Dear Colleagues,

Following the success of the first RIKEN–ISM meeting in Tokyo, the International Society of Microbiota and RIKEN are pleased to welcome the international microbiome community to The Second RIKEN–ISM Conjoint Meeting, taking place on September 24–25, 2026, at the University of Tokyo, Japan.

The originality of this meeting lies in its clear scientific fingerprint. Tokyo Microbiota 2026 is not designed as a general microbiota congress, but as a focused international forum to understand how microbial ecosystems communicate with the host, how they influence health and disease, and how they may be measured, reprogrammed and translated into future interventions.

The 2026 program is organized around a simple progression.

Day 1 will focus on understanding and measuring the microbiome: host–microbiota dialogue across barriers, microbial metabolites as host signaling molecules, and single-cell and strain-level microbiome resolution.

Day 2 will move toward intervention and translation: the microbiota–mitochondria axis in aging and resilience, precision microbiome medicine and innovation.

This structure reflects the evolution of microbiota science. The field is moving beyond description toward causality, precision diagnostics, therapeutic modulation, biodelivery, AI-powered tools, and real-world health applications. Particular attention will be given to microbial metabolites, immune control, mitochondrial function, chronic disease, cancer immunotherapy, healthy aging, and emerging technologies.

RIKEN and ISM aim to make this second Tokyo edition scientifically rich, original and forward-looking. We look forward to welcoming you to Tokyo for this unique international exchange.

On behalf of the Meeting Organizers,

Prof. Hiroshi Ohno,
RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Japan
President of Tokyo RIKEN-ISM Targeting Microbiota 2026 meeting

Prof. Marvin Edeas,
Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, Université de Paris, France
Chairman of the ISM Scientific Board