We are proud to congratulate our colleague Lei, who received the Best Poster Award at the 11th Congress of the International Human Microbiome Consortium (IHMC) in Seoul, South Korea.

IHMC is one of the world's leading conferences on the human microbiome, bringing together researchers from across the globe to share the latest advances in microbiome science and its impact on health and disease.

Lei's award-winning poster, "Microbiota-derived imidazole propionate is elevated in colorectal cancer and promotes intestinal proliferation via p38δ signaling," highlights how imidazole propionate, a metabolite produced by gut bacteria, is elevated in colorectal cancer and promotes intestinal cell proliferation through a specific signaling pathway.

This research provides new insights into how interactions between the gut microbiota and the host contribute to colorectal cancer development. Improving our understanding of these mechanisms may ultimately lead to new strategies for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of the disease.

Despite a busy conference schedule, they also found time to explore Seoul and enjoy Korean cuisine together with our former colleague Kassem Makki, now at CarMeN Lab INSERM in Lyon.

Congratulations to Lei on this well-deserved recognition and for making an important contribution to international microbiome research!