Virtual Lunch and Learn: Diet and the Gut Microbiome

Oct 6, 2026, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Registration on Our Events Page

Virtual Lunch and Learn Presented by Levi Teigen, PhD, RD, and Lisa Epp, RDN, LD, CNSC, FASPEN

Diet and the Gut Microbiome: This presentation will provide an overview of our current understanding of the gut microbiome, its role in health and disease, and the role of diet in supporting both structure and function of the microbiome. We will also explore future directions for diet-microbiome research.

Objectives:

1. Identify basic gut microbiome characteristics
2. Discuss microbial metabolites as diet-responsive measures of function
3. Discussed gaps in our current understanding of diet-microbiome interactions

Sphere 5: Critical Thinking and Decision Making, Sphere 7: Research and Scholarship, Sphere 9: Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, Sphere 10: Education and Counseling, Sphere 11: Clinical Care

About the Presenters:

Levi Teigen, PhD, RD, is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Minnesota and a faculty member of the Microbiota Therapeutics Program. A former clinical dietitian with 12+ years of practice experience, his research focuses on body composition technologies for nutrition assessment and precision nutrition strategies targeting the gut microbiome.

Lisa Epp, RDN, LD, CNSC, FASPEN, is an Advanced Practice I registered dietitian nutritionist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2003 and completed her dietetic internship at Mayo Clinic in 2004.  She is an Assistant Professor in Nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.  Her interests include enteral nutrition in pediatric and adult patients, blenderized tube feeding, and speaking at state and national organizations.