ISDE News

Call For Submissions To The ISDE International Fellowship Database

The Young ISDE Committee is pleased to announce the creation of an International Fellowship Database for esophageal care, research, or surgery. We are inviting organizations that offer fellowship opportunities to join a global platform that brings together institutions and aspiring clinician-scientists from around the world. Organizations listing their fellowships will benefit in the following ways: 

• Expand Your Reach: Connect with a diverse, global community of experienced professionals and aspiring fellows passionate about advancing esophageal science and care. 

• Attract Top Talent: Share your opportunities with motivated individuals eager to grow their skills, contribute to impactful research, and become tomorrow’s leaders in the field. 

• Collaborate Globally: Build meaningful connections with like-minded institutions and fellows, fostering cross-border exchange of research ideas, clinical expertise, and innovative solutions. 

Visit the link below for more information and to submit.

Interested organizations wishing to showcase their programs to the international esophageal community are welcome to apply.

Learn More ISDE - International Fellowship Database Project

Submit Fellowships Online 

The ISDE Board of Directors is excited to announce the leaders of the 2026 ISDE World Congress in Kyoto, Japan from September 16-18, 2026. 

Manabu Muto Appointed as Congress President for the 2026 ISDE World Congress 

Professor Manabu Muto has been appointed as the Congress President for the 2026 Congress in Kyoto, Japan. This new leadership role, introduced in consultation with directors from Japan, reflects a shift from the traditional Chair position to a Congress President. 

Manabu Muto will work with a regional committee to champion the congress, provide local insights, and encourage regional participation. The ISDE looks forward to a successful and impactful congress under Professor Muto’s leadership. 

Ken Kato Appointed as Chair of the 2026 Scientific Program Committee 

We are also pleased to announce Ken Kato as the Chair of the Scientific Program Committee for the Kyoto meeting. A respected leader in esophageal diseases, Ken Kato brings extensive expertise to the role.  

As Chair, he will lead a committee to develop a multidisciplinary program that engages ISDE members and the wider esophageal community. We look forward to the innovative program that Ken Kato will develop for the 2026 World Congress. 

The Diseases of the Esophagus (DOTE) Journal is delighted to present this Special Collection on Eosinophilic Esophagitis with Evan Dellon serving as the Guest Editor. 

Over the past few decades, we have seen a rapid rise in understanding of this disease. This special collection showcases knowledge gained from the spectrum of EoE with studies on epidemiology, biomarkers, clinical presentations, treatments, and gaps to be addressed.By highlighting the latest discoveries and clinical perspectives, it aims to serve as a crucial resource for clinicians, researchers, and patients, enhancing the comprehension of this intricate and progressing condition. 

Read the EoECollection 

The International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus (ISDE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Jie He to the ISDE Board of Directors. A recognized leader in thoracic oncology, Professor He brings a wealth of expertise and leadership in the diagnosis, treatment, and research of esophageal and lung cancers. 

Professor He serves as President of the Cancer Hospital at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Director of the National Cancer Center of China. As an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he strives to advance the standardization of clinical diagnosis and treatment for thoracic tumors, shaping national guidelines that have improved patient outcomes across China. 

With a career spanning thousands of thoracic tumor surgeries and pioneering research, Professor He’s contributions have earned him the First Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award for his work on esophageal cancer treatment. His dedication to improving cancer care aligns closely with ISDE’s mission to advance the field of esophageal diseases worldwide. 

We are honored to welcome Professor He to the ISDE Board and look forward to his valuable insights and contributions. 

The ISDE Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that Utrecht, The Netherlands, has been selected as the host city for the 2027 ISDE World Congress. This prestigious event will take place from September 21-23, 2027, bringing together global leaders, innovators, and practitioners in the field of esophageal diseases. 

Nestled in the heart of The Netherlands, Utrecht is a city that blends rich history with modern innovation. Known for its iconic canals, vibrant cultural scene, and welcoming atmosphere, Utrecht is a hub of knowledge and collaboration. The city is home to one of Europe’s leading universities, a thriving life sciences industry, and an extensive network of historic and modern venues, making it the perfect backdrop for an international congress. 

The journey to selecting Utrecht as our destination began in March 2024. Several outstanding cities expressed interest, and each was evaluated on criteria such as affordability, local member support, and ease of travel for international delegates. Utrecht stood out as a city that offers not only exceptional logistical advantages but also a warm and inspiring environment for our global community. 

ISDE Executive Director, Mark Ferguson, says Utrecht is a fantastic location for our 2027 Congress.  The venue is stylish and convenient and the surrounding area is loaded with historical charm and fine dining opportunities.  Almost everything is within a short walk of the congress hotels. The city is easy to get to from anywhere in the world, and side trips are convenient by train to almost anywhere in Europe.   Make Utrecht and the ISDE Congress your destination event for 2027! 

