The banner say it all! I’m going to attend the 10th Microbiome & 7th Probiotics R&D & Business Collaboration Forum! During this 2-day conference, I will be a VIP guest, soaking in the knowledge of the pioneers of probiotic research and development (R&D). I’ll be attending as many talks as I can, taking in the sights and sounds of microbiome research, and updating you on the latest in probiotic R&D. I’ll also be speaking with a wide array of thought leaders about their efforts to advance human microbiome research and develop microbial therapeutics for gastrointestinal and other diseases. My time in this conference promises to be a thrilling one, and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to take part in such an awesome meeting.
Where is the conference taking place?
The conference will take place in sunny Miami, Florida! Located in the heart of the city is the Hyatt Regency, a 4-star hotel providing spacious meeting and exhibit space and full catering services that will provide conference goers a grand time. Just a few minutes walk north of the hotel stands the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, providing hands-on environmental and technological exhibits for science lovers of all stripes. Shopping lovers will also want to visit Bayside Marketplace, a two-story open-air shopping center that provides boat tours and a great waterfront view. Best of all, the hotel is located minutes away from the city’s iconic beaches, providing a great opportunity to bask in the sun and relax! With the Hyatt Regency nestled in the heart of Miami, I’m excited to look around after conference hours!
What will I be doing there?
Despite me raving about the chance to visit Miami, I’ll be doing far more than just sightseeing while I’m there. For my three-night stay, I will be providing you recaps for each day of the conference. I’ll write about the sets of talks and discussions being showcased and tell you about where we stand in probiotic R&D. I’ll also be meeting with company leaders and telling you about what they’re doing to foster microbiome research and the probiotics industry. Swing by here during my stay and I’ll write to you all about my experiences in Miami. And it goes without saying, I’ll be taking plenty of pictures to share!
What will be showcased in the conference?
There will be hundreds of attendees, many of whom are specialists in microbiome research and probiotic drug development. 60 of these attendees will be speakers spearheading the discussions about important topics pervading the probiotic industry. All their talks are placed into one of five tracks that puts a spotlight on the ways that microbes can enhance your health and treat disease:
- Gut health and disease: This features research and advances in treating gut diseases. This includes gastrointestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Clostridium difficile infections, and metabolic disorders like those associated with the gut-liver axis which I discussed in my previous blog post. Potentially life-changing treatments such as fecal microbiome transplants (FMT) will also take center stage in this track.
- Microbiome research technologies: This track focuses on ways to study human-based microbial communities in the lab. These include DNA and RNA sequencing, approaches to classify microbial species from sequencing data, and using artificial intelligence to study the human microbiome.
- Probiotics and prebiotics: In my previous blog post, I distinguished between probiotics and prebiotics. These rounds of talks will focus on studying how live microbes or specific compounds that stimulate microbial growth can be used to treat human diseases.
- Lactobacillus-based probiotics (LBP) manufacturing, regulations, and investment: Current probiotics primarily focus on using Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium. You may have encountered these microbes when you read the labels in the probiotics you ingest. Featured in the second day, this set of speakers will talk about the state of these approved probiotics and delve deeper into how more microbes can be rigorously tested for approval. These discussions will also feature ways to enhance investment in this ever-growing field.
- Personalized nutrition: Last, but certainly not least, this track focuses on shedding light to the immense role that your gut microbes play in nutrition. Gut microbes are known to modulate nutrient uptake and production in the gut. A better understanding of how the gut microbiota affects nutrient uptake and production will further spur forward current and future efforts to harness the gut microbiota for improving metabolic health.
On top of that, this conference is happening together with the 4th skin microbiome & cosmeceuticals congress! There are two separate tracks for two days that deal with the skin microbiome and developing probiotics to keep your skin healthy.
Concluding remarks
I can’t wait to talk to you about all the cool things being done about probiotics and microbiome research in two weeks time! On a personal note, I’ve grown up traveling a lot from Asia to North America. To be able to travel once again in a time like this leaves me brimming with joy! That’s why I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to head on down to Miami and learn something new while I’m at it. So watch this space for day-to-day updates as I travel to Miami and absorb all the buzz within the probiotic space! See you there!
