On 1^st and 2^nd September 2016, the Microbiology Society/ Irish Society for Immunology held a meeting in Ireland on “exploring the microbe-immune system interface”. Dr Mahesh Desai, principal investigator and group leader at LIH’s Department of Infection and Immunity, presented his latest work on the role of dietary fibre in health and disease through the metabolic activity of the gut microbiome, and was awarded with the “prize for the best oral presentation”.

The Microbiology Society is Europe’s largest membership organisation for scientists who work in all areas of microbiology. The two-day meeting gathered around 200 experts for an intense and inspiring programme with 24 oral presentations, 20 flash poster presentations and over 100 poster presentations. The conference aimed to bring together scientists working at the interface of immunology and microbiome research.

Dr Desai was invited to report his current work in the field of eco-immunology with a 15 min presentation entitled “A dietary fibre-deprived gut microbiota degrades the colonic mucus barrier and promotes pathogen access”. The research focus of the group Eco-Immunology and Microbiome, headed by Dr Desai, investigates functional interactions between dietary fibre, the gut microbiome and the colonic mucus barrier, which serves as a primary defence against enteric pathogens.

For his comprehensive presentation Dr Desai received the prize for the best oral presentation at the conference closing.  ‘This is a very nice distinction, not only for myself but also for my young research team at the Department of Infection and Immunity’, he tells.