Hello MICCAI community!

As we reach the end of my first year as president of our society, I am energized by the progress, collaboration, and impact our community has achieved over the past quarter. I have exciting news to share.

MICCAI 2025 was a tremendous success, and the survey results many of you completed reflect that. My sincere congratulations to the Organizing Committee and to everyone who contributed through their hard work and dedication. This year’s conference reached several significant milestones, including our largest attendance to date—more than 3,300 participants—and the highest number of papers presented. I was especially touched by the many first-time attendees who approached me to say MICCAI is now their favorite conference; it is mine too.

When we met in Daejeon, I announced the creation of the MICCAI Society Awards for the Advancement of Health Equity. Our review committee evaluated a strong set of proposals, and we are thrilled to announce the seven funded projects. Congratulations to our awardees and to all teams working to advance health equity worldwide.

In addition, we received many applications for the new MICCAI Society Membership Grants. Beginning in the new year, we will welcome new members from underrepresented regions to join our Society and benefit  from the opportunities and resources we offer.  Grant recipients will be notified this month. 

With generous support from the University of Catania, we are expanding our Mentorship Program to better support emerging researchers in Africa. We remain committed to strengthening diversity and inclusion across the MICCAI community, and we welcome ideas on how we can support similar initiatives across all regions.

The Board has remained focused on strengthening collaborations with peer societies worldwide. In October, we were happy to announce a new partnership with the European Society for Digital and Integrative Pathology (ESDIP), complementing our partnership with the European Society of Radiology (ESR) announced this summer. Together, we will jointly organize workshops, challenges, and educational initiatives that advance our shared mission. Stay tuned for further updates.

As promised, the Board is committed to member participation in decisions that shape the future of the Society. Thank you to everyone who voted on our new MICCAI Society logo and in the election of new Board members. We will begin the new year by sharing updates on both votes, along with our broader website redesign initiative.

Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all our volunteers—including the MICCAI Conference organizers, RISE-MICCAI, Women in MICCAI, the MICCAI Student Board, our mentors, Board and Working Groups, SIG members, and so many others. Your energy and commitment are vital to the continued success of our society and exemplify what the MICCAI community represents in the scientific world.

From all of us, I wish you a joyful holiday season and a harmonious new year!

Marius

Marius George Linguraru
President, MICCAI Society