
Congratulations to the recipients of the ESGE Research Grants!
At the Research Champions’ Den at ESGE Days 2022 ten researchers presented their projects to a panel of ESGE top international experts, in a bid to win an ESGE Research Grant.
After facing tough questioning from the ‘Dragons’ three grants were awarded to the following researchers:
- Enrique Rodríguez de Santiago (Spain)
- Esperanza Ulloa Márquez (Spain)
- Milou van Riswijk (The Netherlands)
We look forward to hearing about their projects in the future and wish them sincere congratulations!
The finalists in the 2022 ESGE Research Champions Den:

Enrique Rodríguez de Santiago (Spain)
University Hospital Ramon Y Cajal, Madrid
Short-term interruption versus continuous anticoagulation in colorectal polypectomy. A randomized multicenter non-inferiority clinical trial: the POLYPHEM-trial

Pierre Lafeuille (France)
Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon
Comparison of flat colorectal lesion detection by artificial intelligence-assisted colonoscopy – versus endoscopists: the AI Challenge

Marco Spadaccini (Italy)
Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan
The COMBO CAD study: Characterization cOMparison Between twO CAD systems

Esperanza Ulloa Márquez (Spain)
Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid
Endoscopic Mucosal Resection versus Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for the treatment of LST-NG flat elevated type ≥ 20 mm and LST-G mixed type ≥ 30 mm. A prospective, multicenter, randomized, non-inferiority study. “IntERsection” Study

Livia Archibugi (Italy)
IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan
PACEUT Pancreatic Cancer Evolution Upon Treatment

Jasmin Zessner-Spitzenberg (Austria)
Medical University of Vienna
Evaluation of within-lesion antitumor immunity in colon polyps to define high-risk patients in a colorectal cancer screening cohort – a pilot study

Marina de Benito Sanz (Spain)
Hospital Río Hortega, Valladolid
Clinical trial evaluating the effect of external evaluation and training on the incomplete resection rate in cold snare polypectomies in colonic lesions

Paolo Cecinato (Italy)
Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova di Reggio Emilia
Recurrence Rate After Endoscopic Removal by Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) versus Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) of Non-Polypoid Colorectal Laterally Spreading Tumour Granular Type (LST-G) Lesions: a Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial

Milou van Riswijk (The Netherlands)
Radboudumc, Nijmegen
Synergistic effect of G-Eye balloon for behind the folds visualization with artificial intelligence assisted polyp detection (Discovery system) on adenoma detection rate. ‘Discovery III study’

Hannah van Malenstein (Belgium)
University Hospital, Leuven
Methylome analysis of circulating free DNA in bile fluid to diagnose cholangiocarcinoma – EPIBILE
About the ESGE Research Champions' Den
The ESGE Research Champions' Den competition, held at ESGE Days congresses, is the final stage of the application process for an ESGE Research Grant. The aim is to bring hidden talent to light and to help established researchers to share their ideas and upcoming projects with the endoscopy world.
A team of experts, led by ESGE Research Committee Chair Pradeep Bhandari, select the top applicants for an ESGE Research Grant. At ESGE Days, the applicants have a few minutes to present their research projects to the jury of 'Dragons' at the Research Campions' Den, who quiz each applicant for 5 minutes. The dragons are able to distribute grants to the projects they judge to be most deserving of support.
Some of the action from last year…
It's Germana de Nucci now in the ESGE Research Champions Den. New hemostatic gel to treat bleeding. @mdinisribeiro is sceptical that this "treat all" solution is viable... Join the conversation! What are your thoughts on the champions' proposals so far? Use #esgedays2021 pic.twitter.com/AzMfw2C5W2
— ESGE (@ESGE_news) March 27, 2021
CONGRATULATIONS to @MarcusHollenba1! First place at the Research Champions' Den. 2nd came Mohamed Abdelrahim and then Laurent Monino. 🎉👏
— ESGE (@ESGE_news) March 27, 2021
Nice work on the moderation @gastro3570! #ESGEDays2021 live wrapping up soon but will stay on demand until 31 May. pic.twitter.com/SsQ0Iw9mXZ
Final potential research champion is Mo. @gastro3570 is curious that we have an innovator trying to bring EMR back to the forefront. Evelien is grilling Mo on cost effectiveness. Cesare: does it conflict with the ESGE guideline on the subject? Your thoughts? #ESGEDays2021 pic.twitter.com/Mv7XzPlrNO
— ESGE (@ESGE_news) March 27, 2021
Very happy and honored to have participated in ESGE Den. Thank you again so much for the opportunity @ESGE_news @gastro3570 @mdinisribeiro. Definetely very good news (and opportunity ) to be able to meet @thomas_rosch and present our POEM project to him @SEEDendoscopia @aegastro https://t.co/fxGjs8ny8l
— Hugo Uchima (@hugo_uchima) March 27, 2021
Watch our virtual final at ESGE Days 2021…

Pradeep Bhandari
Application details
ESGE individual members from around the globe are eligible to apply, and physicians at any stage of their careers may apply.
All jury decisions are final. The ESGE Research Committee Chair will be the moderator who introduces applicants and moderates the session. After the jury's discussion, the moderator announces which applicants have won financial support.
The applicants who are not successful in obtaining a grant for their research project get free registration at the next ESGE Days. Winners are committed to supplying study reports to ESGE and to submitting the study results to Endoscopy.
To find out more about the ESGE Research Champions Den and other ESGE grants and awards visit esge.com.