10th International Human Microbiome Consortium (IHMC) Congress 2024

Together with Nadia Andrea Andreani and another colleague from my institute, we attended the 10th International Human Microbiome Consortium (IHMC) Congress 2024, held in the historic city of Rome from June 22-25, 2024. Launched in 2008 during the early stages of microbiome studies, the IHMC Congress has grown into a pivotal event for experts, researchers, students, and companies interested in new developments in the field. The 10th edition aimed to strengthen the interchange between industrial and scientific partners and to expand participation across various study categories.

We had the opportunity to meet many researchers from diverse backgrounds, which enhanced our networking and collaborative prospects. Each of us presented a poster during the sessions. My poster focused on “The Human Gut Microbiome and its Key Constituents in the Context of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Network-Based Approach.” I presented our findings on how global and local network properties differ between IBD patients and healthy controls.

Andreani also gave a talk titled “Fecal microbiome of patients with Anorexia Nervosa differs compositionally and functionally from that of age-matched healthy controls.” Her presentation shed light on significant differences in the fecal microbiome of patients with anorexia nervosa compared to healthy individuals and provided valuable insights to the field.

The Congress featured a variety of interesting and diverse sessions. One of the standout sessions for me was “Manipulating the Gut Microbiome,” which provided a comprehensive overview of current strategies and future directions for microbiome manipulation. The sessions were typically divided into three different topics and held in separate rooms, ensuring that there was something of interest for everyone.

In addition to the enriching academic experience, we also had the chance to explore the beautiful city of Rome. Contrary to my expectations, Rome boasted more nature and green spaces than I had anticipated. We indulged in the best gelato and were amazed by the magnificence of St. Peter’s Basilica.