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Zoe Garoufalia, Chair and ESCP Asst. Secretary
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Zoe Garoufalia
Current position
Clinical Fellow in Minimally Invasive Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA (since August 2023)
Medical school
School of Medicine of the Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece (graduated in 2013)
General surgical and colorectal training
- Transplantation Unit, Laiko University Hospital, Athens, Greece (2014-2015)
- Second Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Laiko University Hospital, Athens, Greece (2015 -2021)
- Colorectal Surgery Department, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK (2019 -2020)
- Colorectal Surgery research fellow in Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA (2021- 2023)
Main clinical and research interests
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Colorectal cancer
- Patients’ outcomes
- Training and accreditation systems
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2022
Additional information
- ESCP Asst. Secretary since 2025
- PhD in Medicine (2023) - Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
- Past member of the ESCP Research Committee (2020 -2023)
- Member of the ESCP Social Media Working Group since May 2020
- Member of the ASCRS Social Media Committee since December 2020 - April 2022
- Vice-Chair of the ASCRS Communications Committee since February 2023
- Member of the ESCP Programme Committee since October 2021
- Member of the ASCRS IBD Committee since 2023
- Chair of the Y- ESCP since 2023
- Member of the Social Media Committee of the Greek Society of Coloproctologists since July 2023
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Jan Colpaert, Asst. Chair
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Jan Colpaert
Current position
Consultant colorectal surgeon, ASZ Aalst, Belgium
Medical school
Ghent University (graduated in 2014)
General surgical and colorectal training
General surgical training:
- OLV Hospital Aalst, Belgium
- ASZ Aalst, Belgium
- Ghent University Hospital, Belgium
- AZ Sint-Jan Hospital Bruges, Belgium
Colorectal training:
- ETZ Tilburg, the Netherlands
- Ghent University Hospital, Belgium
- Leuven University Hospital, Belgium
- Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark
Main clinical and research interests
- Colon / Rectal cancer
- IBD
- Proctology and anal fistula
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2022
Additional information
- EBSQ Coloprocotlogy 2021
- Editorial Board of Annals of Laparoscopic Surgery
- Board member of the Belgian Section Colorectal Surgery
- Board member of the Belgian Robotic Surgery Working Group
- Proctor for Intuitive
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Stefanie Devriendt
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Stefanie Devriendt
Current position
General and colorectal surgeon, ZNA, Antwerp, Belgium (since 2022)
Medical school
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium (graduated in 2014)
General surgical and colorectal training
General surgical:
- Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen (ZNA), Antwerp, Belgium (2years)
- AZ Sint Blasius, Dendermonde, Belgium (2years) - ETZ, Tilburg, The Netherlands (1 year)
- University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium (1 year)
Colorectal fellowships:
- University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium (1 year)
- Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1 year)
Main clinical and research interests
I am interested in the broad range of colorectal surgery, with a slight preference to IBD and colorectal oncology, but also functional and benign colorectal diseases.
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2022
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Sara Gortázar
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Sara Gortázar
Current position
- Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, University Hospital Getafe, Madrid, Spain (since January 2023)
- Consultant Surgeon, University Hospital Villalba, Madrid, Spain (since January 2023)
Medical school
La Laguna University, Tenerife, Spain (graduated in 2015)
General surgical and colorectal training
- General Surgery Residency. University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain (2016-2021)
- Clinical investigation in Deep Endometriosis. Hospital La Paz Clinical Research Institute for Health Research, Madrid, Spain (2021)
- Fellowship in Colorectal Surgery. University Hospital Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain (2022)
- International observership for pelvic exenterations at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia (June-July 2022)
Main clinical and research interests
- Deep endometriosis
- Colorectal cancer
- Pelvic exenteration
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2023
Additional information
PhD in 2022: Low anterior resection syndrome in patients after deep endometriosis surgery
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Tina van Loon, UEMS Representative
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Tina van Loon
Current position
Fellow of gastrointestinal, colorectal and robotic surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands, since June 2022.
Medical school
University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands, graduated in 2013.
