Dear BIRD friends and colleagues,
Welcome to the fifth BIRD Congress at the BMCC in Bruges! Although launched only in 2022, this congress has already grown into a landmark event in the field of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Belgium, now attracting over 360 participants. This event has become a key priority across disciplines, attracting not only physicians but also IBD nurses, dietitians, psychologists, study coordinators, researchers, and pharmaceutical company representatives. This is largely due to its unique combination of state-of-the-art lectures, updates on recent clinical and translational advances, in-depth education, and practical workshops.
For this year’s educational program, we have developed five key topics, starting with a Crash Course in Good Clinical Practice. This training may lead to a certificate that is mandatory for participation in prospective BIRD-sponsored trials. Following the successful publication of both REScUE (Bossuyt P., Gastroenterology, 2026) and CARUC-ASA (Reenaers C., Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis, 2026), BIRD is currently finalizing the results of the AMARETTO trials, which evaluate switching from optimized doses of intravenous infliximab to a subcutaneous formulation. These data are expected to be presented at (inter)national congresses in 2027. In parallel, BIRD continues to develop both retrospective and prospective trials, and your involvement is highly appreciated!
The additional educational sessions on Friday morning include 1) a comprehensive evaluation of the COSTA trial, focusing on the role of appendectomy in patients with active ulcerative colitis; 2) an overview of the pathophysiology and treatment approaches for IBD patients experiencing fatigue despite being in remission; 3) a multi-stakeholder perspective on the role of biosimilars in the IBD therapeutic armamentarium; and 4) a dedicated training session for non-physicians covering laboratory tests, endoscopy, radiology, and surgical aspects in IBD care.
On Friday afternoon, attendees can look forward to state-of-the-art lectures by national as well as international key opinion leaders addressing IBD guidelines, the exposome, upper gastrointestinal involvement, fibrostenosing Crohn’s disease, IBD mimics, and the role of artificial intelligence.
Saturday morning will offer a series of interactive workshops focusing on abdominal imaging, quality of care, shared decision-making, referral strategies, updates in both translational and basic science, and the management of patients who are reluctant to follow medical advice.
As tradition dictates, the BIRD Congress will conclude with The Best of 2026. We are honored to welcome Manasi Agrawal (New York, USA) and Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet (Montréal, Canada), two distinguished speakers who will present highlights from ECCO, DDW, and UEGW 2026.
Finally, we look forward to welcoming you not only at the convention center, but also at the interactive conference dinner on Friday evening. We are equally excited about the future of BIRD and this congress, and believe that together we can elevate this event to even greater prominence.
The BIRD Congress 2026 Organizing Committee
Marc Ferrante, Triana Lobatón, Sophie Vieujean, Evva De Jonckere, Ingrid Arijs and Jenifer King