miGut-Health Symposium Brings International Experts Together in Cremona to Discuss Diet, Stress and Lifestyle in IBD
Cremona, Italy – 19 May 2026
The miGut-Health project held its symposium “Diet, Stress and Lifestyle as Risk Factors in Inflammatory Bowel Disease” in Cremona, Italy, bringing together leading international researchers, clinicians, patient representatives, and stakeholders to share the latest advances in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research, prevention and care.
Hosted by the EngageMinds HUB at the Santa Monica Campus of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, the event welcomed participants both onsite and online for a full day of scientific exchange focused on the interaction between nutrition, the gut microbiome, stress, lifestyle and mental health in IBD.
The symposium opened with welcome speeches from Prof. Andre Franke, Coordinator of the miGut-Health project, Prof. Alessandro Antonietti, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Prof. Guendalina Graffigna (EngageMinds HUB), and Dr Salvo Leone, Chairman of the International Federation of Crohn’s & Ulcerative Colitis Associations (IFCCA).
The programme featured presentations from internationally recognised experts, including Prof. Antonio Gasbarrini, Prof. Alessandro Armuzzi, Prof. Nicola Segata, Prof. Dan Turner, Prof. Paola Battilani, Prof. Fuschia Sirois and Prof. Antonina Mikocka-Walus, who shared their latest research and clinical insights on topics ranging from dietary interventions, fungi and microbiome research to the psychological dimensions of maintaining good health and wellbeing in people living with IBD. Visual lay summaries of their presentations can be found in the gallery section to share their research with wider audience.
The event also showcased the latest scientific findings emerging from the miGut-Health project. The consortium was pleased to welcome miGut-Health advisors Prof. Mauro D’Amato, Prof. Kostas Gerasimidis and Prof. Tom Hemming Karlsen, whose participation further enriched the discussions and exchange of expertise.
Held on World IBD Day, the symposium contributed to raising awareness of inflammatory bowel diseases and the millions of people worldwide living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Participants marked the occasion by wearing purple ribbons as a symbol of solidarity and support for the global IBD community.
The event concluded with a visit to the renowned Violin Museum in Cremona, kindly organised by the hosts, offering participants an opportunity to continue discussions in a unique cultural setting. Following the symposium, the miGut-Health consortium continued with its Progress Meeting the next day, during which project partners shared updates on the progress achieved across the project’s work packages and discussed the latest discoveries in their research.
