Dr. Catherine Grueber, a Robinson Fellow at the University of Sydney, discussed that the microbiome of captive animals were less diverse, but diversity and composition quickly changed upon release. Her lab is focusing on mammals and birds and uses techniques such as multiomic studies of model species, meta-analysis and computational projections, and population genetics of threatened species. Dr. Grueber is further interested in projecting the long-term impacts of dietary change, building resilience in agricultural species and improved conservation of threatened species.

Dr. Daniel Garrido, a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, discussed his interests in the gut microbiome and engineering applications in food and health. One of the current projects his lab is working on is how small bacterial communities respond to dietary changes, such as in a a transition from fructooligosaccharides to 2-fucosyl lactose, simulating breast milk.

Dr. Andrew Holmes, a professor at the University of Sydney, presented his work discussing the role of gut microbial diversity in human health, and integrating lifestyle/diet, microbiome and host physiology to understand multifactorial chronic disease. His lab's overall ambition is to identify fundamental rules for how the nutrient environment drives the biological system.