International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies
Newsletter Vol 10 - No 1 | February 2026

ISSVA President's Message

Dear ISSVA Colleagues,

As we sent in prior communications, it is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dr. John Mulliken, a pioneer in the field of vascular anomalies and a treasured member of our ISSVA family. Dr. Mulliken’s contributions shaped the very foundations of our discipline, and his impact will continue to guide our work for generations. We encourage all members to honor his legacy by visiting the tribute page on our website, where you may read more about his life and submit your own reflections in his memory.

I would also like to extend heartfelt gratitude to all who participated in our recent donation‑matching campaign. Thanks to your generosity, we raised $3,125 for the ISSVA Education Fund, and with a gracious member match, the total impact of the campaign reached $6,250. Your support directly advances our mission to foster education, collaboration, and excellence within our global community.

Lastly, a reminder that registration is open for the ISSVA World Congress 2026. Be sure to register before the early‑bird deadline (15 February) and secure your accommodations soon—we anticipate strong attendance and encourage early planning. Details and registration information are available on the Congress website.

Thank you for your continued commitment to ISSVA. Our community thrives because of each of you.

With warm regards,
Leo Schultze Kool
President, ISSVA

ISSVA Classification & Glossary

Issue Reporting

The ISSVA Classification and Glossary, updated in 2025, is a living document. We encourage your feedback for future iterations. Please submit any issues and/or feature requests for the ISSVA Classification System using the form below. Note: Names and emails are required in the form below, however, your information will not be shared publicly. These may be used to respond to your feedback directly by the Classification Working Group and/or ISSVA leadership.

Registration for the 2026 ISSVA World Congress is Now Open!

Registration for the ISSVA World Congress 2026 in Philadelphia, PA, USA is now open! Early registration rates are available now to everyone for both in-person and virtual attendance. Don't miss your chance to take part in this meeting, networking, and the fun we have planned for you. 

A dedicated hotel block for ISSVA attendees is also now open. Help ISSVA keep meeting costs down in the future by staying on our site hotel. It is located in the same building as the meeting, making your stay easier. There are lots of great options to eat and socialize at around the hotel area.  

2026 ISSVA Membership Renewals: Renew Now to Gain Discounted Registration to the World Congress!

Your membership may expire on 31 January 2026. To receive discounted registration to the upcoming World Congress, you must renew your membership for the 2026 year. Continue to receive ISSVA updates and have access to ISSVA member benefits by renewing today!

If you prefer to renew with a written invoice, please reach out to us at info@issva.org or you can renew online on the ISSVA website.

ISSVA Board of Directors Election: Recommended Slate of Candidates

  1. The existing Board shall recommend a slate of candidates for the officer and at-large director positions for election by the membership. The Secretary must notify the voting membership of these recommendations at least four weeks prior to the General Assembly at which elections will be held. Only Active members can be nominated or serve as officers or at-large directors. 
  2. Other nominations may be submitted by any member with voting rights to the Secretary at least one week prior to voting at the General Assembly. All nominees in good membership standing will appear on the ballot. Any member nominated for more than one office must choose which single office for which their name will appear on the ballot. 
  3. The President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and at-large directors will be chosen by a plurality vote of a quorum of the members at an annual General Assembly, unless such election is instead accomplished by electronic ballot in accordance with Article III, Section 6 of these Bylaws. 
  4. No individual may hold 2 offices on the Board, but a Board member may also sit on the Scientific Committee.

2026 Recommended Board of Directors Election Ballot

President Elect
    Miikka Vikkula, MD, PhD
Brussels, Belgium
Specialty: Genetics

Vice President
    Dov Goldenberg, MD, PhD
Sao Paolo, Brazil
Specialty: Plastic Surgery

Treasurer
    Maria Garzon, MD
New York, New York, United States
Specialty: Dermatology

Member at Large – Up to 5 positions open
 
    Eulalia Baselga, MD, PhD
Barcelona, Spain
Specialty: Dermatology

    Annouk-Anne Bisdorff-Bresson, MD
Paris, France
Specialty: Interventional Radiology

    Thuy Phung, MD, PhD
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Specialty: Pathology

    Sarah Sheppard, MD, PhD, MS
Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Specialty: Genetics

Ratification of Scientific Committee Chair:
    Ionela Iacobas, MD
Houston, Texas, United States
Specialty: Hematology/Oncology

Positions NOT on the ballot in 2026
•    President – Juan Carlos Lopez-Gutierrez – Plastic Surgery (2026-2028)
•    Secretary – Denise Adams – Heme/Onc (2024-2028)
•    Past President – Leo Schultze Kool – IR (2026-2028)
•    Editor-in-Chief – Gresham Richter – Otolaryngology (2025-2030)

Visit our website to learn more about each candidate and read the bylaws regarding Board of Directors candidate selection/nominee process and voting.

Journal of Vascular Anomalies

An Open Access Journal from ISSVA

JoVA is now indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): and moving towards Pubmed Central indexing.

Follow JoVA on X: @JOVAJournal

We invite you to read some of JoVA's most recent publications:

ISSVA 2025 Classification

Contemporary Review

Clinical Study (Prospective, Retrospective, Case Series)

Case Report

Call for Papers

The Editorial staff of JOVA is issuing a Call for Papers. This peer reviewed, open access journal is dedicated to the discovery and report of the scientific investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of congenital and acquired human vascular lesions. JOVA is indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and is available worldwide on Ovid®. Some manuscripts already have PubMed IDs.

We are accepting the following article types:

Submit today to ISSVA’s journal dedicated to Vascular Anomalies. Expedited review and publication! 

Submit a Manuscript

Connect With Us

Message Boards: Read the latest messages or start a conversation online with other members - ISSVA Message Boards.

Social Media: Follow ISSVA on X @ISSVA_org and LinkedIn.

Are we missing any meetings or items of interest?

If you are aware of an upcoming educational opportunity, meeting or other item of interest that should be included, please let us know at info@issva.org so we can review the item and, if appropriate, share it with our membership in our next newsletter.