JIR-CliPS STSM 2026 – Four Weeks of Research, Clinical Exchange and International Collaboration

May 4th to May 29th, 2026 – Lausanne, Switzerland

In May 2026, the JIR-CliPS project, under COST Action CA21168, welcomed its fourth group of Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) grantees to Lausanne.

The STSM brings together clinicians from different countries and backgrounds for four weeks of intensive research, clinical exchange, training and networking in pediatric rheumatology and related fields.

A Smaller Group, a Strong Collaborative Dynamic

This year, seven grantees from six countries joined the programme. Although the group was smaller than in previous years, this created no shortage of exchange or collaboration. Working together in a shared environment throughout the month allowed the grantees to exchange ideas daily, support each other’s projects and build strong professional connections.

A particular highlight this year was the participation of two pediatric nephrologists, bringing an important multidisciplinary perspective to the group. Their expertise was especially valuable for projects involving Lupus Nephritis and IgA Vasculitis, highlighting the importance of collaboration across specialties in pediatric rheumatology.

Five Working Groups, Five Research Projects

Each grantee worked within one of the five JIR-CliPS Working Groups, working on ongoing projects and datasets developed through the network.

• WG1 – Lupus Nephritis

  Anna Kawalec (Poland) worked on “Glucocorticoid Therapy in Lupus Nephritis”, analysing the JIR-CliPS questionnaire database and focusing on current approaches to glucocorticoid treatment.

• WG2 – Vasculitis (Kawasaki & IgA Vasculitis)

  Mădălina Andreea Beldie (Romania) focused on urinalysis follow-up in children with IgA Vasculitis. By the end of the STSM, she had assembled a dataset of 190 clinician responses from 46 countries, with preliminary findings suggesting that monitoring practices vary according to the presentation of the skin rash.

• WG3 – Autoinflammatory Diseases

  -  Yoel Levinsky (Israel) investigated how colchicine resistance in Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is defined in the literature and in real-world JIR registry data, with the aim of contributing to more standardized definitions.

·       Fanny Faron (France) initiated the collection and analysis of data investigating serum calprotectin as a potential biomarker in FMF, laying the foundations for a future scientific publication.

• WG4 – PFAPA & SURF

  Serena Palmeri (Italy) worked on “Genetic testing in SURF patients”, organizing and processing data collected through questionnaires administered to clinicians (JIR CliPS)

• WG5 – sJIA / Still’s Disease

  Oya Koker (Turkey) returned for her second STSM to finalize her work on therapeutic strategies in pediatric Still disease, comparing real-world treatment approaches from the JIR Cohort with physician-reported treatment preferences.

Dr Hanene Lassoued, working at CHUV in Lausanne, also joined selected expert sessions as an external participant, contributing her experience in rare bone diseases and further strengthening the multidisciplinary exchange.

Learning From International Experts

Research activities were complemented by a rich programme of expert-led sessions, case discussions and scientific exchanges.

The grantees had the opportunity to discuss their projects and clinical questions with experts including Pr Sylvia Kamphuis (Netherlands), Dr Margarita Ganeva (Bulgaria), Pr Michael Hofer (Switzerland), Dr Ines Elhani (France), Charlotte Girard (Switzerland), Mariana Rodrigues (Portugal), Patricia Costa Reis (Portugal).

These sessions provided an opportunity not only to receive feedback on ongoing research, but also to compare clinical practices and approaches across countries and specialties.

Strengthening Research Skills

The programme also included training in research methodology, statistics, data management and Python coding, with sessions led by François Hofer and Konstantinos Pateras.

For the grantees, these practical sessions provided tools that could be directly applied to their ongoing research projects, from managing clinical datasets to understanding statistical approaches and preparing analyses.

Connecting Research With Clinical Practice

The STSM also offered opportunities to step outside the research environment and engage directly with clinical teams.

The grantees visited the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), where they discussed clinical cases, therapeutic approaches and current practices with local teams.

From Research to Collaboration

One of the most valuable aspects of the STSM was the opportunity to develop long-term international collaborations.

As one grantee reflected:

“The exchange of ideas with experienced researchers significantly contributed to my scientific development and broadened my understanding of both clinical and methodological aspects of the project.”

The four weeks also created opportunities to discuss future collaborative projects, including potential multicentre studies in pediatric rheumatology and autoinflammatory diseases.

A Month of Progress – and a Network That Continues

The STSM concluded with presentations of the grantees’ preliminary results, allowing them to receive feedback on their methodology, findings and next steps.

The work does not end in Lausanne. The grantees will continue presenting and developing their projects within their respective JIR-CliPS Working Groups, with the goal of transforming the work initiated during the STSM into collaborative research and scientific publications.

Key Achievements

• Research: Progress on five international research projects using JIR-CliPS and JIR Cohort data. 

• Multidisciplinary collaboration: Pediatric rheumatologists and nephrologists worked together across disease areas. 

• Research skills: Training in statistics, Python, data management and research methodology. 

• Clinical exchange: Discussions with experts and clinical teams at CHUV and HUG. 

• International networking: New collaborations developed across countries, institutions and specialties. 

• Scientific impact: Projects advanced towards further analysis, collaboration and future publications. 

The JIR-CliPS STSM once again demonstrated the value of bringing clinicians and researchers together in person: four weeks of focused work can create not only scientific progress, but collaborations that continue long after the STSM comes to an end.

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