Yohann Renard is a Professor of Anatomy and Digestive Surgery at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne and a Hospital Practitioner at Reims University Hospital. He obtained his MD and PhD in Life and Health Sciences from the University of Lorraine and completed advanced degrees in visceral and digestive surgery, simulation-based medical education, and anatomical sciences.

Prof. Renard’s academic work bridges anatomy, surgical simulation, and visceral surgery. He has been instrumental in developing new pedagogical approaches for surgical education, co-founding the School of Surgery of Reims and pioneering simulation-based training. His scientific research, conducted within Inserm U1264, explores the anatomical and physiological foundations of digestive surgery.

He is the founder and treasurer of the French Hernia Society (SFCP–CH) and Treasurer of the European Hernia Society (EHS). A recognized leader in surgical education, he has authored national teaching materials, coordinated training modules for the DES of Surgery, and co-developed the Fundamentals in Abdominal Wall Surgery program for the European School of Abdominal Wall Surgery. His work reflects an exceptional commitment to advancing surgical science, training, and international cooperation

Guillaume Passot is a Professor of Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine, Lyon 1 University, and a surgeon at the Department of General Surgery, CHU Lyon Sud. He is also the President of the French Hernia Society. He obtained his medical degree and PhD from the University of Lyon, with additional fellowships in oncologic and hepatobiliary surgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

His clinical and research expertise spans abdominal wall reconstruction, oncologic and robotic surgery, and the management of liver metastases. Prof. Passot has received multiple national and international distinctions, notably the IHPBA Kenneth Warren Foundation Fellowship.

A prolific researcher, he has authored more than 200 scientific publications indexed on PubMed and serves as Associate Editor for the International Journal of Hyperthermia and JAWS (Journal of Abdominal Wall Surgery). His work combines innovation in minimally invasive and reconstructive techniques with translational cancer research, positioning him as a leading figure in modern surgical oncology and abdominal wall surgery

Benoît Romain is a Professor of Surgery and Consultant (PU–PH) in General and Digestive Surgery at Strasbourg University Hospital (France). His scienftific PhD was focused on the molecular and cellular aspects of colorectal cancer celles migration. He also holds advanced qualifications in visceral and digestive surgery, medical pedagogy, and clinical research methodology. After completing his medical studies in Montpellier, he pursued his surgical training in Strasbourg (France) and Laussane (Switzerland). He developed expertise in complex abdominal wall, colorectal, and proctologic surgery.

Prof. Romain conducts his research as an associate member of the MMB team: Multi-scale Materials and Biomechanics at the ICube laboratory in Strasbourg. He is actively involved in several scientific societies, including the Société Française de Chirurgie de la Paroi (SFCP–CH), where he chairs the Pedagogical Committee, and the European Hernia Society (EHS), for which he serves on the Scientific Committee. He is also co-director of courses on complex abdominal wall surgery at the IRCAD in Strasbourg.

His career reflects a strong commitment to surgical excellence, research innovation, and the transmission of knowledge to the next generation of surgeons.

David Moszkowicz is a Professor of Surgery and Hospital Practitioner (PU–PH) and Head of the Digestive Surgery Department at Louis-Mourier Hospital, AP-HP, Université Paris Cité. He received his MD and PhD in Surgical Sciences from Paris universities, as well as advanced degrees in visceral and digestive surgery, medical pedagogy, and anatomy. His training included residencies and hospital appointments at Ambroise Paré, Beaujon, and Louis-Mourier hospitals within the AP-HP network.

Prof. Moszkowicz’s is the principal investigator of two national PHRC-funded studies (INCISOX and BeSURE) and has contributed to over one hundred PubMed-indexed publications (H-index 27). He is also actively involved in editorial reviewing for major surgical journals, including Annals of Surgery and Hernia.

An elected General Secretary of the French Hernia Society (SFCP–CH) since 2021, he is a member of multiple national and international surgical associations. A passionate educator, he leads the Inter-University Diploma in Abdominal Wall Surgery at Université Paris Cité and has been instrumental in developing ECNi teaching programs and national learning objectives for surgical education. His academic and clinical leadership have earned him several distinctions, including the Prix Prosper Veil from the Académie de Médecine and the Ledentu-Renon Award from the Académie Nationale de Chirurgie

Pablo Ortega-Deballon is a Professor of Surgery and Hospital Practitioner (PU–PH) in Digestive and Oncologic Surgery at the University Hospital of Dijon, France. Originally trained in Madrid, he holds both a Doctorate in Medicine from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and a PhD in Health Sciences from the same university, where he received the Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado. He later completed several specialized diplomas in surgical oncology, medical pedagogy, and experimental research in France.

Prof. Ortega-Deballon’s expertise covers visceral and digestive surgery, surgical oncology, and colorectal surgery. His research interests include postoperative inflammation, early detection of complications, and optimization of surgical outcomes. He has been principal or co-investigator in several national clinical trials, such as LIPADRAIN, CORTIFRENCH, and CORTICOLON, and contributes regularly as a reviewer for top-tier journals including The Lancet Gastroenterology, Annals of Surgical Oncology, and British Journal of Surgery.

He is a member of major surgical societies including the French Surgical Association (AFC), the French Society of Digestive Surgery (SFCD), and the French Hernia Society (SFCP–CH), where he serves on the Scientific Council. His academic and clinical career reflects a deep commitment to evidence-based practice and international collaboration in digestive and oncologic surgery