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.