Join us this April for an immersive 3.5-day interdisciplinary PhD course on Gut Biology, hosted at the scenic Gl. Avernæs, Denmark.

This course offers a unique opportunity for approximately 35 PhD students to engage deeply with the fundamentals and frontiers of gut and microbiome research. Designed to bring together both early-career and established researchers from a variety of scientific backgrounds, the programme fosters an interactive learning environment centred around cutting-edge topics in gut biology and host-microbe interactions.

As a participant in the course, you will benefit from a diverse range of activities including keynote lectures from prominent national and international experts, interactive workshops, poster sessions, and scientific networking events. You will present your own research, exchange ideas, and receive constructive feedback in an open, collaborative and supportive setting.

The programme covers a broad spectrum of topics crucial to understanding the complex world of the gut microbiome, including:

• Introduction to the Gut & Analysis Methods
• The Role of the Microbiome in Inflammatory & Metabolic Diseases
• Innovative Technologies and Model Systems in Microbiome Research
• The Immune System at the Host-microbe Interface
• Diet and Gut Microbiome Interactions
• Importance of the Gut-brain and Gut-liver Axis on the Microbiome
• Artificial Intelligence – Will It Be of Help in Microbiome Research?
• Microbiome Intervention Studies
• Evening Lecture on Microbiome Forensics
• Workshops on:
  • Designing Functional Microbiome Studies
  • Hands-on Metagenome Analysis: A Parkinson’s Disease Case Study
  • From Basic Research into Industrial Applications

Beyond the scientific content, the course is designed to help you build an international network through plenty of informal opportunities to meet speakers, organisers, and fellow students.

The programme includes dedicated time to learn about your peers’ research, exchange ideas, and connect with scientists from Denmark and abroad. You will take part in “Meet the Speakers” networking sessions, offering a unique chance to interact directly with invited speakers in an informal setting and join open, small-group discussions on research, career paths, or other shared interests. There will also be time to network and have fun with fellow participants while exploring the many possibilities the venue has to offer.

Whether you are looking to deepen your expertise, present your work, or expand your professional network, this PhD course offers a platform for scientific development and career advancement in the dynamic field of gut biology.

Speakers:

• Anders Albrechtsen, Professor, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Astrid Dempfle, Professor, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)
• Benjamin Anderschou Holbech Jensen, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Christoph Schramm, Professor, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
• Eric Alm, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
• Felix Sommer, Group Leader, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)
• Florian Tran, Group Leader, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)
• Ghaith Bakdash, Senior Director Translational Biology, Microbiotica (UK)
• Jan Euteneuer, Research Associate, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (DE)
• Jatin Nagpal, Lecturer, Group Leader, University College Cork (IE)
• Lorenz Adlung, Junior Group Leader, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
• Maria Blamer, Professor, University and University Hospital Bern (CH)
• Rahma Elmahdi, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Sarela García Santamarina, Professor, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (DE)
• Sarina Ravens, Professor, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (DE)
• Silvio Waschina, Associate Professor, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)
• Stefanie Derer-Petersen, Group Leading Senior Scientist, University of Lübeck (DE)
• Victor Haas, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)

Workshop Leaders:

• Alvaro Quevedo Olmos, PhD Student, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)
• Corinna Bang, Postdoctoral Researcher, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)
• Evelina Stankevic Forman, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Felix Sommer, Group Leader, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)
• Fernanda Schreiber, Associate Director, Microbiotica (UK)
• Marisa Keller, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Mo Ha, Director, Institute of Digital Earth, (CN)
• Olga Brovkina, Postdoctoral Researcher, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)

Organisers:
This PhD course is jointly organised with Kiel Life Science (KLS), Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (CAU), the DFG Cluster of Excellence Precision Medicine in Chronic Inflammation (PMI), DFG Research Unit 5042 miTarget, miGut-Health, Basic Metabolic Research (BMR), University of Copenhagen, and the Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy (DDEA).

