Dear ESB Members,

In the coming days, notifications regarding WCB abstract acceptance will be sent to all submitters. This is therefore a good time to register for the conference, considering the Early Registration deadline of March 27, 2026.

In this issue, you will find several important updates for ESB members:

• Key information about WCB registration for ESB members: a to-do list to avoid errors!
• Added awards section with tables and links to the rules
• News from the working group
• Updated timeline and new availability for ESB election
• Call for ESB affiliated endorsed conferences
• Last update from WCB

 

As always, stay tuned by visiting our website for further details and for the latest news.

Enjoy the read!

 

Bernardo Innocenti,

Chair of the Publication Committee

 

Message from the president 

Dear ESB Members,

I hope you enjoyed a restorative winter break and have begun 2026 with energy and optimism.

This year marks a remarkable milestone for our Society: the 50th anniversary. Reaching half a century is more than a celebration of longevity — it is an opportunity for reflection, renewal, and vision. Like any vibrant community at midlife, we should celebrate our past achievements while thoughtfully shaping the path toward an even stronger future.

Our anniversary year will be highlighted by the 10th World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB) in Vancouver, which we are proud to co-organise with our colleagues from the Canadian and American Societies of Biomechanics. ESB will host a dedicated special session featuring a retrospective on ESB history, the presentation of ESB awards, an engaging scientific debate, our General Assembly, and a celebratory networking event. I warmly encourage you to take part in this unique gathering of our global biomechanics community. Registrations to WCB are now open. When registering, please indicate ESB as your primary society and the congress you would typically attend if WCB were not taking place. I also kindly ask you to encourage your team members and colleagues to do the same — even if they are not ESB members, yet. See below for more details.

At our last congress in Zurich, we launched two ESB Working Groups addressing key challenges in our field. I am delighted to see these groups actively collaborating and generating momentum. They represent exactly what ESB stands for: collective expertise, shared purpose, and forward-thinking initiative. A new call for Working Groups will open soon, with a deadline in April. If you have ideas for challenges where ESB can catalyse progress, I encourage you to step forward. See below for more details.

Finally, in July, Dieter Pahr and I will conclude our second (and last) mandate. Eight years have passed swiftly. We have navigated the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic and lockdown, strengthened the Society’s financial foundation, expanded support for early career researchers, and witnessed growing participation in our annual congresses.   The time is approaching to pass the torch to a new generation of visionary biomechanists. This year, at least five positions on the ESB Council will be open. I warmly invite you to consider applying to contribute to the leadership of our society. See below for more details.

With warm regards,

Enrico Dall’Ara,

ESB President

 

Registration WCB for ESB: the To Do list to avoid error!

WCB 2026: indicate ESB as your society when registering

The abstract acceptance notifications of the 10th World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB 2026, Vancouver, Canada) are expected to be sent out on 25^th February 2026. Hoping that your abstracts will be accepted and you’ll proceed with registration to the congress, we’d like to kindly remind you that during the registration process please select ESB as your affiliated society whose meeting you typically attend and would have attended if it weren’t for WCB 2026.

This is very important for you to make sure that your membership is renewed for next year and for the Society as ESB receives financial support for each registered member.

Please note that the deadline for early registration with reduced fees is 27^th March 2026 and make sure you start with the visa application earlier enough.

 

Peter Varga,

Chair of the Meetings and External Affairs Committee

 

News from the working groups

As you know, last year we started a new initiative within the ESB and launched the first two ESB Working Groups working on the following topics:

• Musculoskeletal Spine Modeling (MSM)
• Virtual Twins of Human Organ Systems

Both groups have made a start with setting up their Working Groups the past 6 months, and we are very much looking forward to the results they will obtain. Below you can already find an update from the Musculoskeletal Spine Modeling Working Group.

I am excited to let you know that we would like to expand the number of ESB Working Groups.

We will send out a call for new Working Groups soon (deadline half/end April), so stay tuned for more information!

 

Update from the Musculoskeletal Spine Modeling Working Group:

The Working Group regularly met over the past months to prepare a Public Survey, aimed at capturing the current practices, methodologies, challenges, and emerging trends on MSM construction, validation, and application in biomechanical and clinical settings. The recipients of the Survey will include the ESB community, but also the MSM community worldwide.

The initiative will be officially launched in Spring 2026 through an ESB Webinar.

