Novel approaches for manipulating the gut microbiota through diet, pre- and probiotics, targeted antibiotic therapy and fecal microbiota transplantation for health maintenance and treatment are under investigation or already in use. The amount of literature published on this topic is expanding exponentially and includes studies, many of which rely on complex sequencing technologies and sophisticated bioinformatics analysis. The goal of the 2016 Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit is to keep abreast of this rapidly moving field and to discuss how these findings can be transferred to the clinical setting.
The Summit is organized by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and the European Society of Neurogastroenterology & Motility (ESNM) with the support of Danone Dairy and Biocodex. Through a joint scientific committee, both societies organized a comprehensive program targeting physicians, as well as nutritionists and health-care professionals from all areas.
Since 2015, two other renowned societies in the field of gastroenterology joined the Summit as partners: the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (ECCO, http://www.ecco-ibd.eu) and the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN, http://espghan.org),
Among others, the following questions will be addressed in lectures, workshops and poster sessions:
- What impact does diet switch have on the gut microbiota?
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How do life and medical events (antibiotic therapy, pregnancy, etc.) alter the gut microbiota?
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Why might an unbalanced gut microbiota be associated with metabolic syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) or liver diseases?
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What kind of impact do probiotics and prebiotics have on our gut microbiota?
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