miGut-Health at the Stay Healthy Cluster Symposium in Berlin
On 1–2 December, the miGut-Health project participated in the Stay Healthy Cluster Symposium in Berlin. The event was organised by our cluster partner IMMEDIATE and brought together six Horizon Europe projects dedicated to personalised approaches to chronic inflammation and the transition from health to disease. The two-day programme combined scientific exchange, technology demonstrations, and an interactive Open Lab with patients and families, reflecting the cluster’s commitment to bridging research, clinical care, and real-world needs.
The first day focused on scientific presentations from across the Stay Healthy cluster, including contributions from IMMEDIATE, HALTHRONIN, INITIALISE, ENDOTARGET, GlycanTrigger, and miGut-Health. Malte Rühlemann (IKMB Kiel) introduced the miGut-Health project and shared the most recent findings from our cohorts. Following this, Sina Hübener (Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf) presented new insights from the clinical study exploring the long-term effects of a gluten-free diet in IBD patients, emphasising how lifestyle and dietary choices can influence disease management. Rohan Singh (EPFL) also contributed to the programme by showcasing the MyFoodRepo app, an AI-driven nutrition tool used within the project to capture real-time dietary behaviour and support personalised nutrition approaches.
Beyond the scientific talks, Jurgita Skieceviciene (LSMU) represented miGut-Health in two panel discussions involving coordinators from the cluster projects. The panels explored major challenges facing their research and how Europe can build a coherent blueprint for preventive health. These discussions highlighted the importance of integrating research, clinical implementation, and active patient engagement to shape the future of personalised healthcare.
The second day of the symposium was dedicated to the first miGut-Health Health-Engagement Open Lab, designed as a space for meaningful dialogue between people living with IBD, researchers, clinicians and caregivers. We extend our sincere thanks to all the patients and family members who joined us; their openness, thoughtful reflections, and willingness to ask bold questions shaped the tone of the session and made it truly impactful.
The Open Lab featured contributions from Guendalina Graffigna and Dilara Usta of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore & EngageMinds HUB, Konstantinos Gerasimidis of the University of Glasgow, and Salvo Leone and Maria Stella De Rocchis from IFCCA. Together with participants, the speakers explored what it means to live well with IBD, sharing experiences, reflecting on daily challenges, and discussing practical strategies for improving quality of life.
A central moment of the event was the presentation of the ENGAGE-IBD Personalised Health Engagement Guide, a resource co-created by patients, clinicians, scientists, UNICATT, EngageMinds HUB, and IFCCA in the framework of miGut-Health. The guide aims to support individuals with IBD in taking an active and confident role in managing their health.
Across both days, the Stay Healthy Cluster Symposium highlighted the shared mission of all participating projects: to advance preventive, personalised, and participatory approaches to health, particularly for chronic inflammatory conditions. For miGut-Health, the event underscored the value of combining science with meaningful involvement of those directly affected by IBD. From cohort data to digital tools, and from clinical insights to lived experiences, the symposium demonstrated how collaboration and co-creation can drive a more holistic understanding of health.
We are grateful to IMMEDIATE for organising this inspiring and productive gathering and look forward to continued collaboration within the Stay Healthy cluster.
