Abstract Submission
Every breakthrough begins with a challenge.
In science, as in sport, it takes courage to face the unknown and push beyond limits.
We believe researchers are the true athletes of science: women and men who overcome barriers and drive progress in the fight against scleroderma.
Together, we celebrate every contribution and honour those who stand out as champions of progress.
Submit your abstract and join us at the Systemic Sclerosis World Congress 2026 in Athens, Greece.
Share your research, engage in discussion, and celebrate the spirit of discovery with colleagues from all over the world: take part in the first Scleroderma Champion Award, a competition that values teamwork and rewards excellence with a prestigious prize.
Each paper must not exceed 400 words.
Only JPG files, up to 500KB, for X Ray, CT scan, NMR, pictures of skin, fingers and so on can be uploaded.
The abstract will be structured in single headings: Introduction, Material and Methods, Results and Conclusion.
Deadlines
Abstract submission: Wednesday, September 10th, 2025 at 09:00 am CEST Extended until Monday, September 15th at 09:00 CEST.
Tentative notification to Authors: End of November 2025
Early bird registration fee: Monday, January 8, 2026
Encore Abstracts
Encore abstracts are admitted but it is not allowed to submit the very same abstract presented elsewhere. It is important to have at least a new aspect and/or analysis within more data or emphasis on different/additional interpretation.
Travel Bursaries
Kao Family Foundation – SCTC Young Investigator Travel Awards will be given to 10 eligible applicants with highly scored abstracts for participating in the the 9th Systemic Sclerosis World Congress in Athens, Greece and the American College of Rheumatology Annual Convergence Meeting in Orlando, USA (November, 2026).
Amount: $7,500 USD – Awards will be disbursed by the SCTC with $2,500 given prior to the 9th Systemic Sclerosis World Congress and $5,000 prior to the American College of Rheumatology Annual Convergence Meeting in 2026.
Eligible applicants: 1) Clinical fellows; 2) Junior attendings that are in the 1st or 2nd year of practice at the time of application; 3) PhD students; 4) Postdoctoral researchers who are in the 1st or 2nd year of research since receiving their PhD at the time of application
Additional eligibility criteria:
1. Applicant must be the first authorand the presenting author of a highly scored abstract
2. Only one author per abstract may be considered for the award
3. In any given year, an individual institution is allowed only one awardee
4. Applicants are only able to be selected for a Kao Family- SCTC Travel Award once
Instruction to Authors
The corresponding author is responsible for the abstract. Please note that only the corresponding author will receive mail concerning the abstract and is responsible for informing all co-authors of the status of the abstract. The corresponding author can be a first author or not.
When the Scientific Committee will have evaluated all the papers received, the abstracts correspondents will receive all the information and necessary elements by mail.
Accepted abstracts will be published on the “JSRD – Journal of Scleroderma and Related Disorders”.
Each abstract will be published as submitted. The organizers do not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the abstracts.
Topics
- Pathogenesis – Genetics, environmental triggers, and the influence of gender
- Pathogenesis – Fibrosis
- Pathogenesis – Immune dysregulation, including autoantibodies
- Pathogenesis – Vasculopathy
- Interstitial lung disease
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Heart
- GI system
- Raynaud and digital ulcers
- Skin and localized scleroderma
- Precision Medicine – including molecular and imaging studies
- Innovative therapies, including cell therapies
- Randomized Clinical Trials
- Standard of care therapies
- Patient perspective, including patient-reported outcomes
- Pediatric scleroderma
- Overlap syndromes
- Miscellaneous
For information about abstract submission please contact:
AIM Italy – Rome office
Via Flaminia 1068 – 00189 Rome, Italy
Tel. +39 02 56601.1 – E-mail: ssc2026.abstract@aimgroup.eu
