AOECS Annual Conference 2026
Thursday 8 October - Sunday 11 October
Thursday 8 October, 2026
16:00 - 19:00 Check in & Registration
19:00 - 21:00 Welcome reception
Friday 9 October, 2026
08:30 - 09:30 Late Registrations
09:00 - 09:30 Welcome Reception & Networking
Meet and mingle with influential persons within the international coeliac community and visit the scientific poster area where latest research on coeliac disease is being presented.
09:30 - 09:40 Opening message AOECS
Veronica Rubio and Floris van Overveld, with Marc Vervuurt, Member of Parliament, the Netherlands
09:45 - 10:15 Keynote
A look into the future of coeliac disease
Dr. Iris Jonkers, UMC Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands, Associate Professor of Immunogenetics and President-Elect of the ISSCD
10:15 - 10:20 Q&A
Short sessions for questions
10:20 - 10:50 Panel 1
Beyond the Gluten-Free Diet: Patient Priorities and Persistent Challenges
Dr. Margreet Wessels, “James Lind Alliance making a research agenda with patients”. Department of Gastroenterology, Rijnstate Ziekenhuis, Arnhem, The Netherlands, pediatric gastroenterologist and project leader Priority Setting Partnership celiac disease in children.
Abigail Zalba, CYE General Coordinator who exposes the perspective of the research needs/worries/expectations for young patients (situations of more stress, innovations they appreciate more).
Moderator: Linus Engqvist Richert
10:50 - 11:20 Panel 2
Innovations in Celiac Disease Detection: From Screening Tools to Patient Data Insights
Drs. Lucy Smit, JGZ Kennemerland, Haarlem, the Netherlands, youth health care physician and collaborator Glutenscreen.
Iris Jonkers, UMCG Groningen, The Netherlands, Longitudinal detection of anti-TG2 in a Dutch population biobank reveals undiagnosed CeD prevalence
Moderator: Susana Tavares
11:20 - 11:30 Q&A
Short sessions for questions
11:30 - 12:00 COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING
12:00 - 12:20 Scientific Posters recognition, Sponsors’ Acknowledgment and Young Researchers talent prizes Award Ceremony
Lead: Floris van Overveld
12:20 - 13:15 Panel 3
Challenges for clinical care of Coeliac Disease across borders
Dr. Tom van Gils, “Disorders of gut-brain interaction in celiac disease”, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam.
Dr. Gerd Bouma, “Refractory celiac disease and other causes of persistent villous atrophy”, Department of Gastroenterology & Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, part of the team who developed the Guideline.
Dan Leffler
Moderator: Susanna Neuhold
13:15 - 13:30 Q&A
Short sessions for questions
13:30 - 15:00 LUNCH & NETWORKING
15:00 - 16:30 Parallel Break-out sessions
- Break-out session 1:
Patient Priorities and Persistent Challenges: How can societies build capacity; share knowledge, and scale cross‑border collaboration to advocate more effectively and support patients better? work on the survey results to make commitments for the future AOECS Survey results and proposals.
Moderators: Elpida Galanopoulou & Susanna Neuhold. - Break-out session 2:
An overview of Clinical Trials for Coeliac Disease:
Alimentiv: Peter Westerveld, Gerd Bouma, Dan Leffler, Monique Da Silva.
Moderator: Susana Tavares - Break-out session 3:
Brainstorming on the new certification scheme and the best approach protect CGT beyond the certification mark
Moderator: Floris van Overveld
NOTE: AOECS MEMBERS ONLY IN THIS SESSION
16:30 - 17:00 Break-out session wrap-up & summary to the Plenary
Lead: Veronica Rubio
17:00 - 17:30 Sponsors' acknowledgement & end of the day
17:30 - 19:00 NETWORKING TIME
20:00 - 23:00 AOECS MEMBERS DINNER
Saturday 10 October, 2026
09:00 - 19:00 AOECS General Assembly
This session is closed for non-members of the AOECS.