. The D-ECCO Travel Award recipient will receive a total of EUR 1,500.-.

For more details on ECCO grant and awards, please visit ECCO Fellowships & Grants.

If you are interested in supporting early career scientists physicians and promoting innovative scientific research in IBD, please contact the ECCO Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Publications

JCC – Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis is the official journal of ECCO and is concerned with the dissemination of knowledge on clinical, basic science, and innovative methods related to IBD. The journal publishes Original Articles, Review Articles, Editorials, Viewpoints, ECCO-originated papers, Short Reports, Abstracts and Letters to the Editor. JCC issues are published 12 times a year and cover the knowledge and science related to IBD: The aims are to update, innovate and challenge.

ECCO News is the society magazine of ECCO published quarterly and available online. The ambition of ECCO News is to reflect on current activities of the organisation and to report on the latest resources and information about IBD at large within Europe.

With this periodical publication ECCO opens a new way to maintain the information-flow on the activities taking place within the society - keeping its members up-to-date as well as all gastroenterologists, surgeons, paediatricians, basic scientists and nurses worldwide interested in IBD.

How to join us

Corporate Members 2024*

ECCO follows a policy of a transparent and impartial interaction with industry active and interested in the field of IBD. ECCO gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Corporate Members:

*2024 Corporate Members have no input on the overall content of ECCO’s scientific and educational activities and materials.

Individual Membership

ECCO is a young and active association with a very high potential for membership growth. As of June 2023, we have over 4300 registered individual members, with numbers continuously increasing each year.

Country Membership

Since the foundation of ECCO we have been continuously supported by our national counterparts and are honoured to embrace 36 Country Members (Russia currently suspended), each being represented by two National Representatives. These functionaries are the driving force and seen as our ambassadors spreading the “ECCO Spirit”.

More details on the role and tasks of the ECCO National Representatives can be viewed online at  www.ecco-ibd.eu.

With a key interest in IBD, the ECCO Corporate Members follow the ECCO Statutes and ethical standards. Representatives of Corporate Members are invited to attend the General Assembly, but do not hold voting rights.

Corporate Members can benefit from a range of ECCO initiatives based on a commitment of at least 2 consecutive years.

Corporate Membership Application Form148.24 KB

Please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for further information on Corporate Membership.

ECCO gratefully acknowledges the support of the following corporate members:

ECCO offers sincere gratitude for support of Fellowships and Grants, encouraging young physicians in their careers and promoting innovative scientific research in IBD in Europe:

2020 ECCO Multi-Year Research Grant (supported by Pfizer) 

2018 ECCO-Pfizer Research Grant on Predictors of response to JAK inhibitors
2018 ECCO-Pfizer Research Award

2017 ECCO-Vifor Pharma Grant

2016 ECCO-Nestlé Health Science Nutrition Fellowship

2014 ECCO-DigestScience Research Funding

2014 Cosmopharma-funded ECCO Fellowship

Please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested in supporting an ECCO Fellowship or Grant.

Invitation to collaborate with ECCO

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your interest in ECCO. This homepage outlines our rapidly growing organisation, which aims to optimise the care for patients suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). We hope that our activities and initiatives appeal to you in a way that you may consider joining forces with us either by becoming a new Corporate Member or continuing your current membership.

In the past decade, ECCO has become the leading European organisation for IBD and is now the largest forum in the world for IBD specialists. All our 35 Member Countries are represented in the core bodies that constitute ECCO: the Council of National Representatives and 11 operational ECCO Committees. In addition, not only is ECCO linked to most of the National IBD Societies and study groups within Europe, but it also extends its collaboration beyond Europe into Asia, Asia-Pacific, South Africa, North America, Latin America and the Middle East.

Our central point of interest is the well-being of the patients with IBD. For this purpose, we organise high quality educational programmes for those who take care of them: the clinicians (gastroenterologists, paediatricians, surgeons), nurses, dietitians, research fellows and students. Educational activities are provided in a direct way during our Annual Congress and via regional ECCO Educational Workshops; and indirectly through our extended e-CCO Learning platform as well as continuous development of internationally recognised ECCO Guidelines. New publications of ECCO Guidelines, new Topical Reviews, ECCO Position Statements allow us to keep the standards of patients' care up to date. In addition, we seek to innovate IBD therapeutics by finding answers through Scientific Workshops and by promoting research with ECCO Fellowships, Grants and Travel Awards. Together with the new ECCO Global Grant and ECCO Talking Global IBD event - an exceptional networking format, we emphasise the importance of research partnership across borders.

With all its activities, ECCO aspires to represent the highest possible level of quality ensuring impartiality. ECCO is aware, that its ambitious plans and vision require valuable support of the biomedical industry. We therefore strive to develop continuous and effective relationship based on collaborative approach and mutual respect.

To this end, ECCO has put together this informative online brochure for our current and potential Corporate Members. The brochure provides important details on the relationship between ECCO and Industry. It explains the advantages of becoming a Corporate Member and describes potential benefits from a range of ECCO initiatives.

If you are interested in getting involved with ECCO, please contact us personally or via the ECCO Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.to initiate further discussion.