We eagerly anticipate organizing the 23rd ISDE World Congress in this remarkable city. Stay tuned for more updates as we prepare for what promises to be an unforgettable event! 

The Young ISDE Research Sharks Tank (formerly Dragons Den) will take place during the ISDE congress in Brisbane, Australia and is aimed to encourage and enable young researchers to execute their research idea. We invite all eligible members to submit a proposal today. 

After initial review of submitted research projects, the highest scoring projects will be pitched to an international panel of experts during the Sharks Tank. The experts will provide the projects with feedback that can be used to further improve the research projects. 

The winner of the Sharks Tank will receive an incentive prize to aid starting up her/his project, and support from the Young ISDE and the Research & Database Committee. 

• Call opens: February 5, 2025
• Deadline for application: March 31, 2025
• Confirmation of acceptance: April 30, 2025
• Early-bird registration deadline: June 12, 2025
• Young ISDE Sharks Tank during World Congress: September 18, 2025

Full details for the application: 

• Research projects should be multicenter, international & multidisciplinary
• Applications should adhere to the provided template
• Applicants should be an ISDE individual member
• Early to mid-career researchers* are encouraged to apply
• Selected research projects must be presented live during the Sharks Tank
• Results of the winning research idea will be published in Diseases of the Esophagus
• Winners will be invited to present their research at the next congress
• Where a study requires significant resource, it should be clarified within the application whether this has been secured.

*Any physician or surgeon less than 5 years in consultancy 

Project Criteria for consideration: 

• Feasibility
• Necessary expertise
• Impact
• Can be accomplished within funding limit

How Young ISDE will support the winning project: 

• Assisting with setting up contacts for multicenter studies
• Creating attention and awareness via international networks
• Incentive prize including:
• Registration and $2500 travel support funding for the 2026 Congress in Kyoto, Japan from September 16-18, 2026
• ISDE Membership

We are pleased to announce that the Diseases of the Esophagus (DOTE) Journal has adopted a Continuous Publication model, effective January 1, 2025. This transition, approved by the ISDE Board in consultation with the Editors-in-Chief and our publisher, Oxford University Press, marks a significant advancement in how we share cutting-edge research. 

What is Continuous Publication? 

Continuous publication is an increasingly popular journal publication model in which completed articles are published directly into an issue online. This means individual articles are published quickly in an “in progress” issue without waiting for completion of an entire issue. This approach eliminates the need for an “Advanced Access” queue and ensures that research is made available promptly. 

DOTE will continue to release six issues annually, with set closing dates for each issue. The first issue’s closing date is February 28, 2025, and subsequent issues will close at the end of every second month. 

Benefits of Continuous Publication 

For Authors: 

• Faster publication: Articles are published online as soon as they are ready, significantly reducing the time between acceptance and availability. 

• Enhanced visibility: Research can be accessed and cited earlier, ensuring timely dissemination. 

For Readers: 

• Simplified access: Articles will be available in one definitive version, housed in one location, and citable in a consistent manner. 

• Timely updates: The latest research is accessible sooner, supporting clinicians and researchers in staying up to date with advancements in the field. 

This shift to Continuous Publication reflects our commitment to innovation and excellence in scholarly communication. We are confident that it will enhance the experience for both our authors and readers, fostering greater engagement with the impactful research published in Diseases of the Esophagus. 

The International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus (ISDE) is proud to unveil the Scientific Program Committee and Local Organizing Committee for the ISDE 2025 Congress. These distinguished experts, representing a diverse range of global institutions, will ensure a compelling program that advances the understanding and management of esophageal diseases.

2025 Scientific Program Committee

• Neil Gupta – Chair and ISDE Vice President, Midwest Digestive Health and Nutrition, USA
• Ken Kato – National Cancer Center Hospital, Japan
• Yin Li – National Cancer Center, China
• Keith Kang – National Cancer Center, China
• Daniela Molena – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA
• Hiroya Takeuchi – Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan
• Randhir Sud – Medanta Institute of Digestive and Hepatobiliary Sciences, India
• Mark van Berge Henegouwen – Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands

2025 Local Organizing Committee Chair

• Mark Smithers – University of Queensland, Australia

These committees bring together expertise in research, clinical care, and innovation to create a program that addresses the most pressing challenges in esophageal diseases.

The ISDE 2025 Congress promises to be a pivotal event for the global esophageal disease community. Stay tuned for updates on program details, registration, and abstract submissions.

