Third edition - 2026

Showcasing the Swiss microbiome technology ecosystem

The NCCR Microbiomes is proud to announce the third edition of the Swiss Microbiomes Forum, taking place on Thursday 5 February 2026 from 14h00 at the EPFL Rolex Learning Center in Lausanne.

A deeper understanding of microbiomes will allow us to better harness their potential, and thereby address key challenges aligned with Switzerland’s policy priorities. The Forum will convene key players from across the “ecosystem” of Swiss microbiome experts, to exchange ideas and foster collaboration.

We are organising this year’s Forum in two sessions:

Microbiomes in action – How can we mobilise microbiomes to perform certain functions, that may solve problems in healthcare, food, and the environment?

The data side of the microbiome – Everything we know about microbiomes is based on interpretation of data. This session will highlight methods and bioinformatics resources that help us make advances in research, diagnostics, and monitoring.

Throughout both sessions, speakers from industry, startups, and academia will present their latest innovations and participate in roundtable discussions.

Booths will showcase innovative devices and products in the microbiome field, developed by industry leaders as well as startups. We will also provide opportunities for networking in this rapidly evolving domain.

The event is free, however spaces are limited and registration is required.

REGISTRATION

Confirmed speakers

Mickaël Bouvet – KPMG

Christophe Dessimoz – Unil & SIB

Rita Di Martino – TIBIO

Camille Goemans – EPFL

Benoît Guery – CHUV

Marco Meola – DATABIOMIX

Petar Scepanovic – Roche

Hanne Tytgat – Nestlé

Schedule

14:00	Check-in and Coffee
15:00	Welcome by NCCR Microbiomes
	Session 1: Microbiomes in action
	– Mickaël Bouvet
	– Hanne Tytgat
	– Benoît Guery
	– Rita Di Martino

	Session 2: The data side of the microbiome
	– Petar Scepanovic
	– Camille Goemans
	– Marco Meola
	– Christophe Dessimoz



18:30	Closing remarks followed by networking apéro and exhibition booths

Meet the Speakers

Mickaël Bouvet Manager - KPMG Mickaël Bouvet is a Life Sciences Strategy Manager at KPMG Zurich, specialising in biopharmaceuticals. He earned a PhD in virology from the University of Aix-Marseille in France, followed by postdoctoral research in immunology at the Helmholtz Zentrum in Munich, where he was awarded an EMBO fellowship. After returning to France, Mickaël began advising innovative companies on R&D funding strategies. He later completed an MBA at emlyon business school and relocated to Switzerland, where he now provides strategic advice and support to biopharma companies on commercial and operational topics. Combining his passion for science with strong business interest, Mickaël has also authored a white paper on the emerging live biotherapeutic products market. Personal page on LinkedIn

Christophe Dessimoz Professor - UNIL· Director - SIB Christophe Dessimoz is the executive director of SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and Professor at the University of Lausanne. During his tenure, SIB launched the Centre for Pathogen Bioinformatics, which offers expertise and services in pathogen bioinformatics, computational molecular epidemiology, and multi-site project management to Swiss Federal Authorities and within global pandemic preparedness and molecular surveillance programs. His research group focuses on molecular evolution and comparative genomics. (photo: Nicolas Righetti/Lundi13) Lab website

Rita Di Martino Head of Biology - TIBIO Rita Di Martino is a microbiologist and Head of Biology at TIBIO. She earned a PhD in Life Science at the University of Lausanne in 2022, focusing on interspecies interactions within microbial communities. She joined TIBIO in 2023, a Swiss biotechnology company specialised in scientific consulting and the creation of solutions for environmental pollution. In her current role, she oversees R&D projects and develops customised systems for bioremediation, agrochemistry, and the food industry. TIBIO.ch

Camille Goemans Professor - EPFL Camille Goemans obtained her PhD at the UCLouvain, Belgium, where she studied bacterial stress responses at the molecular level in the laboratory of Jean-François Collet. She next moved to EMBL for a postdoc with Nassos Typas, studying the impact of antibiotics on the human gut microbiota. Camille started her lab at EPFL in September 2023 and her research focuses on antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, and human gut microbes. Lab website

Benoît Guery Professor - CHUV Benoît Guery is an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University Hospital of Lausanne. He is board-certified in pneumology, intensive care, and infectious diseases. Previously, he held the position of full professor of infectious diseases in France before transitioning to his current role as an associate professor in Lausanne in 2016. Pr. Guery is also responsible for overseeing the general infectious diseases consultation at the hospital. Dr. Guery's research focuses on two main areas: Clostridioides difficile infection and microbiota dynamics. His work encompasses both basic and clinical research. In the context of C. difficile infection, he has been actively involved in several clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of various drugs. He has a significant interest in fecal microbiota transplantation and is currently participating in multiple clinical trials to further our understanding of CDI infection. Lab website

Marco Meola CEO & Founder - DATABIOMIX Marco Meola is a molecular biologist, microbial ecologist, and bioinformatician with expertise in microbiomics and metagenomics. He obtained his PhD in Environmental Microbiology from ETH Zurich in 2015 and subsequently worked as a scientist at Agroscope Liebefeld, the University Hospital Basel, and the Institute of Medical Microbiology at the University of Zurich. In 2025, he founded DATABIOMIX, a techbio startup based at the Biotechnopark Schlieren. The company harnesses the predictive power of the human gut microbiome to develop innovative diagnostic tools using microbiota-derived biomarkers for applications in nutrition and health. DATABIOMIX.com

Petar Scepanovic Principal Scientist - Roche Petar Scepanovic is a scientist specialising in the integration of omics technologies and advanced statistical modeling to investigate complex human diseases and the microbiome. With a strong entrepreneurial mindset, Petar applies data-driven approaches across multiple therapeutic areas, exploring the interplay between microbiome and genetics. He is based within the Predictive Modeling and Data Analytics chapter of Roche’s Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED) unit. Personal page on LinkedIn

Hanne Tytgat Group Lead - Nestlé Hanne Tytgat obtained a PhD in Bioscience Engineering from University of Leuven (BE). She worked as a postdoctoral researcher at University of Wageningen (NL) and ETH Zurich (CH). Hanne is a microbial glycobiologist and focuses on elucidating the role of glycans in microbiota-host interactions. In her current role at Nestlé Research, Hanne is leading the digestion & absorption group and leverages her expertise to understand how dietary glycans affect development and health for nutritional applications. Personal page on LinkedIn

Event Organizer

NCCR Microbiomes

The National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Microbiomes, was launched in 2020 to understand the unifying principles of microbiome functioning, to develop tools to diagnose microbiome status, and to devise strategies to intervene and restore imbalanced microbiomes.This research consortium gathers more than 100 scientists across Switzerland, from the University of Lausanne, ETH Zurich, EPFL, CHUV, the University of Bern, and the University of Zurich. NCCR Microbiomes is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation for a period of 12 years.