President update, January 2026

I hope that you all had a restful break during the festive season. The start of this new year has brought with it many opportunities to get involved with ESPE, as well as updates for our Annual Meeting held in Marseilles, France in September.
I would like to start by reminding members that we need your votes to decide the location for ESPE 2028. Please vote for either Luxembourg or Barcelona as your preferred location and help us create another fantastic Annual Meeting. The vote will close on Tuesday 03 February – submit your vote here.

If you are yet to renew your membership, I encourage you to do so soon. Renewing is quick and easy, and doing so now will lock in the current rate before fees increase later in the year. If you cannot find your membership renewal email or have any questions, please get in touch with the ESPE Head Office for support.

We are currently calling for applications for four Council vacancies; Communications Committee Chair, Corporate Liaison Board Chair, Strategic and Finance Committee Chair, and Programme Organising Committee Chair. Full details can be found on the website, and the application deadline for all is 20 March.

A lot of work is going on in the background for our 2026 Annual Meeting in Marseille later this year. Abstracts are now open so please make sure to submit on time – we look forward to hearing about your latest work! The deadline for abstract submissions is 24 March.

We have 50 Travel Grants to offer delegates who have submitted a high-quality abstract, with successful candidates receiving up to €500 to travel to the Annual Meeting, We would also like to encourage applications for the annual ESPE Undergraduate Achievement Award, which recognises outstanding achievement in paediatric endocrinology at the undergraduate level. Recipients will be awarded free registration to ESPE 2026, as well as a grant of €750 to support travel and accommodation. Applications for both will close with abstracts on 24 March.

There are just a few days left to apply for two of our prestigious Schools this year. The Summer School is an intensive educational program designed for trainees and early-career clinicians in paediatric endocrinology. Make sure to apply for the Summer School by 31 January. Additionally, the DOM School will offer dedicated teaching in selected areas of diabetes, obesity and metabolism to develop future leaders in paediatric endocrinology. The closing date for the DOM School is 01 February.

Similarly, the deadline is rapidly approaching for applications for the Early Career Scientific Development Grant, which offers financial support to paediatric endocrinologists and basic scientists to gain experience on a specific research issue or laboratory technique. The deadline is coming up soon on 31 January, so make sure to visit the website for full details.

We are currently calling for applications to host the ESPE Science Symposium in 2027. This event aims to promote the development of an interactive network between clinicians and researchers, helping to reduce the gap between research and patient care. It will also provide the means to disseminate new scientific knowledge in the community of paediatric endocrinology. If you would like to apply, you can find full details and the application form on the website. The deadline for applications is 01 March.

Finally, the Clinical Practice Committee are exploring how glucocorticoid-induced adrenal suppression is investigated and managed worldwide. Just 10 minutes of your time will help in developing clinical recommendations that improve care for children everywhere – take the survey.

All the very best,

Mehul Dattani
ESPE President