Quick overview

We are delighted to welcome you to the webinar “Prebiotics, Digestive Health and the Gut–Brain Axis: From Science to Practice”, organised by the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD) and supported by BENEO.

29 October 2026

EFAD, with the support of BENEO, is pleased to invite dietitians and dietetic students to the upcoming webinar: Prebiotics, Digestive Health and the Gut–Brain Axis: From Science to Practice

📅 29 October 2026
🕕 18:00-19:00 CET
💻 Register here

Scientific interest in the gut microbiome and its relationship with digestive and mental health continues to grow. Dietitians therefore need to be able to distinguish established scientific evidence from emerging claims and misinformation, and translate this knowledge into practical, evidence-based dietary guidance.

The webinar will connect the science of prebiotics and the gut-brain axis with its application in dietetic practice.

The programme will include:

  • Welcome and introduction
  • Prebiotics and Mental Health: What Does the Evidence Show?
    Boushra Dalile, Postdoctoral Researcher, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven
    This presentation will introduce scientifically proven prebiotics and the gut–brain axis, while exploring microbiome diversity, functionality and the current evidence linking prebiotics with mental health.
  • Prebiotics in Practice: Functional Constipation as a Case Study for Translating Microbiome Science into Dietetic Care
    Patricia Sanz Morales, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, School of Chemistry, Food & Pharmacy, University of Reading
    Using functional constipation and disorders of gut–brain interaction as clinically relevant examples, she will address bowel function, fibre tolerance, microbiome claims and the distinction between biological activity and meaningful clinical outcomes. Practical considerations for patient communication, gradual introduction, monitoring and managing expectations will also be discussed.
  • Audience Q&A and roundtable discussion

The webinar will be moderated by Eva Kerezoudi, ESDN Gastroenterology Member.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Register here

Speakers

Boushra Dalile Postdoctoral Researcher, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven

Presentation Title: Prebiotics and Mental Health: What Does the Evidence Show?

Bio
Dr. Boushra Dalile is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Laboratory of Biological Psychology at KU Leuven, Belgium. Trained in psychology at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Skövde, Sweden and the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Germany, she holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from KU Leuven, awarded in 2021 at the Translational Research Centre for Gastrointestinal Disorders under the supervision of Prof. Kristin Verbeke. Her research investigates the microbiota–gut–brain axis in the context of stress, anxiety, and cognition, with a particular focus on dietary fibre and gut microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including butyrate. She combines clinical interventions with psychophysiology, neuroimaging, and advanced statistical modelling to investigate how these metabolites influence stress regulation, fear learning, and memory in humans. Her recent work explores the neuropsychopharmacological potential of butyrate to modulate learning and memory, with the broader aim of advancing translational research on anxiety and informing future dietary and therapeutic approaches. Her work has been published in journals including Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, The Lancet Planetary Health, Neuropsychopharmacology, Molecular Psychiatry and Psychoneuroendocrinology.

 

Patricia Sanz Morales Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, School of Chemistry, Food & Pharmacy

Presentation Title: Prebiotics in Practice: Functional Constipation as a Case Study for Translating Microbiome Science into Dietetic Care

Bio
Patricia Sanz Morales, RNutr, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Reading, UK. She completed her PhD at the University of Reading, investigating the use of human milk oligosaccharides as a microbiota-targeted intervention for irritable bowel syndrome. Her research focuses on diet–microbiome interactions, gastrointestinal health and the gut–immune–brain axis, with particular interests in prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics. She has experience in human intervention studies, microbiome and metabolomics research, and holds an MSc in Nutrition from King’s College London and a BSc in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from the University of Bristol.