An evening of heartwarming food, exciting science and personal reflections on food, culture and the gut microbiome!

*THIS EVENT IS FULLY BOOKED*

Why does the soup of your grandmother help against stomachache? What do your childhood memories have to do with the trillions of microorganism that populate your guts?  

“Food Stories for the Microbiome” is a participatory project on the gut microbiome, i.e., the microorganisms that cohabitate our guts, and its strong connections to food and culture. The project uses personal and cultural food stories as a starting point for a dialogue on the relevance of the microbiome, the beneficial role of bacteria, and the interplay between scientific and cultural ways of knowing.

For the past couple of months, a group of volunteers from diverse cultural backgrounds came together to explore the strong links between food, culture and the microbiome. We learnt about emergent microbiome research and had our own gut microbiomes analysed. We implemented temporary interventions in our diet based on traditional remedies for gut health and monitored the changes in our microbiome after these interventions.

On the World Microbiome Day, we invite you to a communal meal that concludes this trajectory. In a unique and intimate dining setting, we invite you to taste the food and cuisines that inspired our food interventions and converse with us about our experiences and discoveries. The evening will start with short presentations on the microbiome, followed by a seated dinner spread across different tables (one table per volunteer).      

Please note that there are only limited places available (18 participants)! It is possible to register for vegetarian or non-vegetarian table but you cannot explicitly choose your table and food. Regretfully, we cannot cater for food allergies or special dietary needs.

This event is organised by MyMicroZoo, Delft Universiteit and Universiteit Leiden.

Practical information

Location: PLNT, Langegracht 70, 2312 NV Leiden

Time: 18.30

Ticket: 5 euros, including a light meal

Registration via EventBrite - only 18 places available! (12 vegetarian spots, 6 non-vegetarian)

Language: English