Paul Cotter (TEAGASC), Marco Candela (University of Bologna), Hauke Smidt (Wageningen University and Research), Martin Wagner (FFoQSI)
Tanja Kostic (AIT), Trevor Charles (University of Waterloo), Simone Gatzke (Forschungszentrum Jülich), Emmanuelle Maguin (INRAE)
Lene Lange (LL-BioEconomy), Yolanda Sanz (CSIC), Luca Cocolin (University of Turin), Angela Sessitsch (AIT), Gabriele Berg (Graz University of Technology)
Missing here: Inge Sarand (Tallinn University of Technology)
The first Food System Microbiomes Conference, which took place in Torino from 14 to 17 May 2024, marks the start of a new international format for the international microbiome community. With over 160 international participants from 25 countries, it has become a central meeting point for experts from science, industry and the public sector who are dedicated to the challenges and opportunities in food system microbiome research. Through Angela Sessitsch, President of the newly founded MicrobiomeSupport Association, Head of the AIT Competence Unit Bioresources and co-chair of the conference with Luca Cocolin, AIT plays an important role.
The conference presented an impressive list of international speakers who presented insights into their latest research. High-calibre scientists such as Angela Sessitsch and Franciska De Vries shared their knowledge on microbiomes in relation to food security, sustainable agriculture and health. Angela Sessitsch emphasised: "This conference is an important new format to connect microbiome research internationally and to understand and use the microbiomes in our food systems as an opportunity."
Networking through MicrobiomeSupport Association
The MicrobiomeSupport Association was developed from the EU-funded MicrobiomeSupport project to advance research on microbiomes for agriculture, food safety and health. It provides a platform for exchange between researchers, industry and policy makers and aims to deepen the understanding of the importance of microbiomes. Angela Sessitsch explains: "Our association plays a central role in establishing microbiomes as key elements of sustainable development and putting innovative approaches into practice." The founding of the Association marks an important step in the global effort to utilise and protect the potential of microbiomes.
Pioneering work in the world of microbiomes
The Bioresources team at the AIT Centre for Health and Bioresources is doing pioneering work internationally and plays a leading role in microbiome research, also as part of the Cluster of Excellence "Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health". The AIT contributes its expertise to advance research on microbiomes in relation to plant production, which is essential for the development of sustainable agricultural practices and helps to find solutions to the challenges of climate change.
Starting signal for a new international format
The Food System Microbiomes Conference 2024 has not only laid a strong foundation for future scientific collaboration, but also opened the door to new opportunities in the global research landscape. The second conference in the series is already planned for 2025. Also with strong AIT participation and with Angela Sessitsch and her team, the "miCROPe 2024 conference - Microbe-assisted crop production - opportunities, challenges and needs!" will take place in Vienna this year between 15 and 18 July: www.micrope.org
More about the Food System Microbiomes Conference: foodsystemsmicrobiomes.org