Anyone interested in supporting this initiative as a contributor or as a recipient is welcome (contact: luigi.labarbera@polimi.it).

More updates will be available soon!

 

Sandra Loerakker,

Chair of the Webportal and Working Groups Committee

 

ESB Award to be presented at WCB;

Dieter Pahr,

Chair of the Award Committee

 

 

Timeline and new availability for ESB Council elections at WCB 2026

The ESB General Assembly will take place on 13 July 2026, during WCB26. On this occasion, following the elections, we will welcome the newly elected ESB Council.

This year, five (5) Council seats will be available, including two ESB Council members standing for re-election for a second mandate.

All active ESB members in good standing are warmly invited to consider standing as candidates and contributing to the governance and strategic development of the Society.

Timeline

• 13 March 2026 – Call for candidatures (four months before the GA)
• 13 May 2026 – Deadline for submission of candidatures
• 22 June 2026 – Opening of the electronic ballot
• 12 July 2026 – Closing of the ballot (24 hours before the GA)
• 13 July 2026 – Announcement and ratification of results at the GA

Detailed instructions on how to submit your candidacy will be provided in the official call.

Serving on the ESB Council is an opportunity to actively shape the future of our community. We strongly encourage motivated members to apply.

 

Michele Conti

Secretary General

 

Call for ESB affiliated endorsed conferences

Do you organize a meeting with topics related to biomechanics? Please consider applying for ESB endorsement.

Advantages:

• Boost visibility of your meeting in our Society
• Use the ESB logo
• Use the phrase “under the patronage of the ESB”
• Possibility to ask for support of up to 1000 EUR to be used for ESB initiatives or for up to 5 contributions of 400 Euros for ESB members participating the event

Requirements:

• Clearly demonstrated relationship between the meeting’s program and biomechanics
• English as the official language of the event
• Benefits for ESB members (at least an at least 20% reduction on the registration fees)

 

Interested? Please consult the rules here and send your proposal to Peter Varga, Chair of the External Affairs and Meetings Committee (meeting.chair@esbiomech.org).

 

Peter Varga,

Chair of the Meetings and External Affairs Committee

 

Last Update from WCB 2026: Plenary Speaker Highlights, Abstract Notifications & Planning Reminders

 

Plenary Speaker Highlights

Dr Jeff Crandall

Applications of Sports Injury Prevention and Performance through Biomechanics and Data Analytics

How do we reduce injury risk without compromising performance?

At WCB 2026, Dr Jeff Crandall will present a systems-level approach to sports biomechanics, combining wearable sensor data, computer vision, advanced modeling, and machine learning to understand injury risk in real game conditions.

Drawing on extensive experience consulting with the NFL and the concept of the Digital Athlete, this plenary explores how individualized, data-driven models can inform protective strategies, rule changes, and equipment design across sport.

Learn more: https://wcb2026.com/plenary-speakers/

 

 

Professor Alison Marsden

Engineering Surgeries for Congenital Heart Disease

What if cardiac surgeries could be designed before the patient enters the operating room?

Professor Alison Marsden’s plenary will highlight how patient-specific computational models, virtual surgery, and digital twins are transforming treatment planning for congenital heart disease.

Her work demonstrates how simulation, multi-physics modeling, and open-source platforms such as SimVascular are already improving clinical outcomes—and shaping the future of personalized cardiac care.

Learn more: https://wcb2026.com/plenary-speakers/

 

Accommodation & Visa Reminders

Accommodation

A limited number of discounted rooms are available through the official WCB 2026 housing bureau. To support the Congress and avoid housing scams, delegates are strongly encouraged to book only through the official channels.

View hotels and book accommodation NOW:
https://wcb2026.com/accommodation/

 

Visa Requirements – Apply Early

Many international delegates will require a visa to enter Canada. Processing times may take 3–6 months, so early application is strongly advised.

Visa guidance, application steps, and supporting documentation details are available here:
https://wcb2026.com/visa-information/

 

Important Dates

• Abstract Notifications: February 25, 2026
• Travel & Student Bursary Notifications: March 6, 2026
• Early Registration Deadline: March 27, 2026
• WCB 2026 Congress: July 11–15, 2026

 

We look forward to sharing more program highlights and Congress updates in the coming weeks.

 

WCB 2026 Local Organizing Committee
www.wcb2026.com