We thank you for your valued and continued support!

Yours sincerely,

Britta Siegmund President of ECCO 2023-2025

What we do – Education

Annual Congress of ECCO

Every February/March, we organise the ECCO Congress representing a key date on the international IBD calendar. We have organised 19 Congresses so far, attracting a very large number of attendees with expertise in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases from over 100 countries.

ECCO provides a balanced scientific programme including a range of symposia, as well as excellent training opportunities. Moreover the congress is an excellent networking opportunity for the best European gastroenterologists and IBD experts.

The industry exhibition is a key event for Corporate Members and industry partners, offering the opportunity to network face-to-face with purchasing decision makers in the field of IBD. The continuous increase in congress participation is evidence of the dynamic spirit of ECCO. Our membership has grown not only with gastroenterologists, but with other professions such as paediatric specialists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists and scientists interested in IBD.

Upcoming Congress of ECCO

With its steadily increasing number of participants, the ECCO Congress has become the leading world congress for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and we look forward to welcoming you to a highly diverse programme with a major focus on precision medicine for IBD. The 20th Congress of ECCO will take place in Berlin, February 19-22, 2025.

The Scientific Programme themed "Sustainability in IBD and beyond" with content delivered by the best professionals in the field of IBD and gastroenterology we ensure high quality focus on care across the world from epidemiology to international panel case reviews, crossing disciplinary borders from paediatric to adult care and challenging cases, among others. In parallel, as part of our well established and recognised Educational Programme, 14 courses offer once again unique learning experience to the participants.

For further details about the congress please visit the ECCO'25 homepage.

ECCO Exhibitor & Sponsor Prospectus

Since 2021 Sponsorship & Exhibitor bookings are possible via the new Industry Webshop ensuring user-friendly handling of bookings. As always, our Congress offers numerous advertising options to reach KOL’s, as well as the entire IBD Community.

In the Industry Webshop of ECCO'25 you can book exhibition space, satellite symposia slots, venue branding and several other sponsorship items.

Educational courses

Below you may see a short description of our educational courses held at the Congress. For more information and more detailed programme, please visit the ECCO'25 website.

ECCO Educational Workshops

The primary goal of this educational activity is the implementation of the ECCO Guidelines on Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. The programme of these workshops is created around clinical cases, with the intention of being as educational and interactive as possible, to allow participants to take active part in the discussions. Every year, four to five ECCO Educational Workshops are organised within Europe and one to two are held outside of Europe.

e-Learning

To foster learning and align practices with the ECCO Guidelines, we have created the e-Learning platform, which is frequently updated to include all the latest developments and to keep all the learning materials up-to-date.

The e-Learning platform comprises a searchable e-Library that contains multimedia reference material (Talking Heads, Educational Audio Podcasts, Skills Videos) in conjunction with interactive case-based e-Courses.

More recently, we have also added the IBD Communication Toolbox, which is a series of podcasts, recorded by gastroentherologists, where you can hear how IBD experts deal with questions that are commonly asked by patients.

What we do – Collaboration

NEW! Educational Course for Industry Partners

Exchange and Dialogue with ECCO Officers

Corporate Members of ECCO enjoy the opportunity to spend some time with ECCO Officers during exchange and dialogue opportunities. Corporate Members are invited to brainstorm and discuss a range of topics for further interaction and collaboration. The opportunities for this exchange and dialogue will take place during the ECCO Congress.

In case of interest in face-to-face meetings please contact the ECCO Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Why become a Corporate Member

The annual membership fee for Corporate Members of ECCO amounts to EUR 25,000.-, for which Corporate Members* can benefit of the following ECCO initiatives:

ECCO Congress business:

• Preferential treatment for sponsorship orders and allocation of booth space at ECCO Congress
• Preferential treatment for satellite symposia at the ECCO Congress
• Reduced rates for exhibition space (for the year of membership)
• Visibility of ECCO Corporate Members during the ECCO Congress
• Transparent and professional in-house congress organisation

ECCO Printed matters / publications:

• Acknowledgement on ECCO Website
• Acknowledgement in ECCO printed materials
• Acknowledgement in other potential ECCO communication channels
• Receipt of latest information via ECCO eNewsletter (upon request)

ECCO Association business:

• Preferential treatment for sponsored activities of ECCO (Educational Workshops, N-ECCO activities, Y-ECCO Mentorship Forum etc.)
• Collaboration in the form of unrestricted grants (ECCO Fellowships, Grants and Travel Awards)
• Exchange and dialogue with ECCO Officers
• Participation in the ECCO General Assembly, held annually at the ECCO Congress (no voting rights)
• Promotional opportunities and networking at ECCO Educational Workshops (applicable for national sponsors)
• Professional management of ECCO as an association

Join the ECCO Family and become an ECCO Corporate Member now

Please feel invited to contact the ECCO Office to finalise your membership.

* Corporate Membership fees of ECCO are complying with the definition of “true” membership fees according to the Austrian Association Law 2001, Association Regulations 2001 of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finances - 3.1.1.1/432 (ECCO’s number in the Austrian Register of Associations: 468755685)