Message from the President of ESP
Professor Peter SCHIRMACHER
Dear Colleagues and Members,
We have now entered 2024, a year which confronts us with many challenges, but also opportunities. The economies and health systems are under great stress, the political situation has become more instable, and the regulatory burden is felt tremendously. At the same time our discipline Pathology is thriving: we experience breathtaking innovations in areas such as molecular diagnostics, translational research, computational pathology, novel tissue-based technologies and many more. Our impact in the interdisciplinary clinical setting and clinical trials is rising, demography increases the need for pathology diagnoses and several innovations broaden our diagnostic spectrum. Thus, we have to be optimistic and tackle the challenges. The glass is not half empty, it is half full and we will fill it up! We have to develop the strategies and find the resources to meet these manifold expectations and opportunities.
Even since the last Newsletter the ESP has made further great leaps forward: we are witnessing an enormous success of the EScoP courses with great attendance numbers and excellent feedback which encourages us to further increase the programme.
Other educational activities, such as ESPA (European Society of Pathology Academy) and Giordano Fellowships and Masterclasses have fully resumed and are flourishing. We are steadily increasing our impact in and partnership activities with other Pathology and Clinical Societies and take part in many political activities on issues that directly or indirectly influence our discipline. 2023 has brought a 12% increase in membership and in February our headquarter has moved to the new spacious and functional office on Square de Meeûs 18, close to the European Parliament; this allowed us to increase our staff with new excellent team members, which will even better accommodate the many new activities and members’ needs. If you are in Brussels, please step by, you are welcome!
We are looking far ahead beyond 2024: our ‘ESP 2030’ strategy is maturing and will be finalised and presented in Florence. It will develop into an adaptive, self-renewing process that will assure innovation, the optimal service for our members and discipline and the resilience that is needed to master the coming challenges.
And importantly, ECP 2024 in Florence is on the horizon! It will be THE international Pathology meeting of the year and we expect you all to be there in early September. Make sure to have all your abstracts sent in, to register and book your accommodation. The preliminary programme looks great, the venue is breathtaking, and we will take every effort to make the congress a memorable event. See you all in Florence!
Sincerely yours
Peter Schirmacher
ESP President
Virchows Archiv
Virchows Archiv (European Journal of Pathology) is the Official Journal of the ESP.
The Journal is edited by an editorial committee composed of an Editor in Chief, who is appointed by the Executive Committee, and Associate Editors, who are selected by the Editor in Chief.
The mission of the Journal is to advance the scientific basis of human pathology by the publication of high quality research, including molecular and translational studies, and thereby contribute to patient care.
ESP Corporate Partners
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. 
 |  |  |