General surgical and colorectal training
General surgical training:
- Elisabeth TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands (2014-18)
- Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands (2018-19)
Colorectal / GI training:
- Pantein Hospital, Boxmeer, the Netherlands (2019)
- Elisabeth TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands (2020-21)
- Meander Medical Center, Amersfoort, the Netherlands (robotic colorectal training) (2021)
- Elisabeth TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands (2022)
Main clinical and research interests
Clinical interests:
- Benign (especially IBD and endometriosis) and malignant colorectal cancer surgery,
- Robotic colorectal and abdominal wall surgery
Research interests:
- Use of stomas in colorectal surgery, Improvement using pathways in colorectal surgery, perianal fistula treatment
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2024
Additional information
- ESCP Education committee member (2017-23)
- Dutch Society of ColoRectal Surgery board member (2017-22)
- EBSQ Colorectal Surgery organising committee (2016 to present)
- Anal fistula course organising committee (2015, 2016, 2023)
- Member of Diversity Equity and Inclusivity working group (2023 to present)
- PhD-thesis: STOMA - Challenges in stoma surgery and patient management (2022, University of Maastricht, co-promotor Dr. D.D.E. Zimmerman, promotor prof. dr. L.P.S. Stassen)
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Beatriz Silva Mendes
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Beatriz Silva Mendes
Current position
- General Surgery Resident, Algarve University Hospital Centre, Portimão, Portugal (since 2022)
- Colorectal Group, Algarve University Hospital Centre, Portimão, Portugal
Medical school
Master’s in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine - University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal (graduated in 2019)
General surgical and colorectal training
- Clinical Clerkship in General Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
- Professional Exchange Program in Surgical Oncology, University Clinical Centre in Gdansk, Poland
- Clinical Internship in Gastrointestinal Surgery, Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Japan
Main clinical and research interests
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Colorectal malignancies
- Proctology
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2025
Additional information
- Member of the Portuguese Surgery Society (SPCir) (since 2022)
- Member of the ESCP Cohort and Audits Working Group (since 2023)
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Blanca Montcusi
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Blanca Montcusi
Current position
Colorectal surgeon, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain (since 2020)
Medical school
Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain (graduated in 2014)
General surgical and colorectal training
- Specialty of General and Digestive Surgery, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
- Coloproctology Fellowship, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
- Coloproctology Observership, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Gèneve, Geneva, Switzerland
- ESCP Functional Disorders Fellowship, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Gèneve, Geneva, Switzerland
- Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Fellowship, St Mark’s Hospital, London, United Kingdom
Main clinical and research interests
- Colorectal cancer
- Pelvic floor disorders
- Proctology
- Translational research
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2025
Additional information
- Master’s degree in Colorectal Surgery, Spanish Association of Surgeons/University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- PhD in Surgery (in progress), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Barbara Noiret
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Barbara Noiret
Current position
General and colorectal Surgeon, Bordeaux Colorectal Institute, Bordeaux, France (since 2024)
Medical school
Lille University, France (graduated in 2016)
General surgical and colorectal training
- General surgery residency, Lille University Hospital, France (2016-2021)
- Fellowship, Department of Digestive and Oncological Surgery, Lille University Hospital (2021-2024)
- Fellowship, Bordeaux Colorectal Institute, Pr DENOST (2024-2025)
Main clinical and research interests
- Colorectal cancer
- Deep endometriosis
- Pelvic exenteration
- IBD
- Peritoneal carcinomatosis
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2025
Additional information
- Member of GRECCAR (French Group of Colorectal Surgery)
- Member of French Surgical Association (AFC)
- Member of French Society of Digestive Surgery (SFCD)
- Member of European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP)
- Member of Early Career Editorial Advisory Board, Colorectal Disease
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Jasper Stijns, UEMS Representative
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Jasper Stijns
Current position
MD, Staff Colorectal Surgeon at Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Jette, Belgium (since 2020)
Medical school
KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (2012)
General surgical and colorectal training
General Surgery:
- Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Europaziekenhuis St. Michel, Etterbeek, Belgium
Colorectal surgery training:
- ETZ Tilburg, The Netherlands
- Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- ESCP-JSCP travelling fellowship 2019
Main clinical and research interests
- Colon and rectal cancer
- IBD
- Anal fistula
- Robotic Colorectal Surgery
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2024
Additional information
- MD, MSc, FEBS-coloproctology (2019)
- PhD-candidate at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Anal Fistula)
- Past ESCP Educom member (2014-23)
- Y-ESCP committee member (2016-20)
- Board member: Robotic Surgery Working Group (RBSS)
- Board member: Belgian Section of ColoRectal Surgery (RBSS)
- Associate Editor: Acta Chirurgica Belgica
- Editorial Board Member: Techniques in Coloproctology.
