IWOAI 2025 – A Firework of Science, Shape & Summer 

The very first International Workshop on Osteoarthritis Imaging (IWOAI 2007) was held in Ainring (the headquarter of Chondrometrics at the time). The philosophy behind it was to create a meeting that takes place at a quiet part of the world, with ample time for the exchange of scientific ideas and forming personal friendships; a concept that has “survived” for now 18 years. The workshop is meant to focus on the application of imaging technology to clinical research and clinical trials, targeted at the development of treatments.

Thanks to the many organizer’s since who always kept the spirit & philosophy of the meeting:

Beverly MA 2008; York UK 2009; Vancouver BC 2010; Salzburg Austria 2011; Hilton Head SC 2012; Djerba Tunesia 2013; Reykjavik Iceland 2014; Pacific Grove CA 2025; Oulu Finland 2016; Sydney Australia 2017; Menton France 2018; Charlottetown PE 2019; Salzburg Austria 2020; Rotterdam Netherlands 2021; Tokyo Japan 2022; Lausanne Switzerland 2023; Marrakech Morocco 2024 & of course Cambridge UK 2025.

On the day prior to the Cambridge meeting, Chondrometrics held a scientific pre- advisory board (SAB) dinner (Fig. 2), preparing for the full SAB meeting later this year, which will take place at the headquarter in Freilassing.

Hats off to Tom Turmezei, Cecilia Brassett, and their team for organizing an outstanding workshop at Magdalene College – under the inspiring motto: “ANATOMY: the basis of shape, structure & function.” Pure joy for anatomists and imaging scientists alike!

From student dorms to lecture halls, college halls to pubs, and panels to punting. From British tea to cider, burgers to Indian curry, and IPA to homegrown British wine. And a classic blue British sky during a July heatwave – truly science with soul. What made it so special was the amazing flow, density, and openness of information – the kind you only get when people stay together from breakfast to the last pint in the pub over four days.

Chondrometrics was proudly represented by Wolfgang Wirth and Felix Eckstein. Each of them contributed both an oral and a poster presentation (Fig. 3 ff). They were joined by industry partner Chris Knight from Formation Bio, who shared exciting data on cartilage thickness gains with Sprifermin treatment in stratified radiographic & symptomatic subgroups. And from Noël Spoelder, Mylène Jansen and& Tom Turmezei, presenting sex-differences in knee cartilage thickness.

Check the Figures below for scientific highlights, presentations & posters.

The next and 20th IWOAI will be organized by Wolfgang Wirth (Chondrometrics) and Frank Roemer (Universität Erlangen), to take place in July 2026 in Munich, Bavaria. Hope to see you there and take the story into the 3^rd decade.