On June 19 and 20, 2026, the 38th Annual Meeting of the German Working Group on Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (DACED) took place in Frankfurt am Main. As one of the most important German-language platforms for early-career scientists in IBD research, DACED brings together basic scientists, clinician-scientists, and experienced experts annually to discuss current developments in research and patient care.

This year’s conference was organized under the scientific direction of Dr. Miriam Wiestler from the Clinical Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology at the . In this role, she represented the MHH and its scientific priorities in the field of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases at the national level.

The scientific program focused in particular on the close integration of experimental basic research and clinical-translational approaches. Discussions centered on current research in immunology, epithelial and barrier function, microbiome and metabolic research, as well as biomarkers, precision medicine, and patient-centered clinical research. The breadth of topics reflected the growing importance of interdisciplinary research for the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for inflammatory bowel diseases. In addition to the numerous scientific presentations, the conference offered young scientists in particular the opportunity to present and discuss their work—much of which has not yet been published—to a high-caliber audience of experts. The intensive exchange between basic research and clinical medicine, as well as the open culture of discussion, created ideal conditions for new collaborations and future research projects.

Through the scientific focus of the DACED Annual Meeting, the MHH underscores its strong position in translational IBD research and its commitment to promoting the next generation of scientists. At the same time, the event provided an excellent opportunity to present the research priorities established in Hanover to a national audience of experts and to provide new impetus for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Text: Dr. Miriam Wiestler (07/2026)