ECM2026 brought together a vibrant and engaged ECM community at a time of remarkable progress in the field. Across four days of inspiring science and discussion, participants showcased how ECM research continues to evolve from fundamental biological understanding to therapeutic innovation.

The congress highlighted the critical role of the extracellular matrix across a wide range of diseases and underscored the importance of continued collaboration to address unmet medical needs. With fibrogenesis linked to approximately 40% of deaths in the Western world and still underrepresented in therapeutic development, the need for innovation has never been greater.