Watch Dr. David Lui interview Professor Sheila K. Krishnadath about the approval of a research project focusing on biomarkers. The grant funded ENDEAVOR Consortium project is the culmination of many years of research looking at biomarkers as a means of making clinical decisions for managing Barrett’s esophagus. Up until now this research has been conducted solely in The Netherlands. Through the grant they now have the opportunity to undertake multicenter studies in several high-risk areas of the world, implementing biomarkers in clinical decision making. Through this research the team hopes to identify which patients are high risk and provide a method for tracking their progression.

Project Challenge

Currently it is impossible to predict which of the treated BE patients will have stable disease and which will recur or progress to invasive cancer. As a consequence all treated patients need to remain in frequent endoscopic surveillance. This leads to over-treatment of a large group of BE patients and under-treatment of those with more aggressive disease. There is a low-cost effectiveness of endoscopic therapies, low quality of life of patients and poor satisfaction of care providers. An accurate risk stratification method for early AEC in BE patients is therefore an unmet clinical need.

Project Goals

The ambition of the ENDEAVOR consortium is to implement an innovative risk stratification method, which encompasses minimally invasive cell collection supplemented by single cell genomic analysis to address this specific need. Taking into account patient characteristics, gender dimensions, an optimal model will be tested in a randomized controlled prospective trial. Future implementation of this method will reduce health care costs, increase quality of life and satisfaction of health care providers. This action is part of the Cancer Mission cluster of projects on Diagnostics and Treatment (diagnostics).

Learn more at endeavoreu.com

The International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus (ISDE) is thrilled to announce Marcel Schneider from the Department of Surgery at University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, as the winner of the 2nd Annual Young ISDE Dragon’s Den competition. Marcel presented his proposal on “Revisional Surgery for Functional Syndromes after Esophagectomy,” a topic that addresses a critical aspect of patient care for those undergoing complex esophageal surgeries. The winning proposal received complimentary 1-year membership, registration to the 21^st ISDE World Congress in Brisbane, Australia and a travel grant of $2500 to support their travel to Australia.

The Young ISDE Dragon’s Den competition took place at the 20th ISDE World Congress, held in Edinburgh on September 22, 2024. Five young researchers and clinicians took the stage to present their projects to a live audience and a panel of experts in the field of esophageal diseases. The panel, also known as the "dragons," evaluated each proposal, questioning participants on their approach, methodology, and potential impact.

2024 Panel of Dragons:

1. Professor Magnus Nilsson – Professor of Surgery and Head of the Division of Surgery and Oncology at CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
2. Professor Daniela Molena – Director of the Esophageal Program, Thoracic Surgery Division, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, United States
3. Associate Professor Joy Chang – Assistant Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, United States
4. Professor Ewen Griffiths – Consultant Upper GI and General Surgeon, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
5. Associate Professor Sarah Thompson – Academic Surgeon, Flinders University, Australia

Innovation at the Forefront: An Impressive Lineup of Proposals

In addition to Marcel’s winning presentation, other proposals captivated the dragons and audience alike including:

• Optimizing Gastro-Esophageal Cancer Detection – A multicenter discrete-choice experiment presented by Stijn Vanstraelen from Belgium
• Assessing HER2 Status in Esophagogastric Adenocarcinoma and Its Impact on Patient Clinicopathological Outcomes (HERA) presented by Nicola Raftery from Ireland
• Complication Prediction by Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing After Esophagectomy for Cancer: A Machine Learning Analysis (COMPETE) presented by Ward Seurs from Belgium
• A Novel Integrated Approach to Describe Patients Along a Spectrum of Esophageal Dysmotility presented by Ashton Ellison from the United States

Each of these promising projects showcased innovative approaches to the challenges faced in esophageal disease treatment and diagnosis.

Looking Ahead: Building on Success

The session concluded with an update from Dr. Xuefeng Leng, the 2023 Young ISDE Dragon’s Den winner, who shared progress on his project, “Development of a Predictive Model for Prognostic and Recurrent Risk Factors in Esophageal Cancer: Integrating Modern Treatment Approaches.” Dr. Leng’s insights underscored the ongoing impact of the Young ISDE Dragon's Den, as each year’s winning projects continue to advance research and understanding within the field.

Congratulations to Marcel Schneider and all participants for their inspiring contributions! The ISDE eagerly anticipates seeing how these young leaders will drive progress in esophageal health and patient care in the coming years.

Shark Tank 2025 (aka, the new Dragon’s Den)

The Young ISDE committee eagerly look forward to seeing you all in Brisbane 2025 for another display of high calibre research being conducted on the international stage. Next year, there is a twist. Whilst dragons are abound in the northern hemisphere, sharks lurk awaiting on the shores of Australia. We will see you for Shark Tank 2025 down under!