The scientific organising committee consists of:

• Andreas Buch Møller, Scientific Partnerships Manager, Arla Innovation (DK)
• Andre Franke, Professor, Director Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (DE)
• Karsten Kristiansen, Professor, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Louise Torp Dalgaard, Professor, Roskilde University (DK)
• Mathieu Groussin, Professor, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Global Microbiome Conservancy and Kiel Microbiome Center (DE)
• Mathilde Poyet, Professor, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel & University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Global Microbiome Conservancy and Kiel Microbiome Center (DE)
• Torben Hansen, Professor, University of Copenhagen (DK)

The course is open to PhD students working within or outside Denmark and Germany, in any field related to gut- and microbiome research. We welcome PhD students in basic, translational, clinical or interdisciplinary research related to metabolism and endocrinology.

Due to the limited number of seats, you are not guaranteed a seat until you receive an e-mail with final confirmation from DDEA after the registration deadline. Seats in the course will be prioritised for:

• Applicants with a relevant abstract
• PhD students
• Applicants working at Danish or German research institutions
• Date of registration for the event

We also welcome early stage postdocs. However, in case the event is overbooked, PhD students are prioritised.

To apply for a seat, you must submit an abstract. If you are selected for participation, you are expected to present your project in a poster session or oral presentation.

After the registration deadline, all applicants will be informed whether or not they have been allocated a seat at the course. Notification will be by email from DDEA approximately one week after the registration deadline.

If the event is overbooked, the DDEA reserves its right to select participants based on the defined requirements.

Accommodation included

The organisers offer accommodation for all participants from 20-23 April 2026 at the course venue’s hotel. When registering, please indicate if you would be willing to share a room with another participant.

You will be informed about your overnight accommodation by DDEA after the registration deadline when participants are selected by the organisers.

Dinner registration

Networking dinners will take place on 20, 21, and 22 April. Participation in the dinners is free of charge. Please indicate whether you have any dietary requirements when you register.

Transportation

DDEA offers joint bus transportation from Odense Central Station to the venue on Monday, 20 April and from the venue to the Odense Central Station on Thursday, 23 April. When registering, please indicate if you would like to join this bus transportation.

Kiel University offers joint bus transportation from the parking lot at the Zentrum für Molekulare Biowissenschaften (ZMB, Am Botanischen Garten 11, 24118 Kiel) to the venue on Monday, 20 April and from the venue to the ZMB on Thursday, 23 April. When registering, please indicate if you would like to join this bus transportation.

The bus departure times are listed in the programme

Certificate of attendance
A course certificate of attendance and participation can be issued upon request at the end of the course. Full participation in the course is required to receive the certificate. Apply to your PhD school for ECTS credits with the certificate and course programme.

Latest cancellation date & no-show fee
Please note that it is free of charge to participate in the event however the organisers will charge a no-show fee of 2000 DKK if you do not show up and have not unregistered from the event by 6 March 2026.

Please note that we expect all participants to have approval from their supervisors for full presence and participation prior to completing the registration form.

Deadline for submission of abstracts:  8 March 2026, 23:59

Abstract guidelines:
Be sure your abstract contains the following information and adheres to the following formatting guidelines before submission:

You may download the template here

The abstract should be max 1500 characters incl. spaces and written in Arial 10.

• Title of abstract (Use a short and specific title with title-style capitalization and put it in bold)
• Presenting author name(s) (Underline the presenting author’s name)
• Affiliation (Include unit, institution/company/hospital, city and country for all authors and put it in italic)

The body of the abstract contains the following content: background and aim, rationale, methods, results (if obtained to-date), conclusion (and perspectives).

No images, figures, charts or tables should be included in the abstract.

Please proofread your document carefully before submission. Submit a Word file titled with your full name.

Format of poster
Size of poster: A0 or A1 – width max. 1 m/height max. 1.25 m (“Portrait format” is visually preferred)