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Yegor Tryliskyy
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Yegor Tryliskyy
Current position
Specialty Registrar (ST6) in General and Colorectal Surgery - Gloucester Royal Hospital, Severn Deanery, England (since 2023)
Medical school
Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine (graduated in 2012)
General surgical and colorectal training
- Higher Surgical Trainee - Severn Deanery (2020 to present)
- Specialty Registrar - Worthing Hospital, West Sussex, England, UK (2019-20)
- International Fellow - Worthing Hospital, West Sussex, England, UK (2017-19)
- Research Fellow - Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kyiv, Ukraine (2015-17)
- Doctor-Intern- Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kyiv, Ukraine (2012-15)
Main clinical and research interests
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Abdominal wall
- Medical Education
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2022
Additional information
- PGCAP in Higher Education (the University of Edinburgh), Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2023)
- Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (2019)
- MSc in Surgical Sciences from the University of Edinburgh (2015)
- Tutor of the University of Edinburgh (since 2020)
- Faculty of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (since 2019)
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Tommaso Violante
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Tommaso Violante
Current position
- Assistant Professor and Consultant in General Surgery at the Surgery of the Alimentary Tract Unit, IRCCS Sant’Orsola Malpighi, University Hospital, Bologna, Italy (since October 2025)
- PhD candidate at the same institution (since November 2025)
- Research collaborator at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester (since 2024)
Medical school
University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (graduated in 2017)
General surgical and colorectal training
- Residency in General Surgery at the University of Bologna (2018-2024).
- Visiting Research Fellowship at the Division of Colon and Rectum Surgery at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester (2023-2024)
- Clinical Fellowship in Robotic General Surgery at Orsi Academy and AZORG Hospital in Belgium (2024-2025)
Main clinical and research interests
- Robotic colorectal and abdominal wall surgery
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Colon and rectal cancer
- Proctology
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2025
Additional information
- Proctor for the Hugo RAS robotic system for Medtronic.
- Certified trainer in robotic surgery, Orsi Academy, Melle, Belgium
- Co-founder and President of the Orsi Academy Alumni Association
- Member of several societies including ASCRS, ACS, CRSA, ESCP, and SICCR
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Sofia Xenaki
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Sofia Xenaki
Current position
General Surgeon, BAG Bundesamt für die Gesundheit Schweiz
Medical school
University of Crete - Greece (graduated in 2014)
General surgical and colorectal training
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Heraklion Crete, Greece
- University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) - Switzerland
- VUMedical Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Germany
- Karolinska University Hospital HUDDINGE - Gastrozentrum, Stockholm, Sweden
Main clinical and research interests
- Colorectal Surgery
- Fluorescence
- Laparoscopic and minimal invasive surgery
- Trauma surgery
- Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery
Member of the Y-ESCP Committee since
2022
Additional information
Membership of societies:
- European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) (2022 to present)
- International Society of Surgery (ISS-SIC) (2022 to present)
- Society of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery (SLS) (2021 to present)
- World Society of Emergency Medicine (WSES) (2019 to present)
- Hellenic Society of Colorectal Surgery (2017 to present)
- European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) (2016 to present)
- American College of Surgeons - Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) (2015 to present)
- Hellenic Study Group of Gastointestinal and Hepatobilliary Cancer (2012 to present)
- Hellenic Medical Student Association (2008-14)
- International Federation of Medical Student Association (IFMSA) (2008-14)
- Greek GastroInstestinal Cancer - Study Group (GIC-SG) (2007 to present)
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