Scientific exchange with the clinical community is a cornerstone of the SQUEEZE project. Over the past year, consortium members have actively participated in national and regional rheumatology congresses across Europe, bringing SQUEEZE research directly to practicing rheumatologists, researchers, and trainees. These meetings provide an essential forum to share progress, discuss emerging evidence, and align cutting-edge research with real-world clinical needs.
Bringing SQUEEZE to National Rheumatology Congresses
SQUEEZE has been represented at several major national and regional meetings of rheumatology societies.
In September, project partners participated in the Scandinavian Congress of Rheumatology in Malmö, Sweden, engaging with clinicians and researchers from across the Nordic countries. The congress offered a rich scientific programme, with sessions on therapeutic drug monitoring, precision medicine in rheumatology, and advances in translational research.
In November 2025, SQUEEZE was present at the Annual Meeting of the Austrian Society of Rheumatology in Vienna. This meeting provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the project’s work within a national clinical context and to engage in in-depth discussions on data-driven approaches, registries, and biomarker-guided treatment strategies.
Also in November, SQUEEZE research was also presented at the Norwegian Society for Rheumatology’s annual meeting in Drammen, further strengthening the project’s visibility and dialogue within the Nordic rheumatology community.
Beyond Central and Northern Europe, SQUEEZE also reached Southern Europe through its participation in the annual meeting of the Madrilenian Society of Rheumatology (SORCOM) in Spain, where the project was presented in a dedicated poster contribution.
Scientific Contributions: From Data Sharing to Synovial Biology
Across these meetings, SQUEEZE partners contributed actively through lectures, poster presentations, and scientific discussions. At the Austrian annual meeting, SQUEEZE researchers presented a poster on the characterisation of methotrexate initiation cohorts across European rheumatoid arthritis registries, highlighting both the scientific insights and the challenges and opportunities of cross-national data sharing. In addition, a dedicated lecture addressed data sharing in rheumatology research, a key enabling factor for large-scale, federated analyses as pursued within SQUEEZE.
Further poster contributions reflected the breadth of the project’s scientific scope, including work on synovial biology and cellular interactions, such as research on fibroblast-like synoviocyte–monocyte interactions driving synovial inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. These presentations connected fundamental mechanisms with the project’s overarching goal of improving treatment selection and optimisation in clinical practice.
Strengthening Dialogue Between Research and Practice
Participation in national society meetings is a deliberate and strategic element of SQUEEZE’s dissemination and engagement approach. By presenting results and concepts directly to rheumatologists in the countries represented within the consortium, the project fosters early dialogue, critical feedback, and mutual learning. These interactions help ensure that SQUEEZE outputs remain clinically relevant, feasible, and aligned with existing care pathways and professional standards.
As SQUEEZE continues its journey, engagement with national and regional rheumatology communities will remain a priority. Through continued presence at scientific congresses, the project aims to build lasting connections, support knowledge exchange, and contribute to the shared goal of more precise, effective, and patient-centred treatment strategies for people living with rheumatoid arthritis across Europe.
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