Get to know your ESGE – Dr Rodrigo Jover
ESGE is a multifaceted society with active committees and working groups. This month we spoke to Dr Rodrigo Jover, the ESGE Research Committee chair.
What are the main goals of the committee?
We establish, discuss and promote
clinical research studies in digestive endoscopy on a broad European
level.
Our specific goals are:
To promote cooperative research about key points in digestive endoscopy
To establish working groups in the different areas of GI endoscopy
To facilitate research infrastructure: shared online data bases, statistics, investigator meetings, etc
Why did you want to get involved with this committee?
I am very interested in clinical
research and I firmly believe that promotion of research must be a
central aim of any scientific society. Therefore, a desire to be
involved with the ESGE Research Committee was a natural choice for me.
How do the committee activities fit into the overarching goals of ESGE?
It facilitates cooperative endoscopy
research within Europe. Research activities should be at the core of
any scientific society and facilitation of active collaboration between
endoscopists will help develop the field of endoscopy, having positive
outcomes in terms of quality of endoscopy and improving patient care. We
create opportunities for networking between people interested in
endoscopy-based research.
How does the committee work?
We have created four working groups
for promoting collaborative research: upper GI, lower GI, small bowel
and biliary-pancreatic endoscopy. Under these four headings we have
promoted the development of different collaborative studies. Initially, a
majority of these studies have been focused on surveys designed to
establish baseline information about the current status of daily
practice and clinical research in endoscopy. Randomized clinical trials
as well as observational studies have also been launched via the working
groups.
What are the next big challenges for the committee?
Our main challenge is to be able to
attract active investigators to join our working groups and to maintain
momentum in promoting large collaborative studies which answer key
research questions in endoscopy. Scheduled meetings are used by
interested parties to propose ideas and forge new collaborative links.
New ideas and participation from newcomers are welcome within the
working groups. Our aim is that endoscopic research and ESGE should be
thought of as synonymous by endoscopists in Europe.