THE 34th EORS — 2026 IN MADRID: FROM CELLS TO CLINIC — FROM CHAMBERÍ TO THE CASINO

The 34th Annual Meeting of the European Orthopaedic Research Society (EORS) between September 23 to 25, 2026 brought the community together in Madrid.(→ carousel). EORS held its very first meeting 1991 in Paris and developed since into a distinctly interdisciplinary European forum, connecting orthopaedic surgeons with biologists, engineers, material-, and translational scientists. Its scope is correspondingly broad, spanning cell biology, tissue regeneration, biomaterials, biomechanics, imaging, AI & digital medicine, and covering a multitude of musculosketal dieseases, e.g. osteoporosis, cartilage injury, and osteoarthritis (EORS2026)

No other location could have topped this year’s venue: the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). The engineering school dates back to 1845 and has occupied the historic Palacio de la Industria y las Artes since the beginning of the 20th century. (→ carousel). The building was completed in 1887 for Spain’s National Exhibition of Fine Arts, with an impressive dome, cast-iron structural elements and spacious halls that still retain much of their late-19th-century character. An ideal place to meet, chat, and discuss between sessions. The university sits close to Chamberí, one of Madrid’s most enjoyable residential neighborhoods. Just a short walk away are the traditional Mercado de Chamberí and the tree-lined Plaza de Olavide — a lively neighborhood oval space lined with cafés and tappa bars .

Chondrometrics contributed two oral presentations to the session on Artificial Intelligence & Digital Medicine: one on MRI radiomics of Hoffa’s fat pad as predictors of knee OA progression, and one on the clinical validation of AI-based cartilage segmentation in relation to subsequent knee replacement as a key clinical outcome in osteoarthritis. Both serve our goal to develop scalable and validated quantitative imaging biomarkers for selecting patients for clinical trials, monitoring progression, and evaluating treatment efficacy . (→ carousel).

The Wednesday Welcome Reception at Espacio ABC on Calle de Serrano provided an ideal setting for reconnecting with friends and colleagues after the first day of presentations. Welcome Cocktails on the rooftop of this historic building, formerly associated with the ABC newspaper and Blanco y Negro — lasted well into the night, with Madrid spread out below. (EORS2026). The Thursday conference dinner moved into a different piece of Madrid history: the Casino de Madrid, just off Puerta del Sol on Calle de Alcalá. This is not a gambling casino in the modern sense, but a historic private social and cultural institution founded in 1836. (→ carousel). Its spectacular headquarter, the Casino, opened in 1910 and reflects the cosmopolitan, eclectic architecture of Madrid at the early 20th century — with its grand staircase, richly decorated salons and ballroom providing a memorable setting for the EORS Gala Dinner. (EORS2026)

The combination of broad MSK scientific topics and local ingredients is likely the reason why smaller & medium-sized meetings remain so valuable: there is sufficient scientific diversity to encounter ideas outside one’s immediate field, while providing the right ambiente for people to meet, greet, talk, and spend time together.

Next stop: Crete 2027. After Madrid, we are already looking forward to the 35th Annual Meeting of EORS in on the beautiful Greek island next September. With Berlin, Vienna, and Copenhagen on the list of potential future venues. See you there!