DOMINO: Advancing Food Microbiome Science Across Europe

Published: Nov 19, 2024 by FME Lab

The DOMINO project is at the forefront of connecting microbiome science, food systems, and health in Europe. Recent activities highlight how DOMINO is driving innovation and fostering collaboration:

Living Labs: At a Brussels event hosted by Ferments du Futur and partners, DOMINO showcased how Living Labs bring together researchers, producers, regulators, and consumers. These labs explore fermented foods like legumes in France and water kefir in Ireland, uncovering knowledge gaps and emphasizing the importance of consumer feedback in food innovation.

Stakeholder Forum: DOMINO launched its Stakeholder Forum with a webinar by Dr. Magali Cordaillat-Simmons, focusing on regulatory science for microbiomes. This platform ensures DOMINO’s research aligns with societal needs, promoting open dialogue on fermented foods and microbiome advances.

DOMINO is animating food microbiome science by combining interdisciplinary research, consumer engagement, and cross-sector collaboration, driving Europe toward healthier, more sustainable food systems.

HoloGen symposium on microbial meta-community modeling

On October 21, 2026, Julien Tap participated as an invited speaker in the Microbial Meta-Community Modeling symposium, organized by Karoline Faust at the Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium, as part of the HoloGen doctoral network retreat.

Fermented foods at the Fête de la science Paris-Saclay 2026

On October 3–4, 2026, Stéphane Chaillou and Alice Lima took part in the Village des sciences at ENS Paris-Saclay for the Fête de la science, France’s annual science festival. This year’s theme, “Saveurs savantes”, invited visitors to explore the science behind food and flavour.

From “synthetic” to defined microbial communities for clearer terminology

Stéphane Chaillou participated in a joint reflection with a group of international researchers, coordinated by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), on the terminology used to describe certain microbial communities. The collective of experts proposes replacing the term “synthetic community” (or SynCom), sometimes perceived negatively, with “Defined Microbial Community”.