Introduction

Discover how automation and bioreactor technology can support reproducible, dynamic studies of human digestion and the gut microbiota. 

The human digestive system is a highly complex and dynamic environment. While in vivo studies offer strong biological relevance, they can be costly, difficult to control, and affected by substantial biological variability. In vitro models provide greater experimental control and reproducibility but often reproduce only selected aspects of human digestion.

In this webinar, Dr. Simen Akkermans, Postdoctoral Researcher at KU Leuven/BioTeC+, will introduce FooDSIM, an open and reproducible in vitro digestion simulator built around interconnected mini-bioreactors.

FooDSIM translates the complexity of the human gastrointestinal environment into a controlled bioreactor platform. Four mini-bioreactor vessels represent the stomach, upper small intestine, lower small intestine, and colon. The system controls parameters such as temperature, mixing, oxygen availability, pH, fluid transfer, enzyme addition, and nutrient absorption to reproduce key digestion phases dynamically.

The presentation will explain how the research team developed the platform, implemented physiologically relevant process dynamics, and incorporated a synthetic gut microbiota community to enable controlled and reproducible studies of microbial activity and digestive processes.

What You Will Learn

During the webinar, Dr. Akkermans will discuss:

• How the different phases of human digestion can be translated into an interconnected bioreactor system
• How dynamic pH profiles, fluid volumes, enzyme additions, and intestinal flows are implemented and controlled
• How balances, pumps, refrigeration, and a hemodialysis membrane support accurate flow and absorption simulation
• How a defined synthetic microbial community can be used to investigate gut microbiota populations and metabolite production
• How an automated and reproducible model can provide mechanistic insights into human digestion and microbiome activity

FooDSIM includes controlled inflows for food, gastric enzymes, pancreatin, and bile acids, as well as outflows that simulate nutrient absorption and the transfer of digested material through the intestinal compartments.

How Lucullus® Is Used in FooDSIM

In FooDSIM, Lucullus® is used to define process values as variables and coordinate eight time-dependent processes in parallel, including mass-controlled dynamic in- and outflows and dynamic stomach pH control.

This enables the research team to coordinate the complex sequence of process steps required to reproduce dynamic digestion conditions across the interconnected bioreactor compartments.

Why Attend?

This webinar will be particularly relevant for researchers and professionals working in:

• Food biotechnology and food digestion research
• Gut microbiome and microbial ecology
• Bioprocess engineering and automation
• In vitro model development
• Nutritional science and gastrointestinal research
• Pharmaceutical and oral drug development

FooDSIM demonstrates how automated bioreactor technology can integrate physiologically relevant conditions, dynamic flows, and synthetic gut microbiota into a reproducible experimental platform for mechanistic research.

This webinar meets twice; please join based on your availability. 
Tue, October 27, 2026, 09:00 - 10:00 AM CET
Tue, October 27, 2026, 05:00 - 06:00 PM CET
Format: Online webinar
Participation: Free of charge 

Duration: 50 min (content) + 10 min (Q&A)