Advancing Microbiome Research: Insights from the 4th Polepharma Microbiomics Days

Published: Nov 23, 2023 by FME Lab

The 4th edition of the Polepharma Microbiomics Days, presided over by Professor Pierre Dechelotte, Head of Nutrition at CHU de Rouen Normandie and part of the Inserm – University of Rouen Normandie Unit, recently concluded at the Kindarena in Rouen.

This prestigious event brought together nearly 100 stakeholders and decision-makers from the pharmaceutical industry to discuss the therapeutic potential of the microbiome. The event was structured around the theme of translational research and the applications of microbiota science, featuring a range of activities including keynotes, experience sharing, discussions, and a cocktail dinner evening.

A key session of the event, titled “The Evolution of Modeling and New Opportunities” featured an insightful presentation¹ by Julien on the ecological modeling of the microbiome using extensive data sets². His talk highlighted how large-scale data analysis can guide the development of personalized therapeutic and nutritional strategies, a significant step forward in microbial ecology.Following the session, there was a vibrant follow-up discussion with the audience, further delving into the nuances of ecological modeling and its implications for the future of healthcare.

Slides from Julien’s conference are available here: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04316201

Julien Tap. Branches and ecological states of the gut microbiome: Mapping for future personalized nutritional and therapeutic interventions. Journées Polepharma de Microbiomique, Polepharma, Nov 2023, Rouen, France. hal-04316201 ↩
Julien Tap, Franck Lejzerowicz, Aurélie Cotillard, Matthieu Pichaud, Daniel Mcdonald, et al.. Global branches and local states of the human gut microbiome define associations with environmental and intrinsic factors. Nature Communications, 2023, 14 (1), pp. 3310. 10.1038/s41467-023-38558-7 hal-04159501 ↩

The FME lab communicates about the links between the microbiome, nutrition and health.

On Thursday 27 November, the FME lab took part in the Food System Microbiomes Conference in Wageningen during the session dedicated to the connections between microbiomes, nutrition and health. The session was co-chaired by Stéphane Chaillou (INRAE, Micalis) and Prof. Christophe Courtin (KU Leuven), and provided an opportunity to showcase advances from two major European projects: DOMINO and HealthFerm.

Understanding How Fermented Foods Shape Health Insights From a New PIMENTO Review

A new scoping review published in Frontiers in Nutrition¹ as part of the COST Action PIMENTO initiative provides a comprehensive assessment of what is currently known about the health effects of fermented foods in specific human populations. This work reflects a substantial collective effort. We conducted an extensive and rigorous screening of the scientific literature, reviewing and selecting studies across many categories of fermented foods and health outcomes.

Humblot Christèle, Alvanoudi Panagiota, Alves Emilia, Assunçao Ricardo, Belovic Miona, Bulmus-Tuccar Tugce, Chassard Christophe, Derrien Muriel, Karagöz Mustafa Fevzi, Karakaya Sibel, Laranjo Marta, Mantzouridou Fani Th, Rosado Catarina, Pracer Smilja, Saar Helen, Tap Julien, Treven Primož, Vergères Guy, Pertziger Eugenia, Savary-Auzeloux Isabelle, A scoping review of the health effects of fermented foods in specific human populations and their potential role in precision nutrition: current knowledge and gaps. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025 doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1650633 ↩

New tool suite - Food Microbiome Metabolic Modules (F3M)

The FME team has published a new preprint in Open Research Europe entitled
“Food Microbiome Metabolic Modules (F3M): a tool suite for functional profiling of food microbiomes.”
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