Join the EASO Early Career Network (ECN) in Istanbul, Türkiye, at ECO2026.
The programme of ECN activities at ECO offers early career delegates opportunities to:
- Connect with peers from across Europe and beyond
- Engage with leading researchers and patient advocates
- And build lasting professional networks
Throughout the congress, dedicated ECN sessions provide networking, research dissemination, learning, and recognition of early-career excellence.
ECN Programme at ECO2026
TUESDAY 12 MAY
Meet Early Career Peers at a Guided Lunchtime Social
13.45-14.30 – ECN Lounge
Chairs: Andrej Belančić, Beatriz Farinha, and Martin Schön
Make connections at the congress and grow your professional network quickly through structured speed networking. This easy networking session will help early career delegates quickly connect with peers working across obesity research and clinical care. Remember to bring your lunch.
The ECN Board encourages delegates to prepare a short introduction: “Hello, my name is ___, from ___. I am a ___ working on ___ and this is my ___ time at ECO”.
WEDNESDAY 13 MAY
EASO-Novo Nordisk Foundation New Investigator Awards 2026
11.30-13.00 – Hall 6
Celebrate outstanding early-career research in obesity science.
Read more about the four 2026 EASO-NNF New Investigator Award winners, here.
Guided Networking & Professional Photo Booth
13.15-14:00 – ECN Lounge
Chairs: Rebecca Evans, Sohvi Lommi, and Sabine Pawellek
Early-career colleagues are invited to bring lunch to the ECN Lounge to take part in a relaxed and interactive networking session to build professional connections:
- Join “Find-a-Person” networking bingo
- Continue building connections with ECN peers
- Take a professional photo for free at the ECN photo booth to update your professional profile
EASO ECN Best Thesis Award 2026
16.30-18.00 – Hall 6
Chairs: Laura Kudlek and Andrej Belančić
Join the ECN to celebrate the finalists of the EASO ECN Best Thesis Award, recognising important thesis research in obesity. Three finalists will present their work and the award winner will be announced during the session.
Dr Borja Martinez Tellez, recipient of the 2024 EASO-NNF New Investigator Award in Clinical Research and co-author of the EASO Algorithm for the Management of Obesity, will discuss his career trajectory from PhD to establishing an independent research group in “Building a Career in Obesity Science.”
Track Posters Networking Reception (Tracks 1 & 3)
18.00-18.45 – Exhibition Area
THURSDAY 14 MAY
EASO-NNF 2025 Award Winners Review Session
11.30-13.00 – ECN Lounge
Hear from the 2025 award winners in a series of short interviews reflecting on their projects, discussing how they approached the grant and what they learned through the award process.
Lost in Translation – Do’s and Don’ts of Communicating Obesity Science
13.15-14.00- ECN Lounge
Chairs: Eugenia Romano and Matthew Harris
Communicating obesity research to the public requires clarity, sensitivity, and engagement with lived experience. In this interview session, Professor Giles Yeo (UK), patient advocates from the European Association for the Study of Obesity (ECPO), and the ECN Board will discuss challenges, common pitfalls, and practical strategies for translating obesity science into accurate, respectful, and accessible messages for lay audiences.
Track Posters Networking Reception (Tracks 2 & 4)
18.15-19.15 – Exhibition Area
The ECN Board looks forward to connecting with early-career colleagues in Istanbul.
Register as an ECN member to stay up-to-date with ECN news.
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